Are you struggling to learn Twinkle Twinkle on the recorder?
Do you want help with the notes for this song?
Twinkle Twinkle uses the same melody as many other songs, including the ABCs and Baa Baa Black Sheep.
It also makes a great recorder song, but many struggle with it at first.
This is why I thought back on the many times I’ve taught this song to students and adults to make this guide for how to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star recorder notes.
The notes in Twinkle Twinkle Little Star are usually D, E, F#, G, A, and B. The song uses simple rhythms and emphasizes the note F# in step-wise motion.
Let’s get into the song and directions for how to play it.
Table of Contents
Notes For Twinkle Twinkle Little Star On Recorder
First, let’s look at the recorder notes for this favorite song of many English children (well, English-speaking kids).
Notes include:
- B
- A
- G
- F#
- E
- D
The notes themselves make this a good song for experienced beginners.
What I mean by this is that some beginners will struggle with the note, F#.
Fortunately, as the recorder sheet music shows, the music is slow and simple outside of the note, making it easier to focus on the new notes.
You may also notice when you see the notation how it doesn’t even cover a single octave.
It may not be the perfect beginner song, but it’s close to the top of the list.
Use this graphic to help you learn the fingerings for this F# practice piece.
Twinkle Twinkle Recorder Sheet Music
Have a look at the notes here for this song.
I’ve broken it down into sections shown with the As and Bs above the measures.
This labeling is helpful for practicing.
How To Play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on Recorder
In this section, we’ll look at how to learn the song.
As with any of the songs we cover, you should start slow and break it down into the parts you struggle with.
When you start slow, it sparks something in your brain that makes it easier when you play it faster. It’s like a little light comes on.
Here is how I recommend beginners break down the song.
(Don’t forget to refer to the recorder sheet music above as needed.)
#1 Look at the opening leap.
One of the challenges of this tune is the opening leap.
Take a look at the D to A motion.
Practice this slowly.
Then, once it’s solid, add in the B notes.
In this step, we’re looking at the first two measures.
You’ll notice this also comes back once later on.
#2 Practice the descending line.
Now, we need to tackle the hardest part of the song around the F# note.
Practice it slowly. If you struggle with the note, practice playing G-F#-E and then #-F#G to get used to the finger switching.
This step looks at the 3rd and 4th measures.
#3 Repeat the descending line.
Now, the line basically repeats itself two more times, this time starting on A.
Practice it until it’s smooth.
This is where the B section starts.
#4 Put the ending together.
The ending is just like the beginning.
I always encourage students of all ages to look for repeated patterns in music.
Once that light comes on, and you realize you’ve played it already, it saves you time and effort.
#5 Perform the whole song.
Now, it’s time to put the whole song together.
You may want to practice saying and fingering the whole song before you actually play it.
Sometimes just doing the fingers sparks something that helps you play it better.
Congrats! Now you know how to play Twinkle Twinkle on the recorder.
If you want more songs to learn, check out our Recorder Sheet Music category above or check out the Sweet Pipes Recorder Book 1 on Amazon.
This is the book I recommend for older beginners.
Final Thoughts
I hope the Twinkle Twinkle Little Star recorder notes and instructions help you.
It’s a great song to play, and it’s the Red Belt on the Recorder Karate songs.
Take your time and enjoy playing this fun song that pretty much everyone already knows.
