Piper's SongbookHow to play Ode to Joy on recorder
Ode to Joy uses 6 notes on the soprano recorder: B, A, G, high C, high D and low D. The first line goes B B C′ D′ D′ C′ B A G G A B B A A.
- Notes
- 6: B, A, G, high C, high D, low D
- Level
- Both hands
- Time
- 4/4, about 100 beats a minute
- Source
- Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, 1824
Ode to Joy recorder notes with letters
Each box is one note, with its fingering underneath: filled holes are covered, a half-filled hole is half covered or pinched. Wider boxes are longer notes. A ′ mark means the higher octave, so D′ is high D. Bar lines are drawn as thin rules.
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
Line 4
Letters only, for printing or copying
- B B C′ D′ | D′ C′ B A | G G A B | B A A
- B B C′ D′ | D′ C′ B A | G G A B | A G G
- A A B G | A B C′ B G | A B C′ B A | G A D B
- B C′ D′ | D′ C′ B A | G G A B | A G G
Sheet music
Written pitch for soprano recorder, which sounds an octave higher. Press play to hear it on a recorder sound; the slow setting plays at 60% speed.
Fingerings for the notes in Ode to Joy
Hole 0 is the thumb hole on the back. Holes 1 to 3 are for the left hand, 4 to 7 for the right. These are Baroque (English) fingerings.
How to practise it
The tune moves mostly by step between G and high D. In the third line, watch for the drop to low D and the B that comes in early, tied across the bar line.
Learn one line at a time. Play it slowly until every note is clean, then join it to the next line.
About the tune
The melody from the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, first performed in Vienna in 1824. It is now the anthem of the European Union.
Questions
Is Ode to Joy easy on recorder?
It is a good second or third tune. Both hands play, and the low notes need gentle air.
What notes do you need for Ode to Joy on recorder?
B, A, G, high C, high D and low D. Tap a note to see its fingering on its own page.
Do these fingerings work on a German recorder?
Yes. Every note in Ode to Joy uses the same fingering on Baroque and German recorders.
More recorder songs
Notes checked against the Piper's Songbook transcription, compared against two or more independent sources. Last checked 6 October 2026.