Auld Lang Syne
About this arrangement
Robert Burns wrote the words down in 1788, drawing on older verses. The tune he had in mind was a different one. The melody sung today was attached to his words in the late 1790s, after his death in 1796, so Burns never heard his song the way the world sings it.
Find the melody first: it is the top note of the right hand. The dotted rhythm on auld ac-quaintance is the pulse of the whole song, long-short-long. The refrain jumps up to a high note - give it a little more weight, then let the last line settle.
Start with short loops.
Use the section list as a practice map. Start at 50% tempo, loop one section, then return to the full piece once the hand shape feels stable.
Choose Right or Left to focus on one hand. Wait for note checks the highlighted notes as you play them on the screen or a connected MIDI keyboard.
Before you practice.
01 Is Auld Lang Syne easy on piano?
The melody is, and it is often taught early. This edition harmonises it in both hands, which makes it a good next step after single-line tunes.
02 When is Auld Lang Syne played?
Mostly at midnight on New Year's Eve, and at farewells and graduations.
03 Did Robert Burns write the tune?
No. Burns wrote down the words in 1788. The tune used today was attached to them in the late 1790s.