Dhun
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
Here is Go Tell Aunt Rhody written the way we write a tune on the board in class: the rhythm on top, the scale degree under it, then the swara. 1 is Sa, an apostrophe after a number takes it up an octave (5’) and a comma in front takes it down (,5). Read it, sing it, and you have the song in every key at once.
- 4/4
- Major
- 8 bars
- 22 notes
- Free to use
Read it in three languages
Scale degrees
3 3 2 1 1 2 2 4 3 2 1 5 5 4 3 1 1 2 4 3 2 1Swaras (sargam)
g g r s s r r m g r s p p m g s s r m g r sMovable-do solfège
mi mi re do do re re fa mi re do so so fa mi do do re fa mi re doA line under a swara means it is komal (flattened).
Go Tell Aunt Rhody note names, key by key
The numbers never change. Only the letters do. That is the whole point of learning a tune by its degrees.
| Key | Notes |
|---|---|
| C major | E E D C C D D F E D C G G F E C C D F E D C |
| G major | B B A G G A A C B A G D D C B G G A C B A G |
| D major | F# F# E D D E E G F# E D A A G F# D D E G F# E D |
| F major | A A G F F G G Bb A G F C C Bb A F F G Bb A G F |
The app has all twelve keys, and it will also turn this tune into natural minor, harmonic minor, Dorian, Mixolydian or Mayamalavagowla while you listen.
The Joker’s clue: “Bad news for an aunt: her bird will not be making any more pillows.”
How to practise it
- Guess it by reading. Sing the numbers in your head before you play a single note.
- Hear it. Play it back and check whether what you sang matches what it does.
- Play it in all twelve keys. Same numbers, twelve sets of letters.
- Write it out. In each key, name every note. That is when it sticks.