The Note START HERE CHORD THEORY SONG TUTORIALS THEORY TECHNIQUE MUSICIANSHIP CHORDS & SCALES LIBRARY

(Easy) “Carol of the Bells” Piano Sheet Music & Tutorial

Lisa Witt  /  Seasonal  /  UPDATED Jan 12, 2023

promo banner

Learn how to play “Carol of the Bells” with our free piano sheet music and tutorial. Download the sheet music here:

DOWNLOAD SHEET MUSIC

“Carol of the Bells” is the MOST requested song I’ve had this winter. It’s not the easiest song ever, but we’ve created a simplified arrangement for everyone to enjoy, including beginners. The sheet music includes chord symbols, so if you’re not comfortable reading notes yet, knowing chords will help you.

Follow along with the video tutorial to get started or keep reading for a section-by-section breakdown of the sheet music.

And for more song tutorials such as “Silent Night” and “Deck the Halls,” check out our Christmas songs category!

New Year, New Goals 🥳

Make this your year of getting good at the piano. Sign up to get free lessons, tips, and piano news delivered to your inbox every week.

“Carol of the Bells” Piano Sheet Music Breakdown 🔔📝

The Main Theme (Section A)

The main theme is iconic…and quite beautiful. As soon as you start playing it, people will know what’s happening.

Carol Of The Bells main riff

It’s very simple (only four notes) and it repeats A LOT. Getting bored? Time to layer in that left hand…

Adding Harmony (Section B)

The left hand starts simply, with just single notes in each measure in a walking-down pattern.

Then, we’ll add a note a third under to harmonize things a bit. This gives the song more depth.

Feel free to repeat this part of the video a few times if you want to copy my fingering. Having good fingering can make a big difference with this song.

This next bit requires a little hand independence, so it can be challenging if you’re a beginner. Take it slow. Counting out loud also helps.

Next, we get a bit that’s a little crunchy. But it’ll resolve when it goes into the next section.

Again, take things slow. Your right hand stays the same but your left hand moves a little more, so you may want to practice the left hand on its own.

📜 HISTORY BITE! The “Carol of the Bells” melody has a fascinating, if at times dark history. For one, it wasn’t originally about Christmas at all. The melody comes from a traditional Ukrainian folk song called “Shtshedryk.” It was brought over to the U.S. via a performance by the Ukrainian National Chorus. The choir performed a version arranged by composer Mykola Leontovych, who was assassinated just the year before by the Bolshevik secret police, and the performance was an expression of nationalism. Read more about “Shtshedryk” here.

The Bridge (Section C)

I love this section. This part is what makes the song so exciting!

It sounds epic and impressive. Now, this next part looks scary at first because there are so many sharps, but we’ll break it down for you. It’s essentially the first five notes of the E Major scale (E-F#-G#-A-B). Here’s the fingering broken down:

On your left hand, just play and hold fifths.

Ending (Section D)

Now back to the main theme!

It’s the same accompaniment as the beginning of the song. All we’re doing is adding some extra “oomph” by playing octaves with our left hand. It’ll give this song that majestic feeling that makes it unforgettable.

Now, we’ll pull back into a simpler harmony with thirds before ending and holding onto a left hand octave.

“Carol of the Bells” Piano Sheet Music Dynamics

Dynamics are, in my opinion, take you from being a good piano player to a great one.

If you’re new to dynamics, what I’m talking about are the changes in volume and expression in the piece. We mark the spots meant to be played softly with a p (piano) and the spots meant to be played loudly with an f (forte).

We also use crescendos (<) and decrescendos (>) to indicate growing louder or softer. Once you get comfortable playing the song in its basic form, try paying attention to these dynamic changes. You can learn more about dynamics and expression here.

But for now, happy practicing and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 🎄


Lisa Witt has been teaching piano for more than 20 years and in that time has helped hundreds of students learn to play the songs they love. Lisa received classical piano training through the Royal Conservatory of Music, but she has since embraced popular music and playing by ear in order to accompany herself and others. Learn more about Lisa.

Headshot of woman with short platinum hair against a studio background.

The easiest way to learn beautiful piano chords.
Sign up for 5 FREE play-along lessons

By signing up you’ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don’t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.