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Jingle Bells

James Lord Pierpont · Key of C major · 4/4 · ♩ = 112

Jingle Bells was written by James Lord Pierpont in 1857, first titled "One Horse Open Sleigh". Pianory’s 16-bar version in C major runs at 112 BPM with both hands together: the right hand stays on the five notes from C to G while the left plays chord roots and fifths.

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What makes it tricky

The dotted rhythms in the verse give it the bounce, but they are easy to flatten into even notes. At 112 BPM it is also faster than the earlier pieces, so the left hand has to move between C, F and G without looking.

How to practice it

  1. Pick Right hand at 50% and drill the "jingle bells, jingle bells" chorus. The repeated E’s should sound even.
  2. Pick Left hand and practice moving between the bass notes while keeping your eyes on the score, not the keys.
  3. Pick Both and step through 50%, 75% and 100%. At full speed, keep the dotted rhythm crisp so it stays cheerful.