How to Play "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Melissa Etheridge on Piano
“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” is in E major, 4/4 time, at 60 BPM. This lesson teaches a simple version of the song: the melody in your right hand and easy chords in your left, one phrase at a time. The song has 12 phrases, and 1 of them repeats one you will already know.
- E major
- 4/4
- 60 BPM
- Medium
- Melody + easy chords
Free to play. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack.
What you need to know
Read from the song's own melody and chords. The left hand is kept simple on purpose.
Time signature
4/4
4 beats in every bar, at 60 BPM
The chords you play
The song uses 10 chords. You learn them a phrase at a time: E, C#m, F#m, B, G#, A, G#m, A#m, D# and Bsus4.
Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays B where the sheet music writes B7.
Your left hand for this song
Arpeggio
We'll use this simple left-hand pattern to accompany the melody: low, middle, high, middle, two notes a beat. A slow song in 4/4 has room for two notes a beat.
Right hand
The melody
The tune the singer sings, one note at a time, with finger numbers.
The lesson, step by step
3 short steps for each phrase of the song. Each one opens in the lesson player, so you can listen and play along on your own piano.
- Start hereRight hand
Step 1: Melody
Listen, then play the tune with your right hand, with finger numbers.
Open this step - Left hand
Step 2: Chords
Your left hand learns this phrase's chords: a bass note, block chords, or a simple pattern.
Open this step - Both hands
Step 3: Hands together
The melody with your left hand's chords under it. When you can play this, you can play the phrase.
Open this step Then play the whole song
When you can play every phrase, play the full sheet music with its backing track in the player.
Play the full song
Frequently asked questions
What key is “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” in?
“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” is in E major, which has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#. The E major scale is E, F#, G#, A, B, C# and D#.
What are the chords in “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”?
The lesson plays 10 chords, one easy shape each: E, C#m, F#m, B, G#, A, G#m, A#m, D# and Bsus4. As the sheet music writes them: E, Emaj7, E7, C#m, C#m7, F#m, F#m7, B7, B9, G#7, Amaj7, G#m7, A#m7, D#7 and B7sus. Some chords are simplified on purpose: the lesson plays B where the sheet music writes B7.
What should my left hand play in “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”?
First your left hand learns each phrase's chords on its own, then with the melody. It plays a bass note or a block chord when the chord changes, or a simple pattern: you choose, and the same choice stays on both steps.
What tempo is “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”?
“Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” plays at 60 BPM in 4/4. Every step starts at the song's tempo, and you can slow it down as much as you need.
Is “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” hard to play on piano?
It is rated Medium: a good next step once you can play a few easy songs. The melody goes from E4 up to A5. The lesson teaches a simple version: the melody and one easy chord shape at a time in the left hand.
Where can I get the sheet music for “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”?
Play the full sheet music free in the interactive player, or download a printable PDF. Unlock the song or go Premium to download the printable Practice Pack. It is this lesson on paper, with fingering, one left-hand style per PDF.