TonalicsJOURNALOpen Tuner
‹ Piano songs
Z = C4 · Q = C5
SongsAway in a Manger
Play a different song (36)
Play along
  1. 5'
  2. 5'
  3. 4'
  4. 3'
  5. 3'
  6. 2'
  7. 1'
  8. 1'
  9. 7
  10. 6
  11. 5
  12. 5
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 5
  16. 5
  17. 2'
  18. 7
  19. 6
  20. 5
  21. 1'
  22. 3'
  23. 5'
  24. 5'
  25. 4'
  26. 3'
  27. 3'
  28. 2'
  29. 1'
  30. 1'
  31. 7
  32. 6
  33. 5
  34. 5
  35. 4'
  36. 3'
  37. 2'
  38. 3'
  39. 2'
  40. 1'
  41. 2'
  42. 6
  43. 7
  44. 1'

The tune “Mueller”, James R. Murray, 1887. Public domain.

61 keys · C2–C7, five octaves · The usual home keyboard — five octaves, enough for nearly everything written for two hands.

Tap a key, or slide along them for a glissando. On a keyboard the letters on the keys are the ones to press — Z to M are the white keys from middle C with S, D, G, H and J the black ones between them, and Q to P are the octave above; the arrow keys move both rows an octave, and Space is the sustain pedal.

PianoFree · printable · plays in your browser

Away in a Manger — Piano Letter Notes

Away in a Manger, written out for the piano as easy letter notes for the right hand, with do-re-mi under every note and set up above on the 61 keys. Press Play to hear it, Practice to learn it one note at a time — the piano waits for you — or Play along to keep time with it.

  • Notes44, 8 pitches
  • RangeG4–G5
  • Key hereC major
  • Tempo100 bpm · about 29 s
  • LevelEasy

Can a piano play Away in a Manger?

Yes — every size on this page plays it. The check is made note by note against what each one can actually sound. Where the tune does not fit as the library writes it, another key or octave is tried, and the table says which; where nothing fits, it names the notes that are missing.

  • 49 keys✓ Plays as writtenIn C major, G4–G5 · load it
  • 61 keys✓ Plays as writtenIn C major, G4–G5 · loaded above
  • 88 keys✓ Plays as writtenIn C major, G4–G5 · load it

Away in a Manger: piano letter notes

The large line is the key’s letter; a dot over it is the octave above middle C’s, a dot under it the octave below; the small line under it is the same note in do-re-mi. A dash holds the note another beat, an underline is half a beat, and a dot beside a note makes it half as long again. Each line is one phrase.

▶ Play it above

Away in a Manger — piano letter notes (61 keys) · tonalics.com

Away in a Manger letter notes as text

The same notes as plain text, one phrase to a line, to copy into a message or a document. A letter on its own is in the octave that starts on the C above middle C (C5). A letter with a number is in that numbered octave: B4 is the B just below the C above middle C. A comma marks a long note.

G G F E E D C C B4 A4 G4, G4
G4 A4 G4 G4 D B4 A4 G4 C E, G
G F E E D C C B4 A4 G4, G4
F E D E D C D A4 B4 C

Is there a both-hands version?

Not of Away in a Manger, on this page. The left hand here is made by rule — three chords, one hand position — and it is only offered where that rule can be checked against a published harmonisation and agrees with it on most bars. None of the scores this melody was checked against prints chord symbols to compare with. The right hand above is the whole tune.

The 8 notes it uses

Lowest to highest, with how many times each is played. Learn these 8 and you can play the whole tune.

  • GSol×8
  • ALa×5
  • BSi×4
  • C•Do×7
  • D•Re×6
  • E•Mi×7
  • F•Fa×3
  • G•Sol×4

What to expect on a piano

  • It runs from G4 to G5, an octave, using 8 different notes. That leaves 31 semitones unused below and 17 above.
  • 84% of its moves are a step or a repeated note. The widest is a minor seventh, G4 to F5, at note 35.
  • It is played on the white keys only.
  • It covers 8 white keys, more than the five a hand rests on, so the right hand has to move or stretch — by a key or two.

About the tune

An American carol of the 1880s that was long, and wrongly, said to be by Martin Luther. This is the tune called “Mueller”, published by James R. Murray in 1887 and the one sung in North America. In Britain the same words go to a different melody, William J. Kirkpatrick’s “Cradle Song” of 1895.

The tune “Mueller”, James R. Murray, 1887. Public domain. The notes follow Wikipedia, “Away in a Manger” (engraved score), cross-checked against 1 other transcription. More about Away in a Manger →

Away in a Manger on other instruments

The same melody, in each instrument’s own notation. It is not offered for the guzheng, handpan or ocarina, which do not have the notes.

More songs for the piano

All 36 piano songs · Christmas songs for piano · The online piano on its own

Playing it on a real piano?

If it sounds wrong, check the instrument before the notes. The piano tuner listens through your microphone and names what each note is actually sounding.

🎙 Open the Piano Tuner