Itsy Bitsy Spider piano notes

The notes in letters

G↓ is the low G, just below middle C. All the other notes are the five white keys from middle C up to the next G.

1. G↓ C C C D E E E D C D E CThe itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
2. E E F G G F E F G EDown came the rain and washed the spider out.
3. C C D E E D C D E COut came the sun and dried up all the rain,
4. G↓ G↓ C C C D E E E D C D E CAnd the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

The notes in numbers

Here 1 is C and 5 is G, the same numbering used in “not angka” music. These numbers are also your right-hand fingers, from thumb (1) to little finger (5).

1. 5↓ 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 2 1 2 3 1The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
2. 3 3 4 5 5 4 3 4 5 3Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
3. 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 2 3 1Out came the sun and dried up all the rain,
4. 5↓ 5↓ 1 1 1 2 3 3 3 2 1 2 3 1And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

The notes in do re mi

1. so↓ do do do re mi mi mi re do re mi doThe itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout.
2. mi mi fa so so fa mi fa so miDown came the rain and washed the spider out.
3. do do re mi mi re do re mi doOut came the sun and dried up all the rain,
4. so↓ so↓ do do do re mi mi mi re do re mi doAnd the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

Where to put your hands

Rest your right thumb on middle C and let one finger fall on each white key up to G. Your hand doesn’t need to move for the rest of the song. Play the low G with one finger of your left hand.

Add your left hand

Once the tune feels easy, press a single low C on the first “itsy”, then change to a low G on “water”, and go back to C on “spout”. The other lines work the same way: change to G on “washed”, “dried” and the last “spout”, and go back to C on the last word of each line.

Playing with a small child

Put your child on your lap and play the whole tune while they press any key they like. Next, let them play only the last note of each line. A small child may not manage the whole tune yet, and finishing each line is still a real part in the song.

More ways to play it

• Guitar chords and tab
• Ukulele chords and tab
• Recorder, xylophone and kalimba notes