Is Clair de Lune for beginners?

“Clair de Lune” is an iconic piece for the piano. It's beautiful, recognizable, and oh so peaceful. The original sheet music for “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy isn't easy, so we've created an easier version that anyone, even beginners, can share in the joy of this amazing piece.

pianote.com - Clair de Lune"" Easy Sheet Music & Piano Tutorial - Pianote

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“Clair de Lune” is an iconic piece for the piano. It’s beautiful, recognizable, and oh so peaceful. The original sheet music for “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy isn’t easy, so we’ve created an easier version that anyone, even beginners, can share in the joy of this amazing piece. Watch our video tutorial for a step-by-step guide on how to play “Clair de Lune” and keep reading for some tips and tricks.

Tip #1: Ties 🪢

Watch out for the very many ties in this piece! Ties simply mean notes “tied together” are held for the full duration of all notes tied. There are lots of moments in this song where you hold onto notes and “save them for later.”

Tip #2: Clefs 🎼

Also watch out for changing clefs throughout the sheet music! For example, in the beginning, we use a treble clef for both the right and left hand. The piece starts off pretty high, so it’s much easier to read everything in treble clef. However, we switch back to bass clef in measure 13. Things switch back to treble clef in the last two measures! 🎹 Get a Head Start on Classical Piano ✨ Love classical music but not sure where to start? Head over to Classical Piano Quick Start, four free lessons designed for beginners taught by Victoria Theodore. Victoria is a classically trained pianist with degrees from Oberlin College and Stanford University, and has played with Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder. Start your classical journey with Victoria today!

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Tip #3: Pedaling ✨

You’ll notice some pedal markings in this piece. They look like this:

The pedal is what creates that cloudy, dreamy sound that “Claire de Lune” is famous for. There aren’t pedals everywhere, though, because the ties sort of imitate what the pedal does by holding those chords. However, I personally pedal throughout the song 🤭! I just think it sounds extra pretty 💖

You can learn more about pedaling techniques over here.

HISTORY BITE! “Clair de Lune” is the third of a suite of piano pieces (Suite Bergamasque). Although “Clair de Lune” is famous for being an “Impressionist” piece, Debussy disliked the impressionist label. He was actually Üô ¹ó C l a i r d e L u n e i s t h e t h i r d o f a s u i t e o f p i a n o p i e c e s ( S u i t e B e r g a m a s q u e ) . A l t h o u g h C l a i r d e L u n e i s f a m o u s f o r b e i n g a n I m p r e s s i o n i s t p i e c e , D e b u s s y d i s l i k e d t h e i m p r e s s i o n i s t l a b e l . H e w a s a c t u a l l y

Tip #4: Dynamics and Expression 🎭

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Pieces like “Clair de Lune” are allllll about emotional expression!

So don’t be afraid to let your dramatic side fly! There are dynamic markings to help you along, and if you’re new to musical terms, here’s what they mean:

Piano Play softly.

Forte Play loudly.

Ritardando Gradually slow down.

A Tempo Play at the original tempo.

Crescendo and Decrescendo Gradually play louder (right; crescendo) or gradually play softer (left; decrescendo). At the end of the day, play this piece in a way that feels right for YOU! If you want to pedal a lot, great. If you prefer not to pedal, that’s okay too. We want you to have fun with this iconic piece in whichever way suits you!

Learn More Easy Classical Pieces 🎻

Classical music sounds stunning on the piano, but if you’re intimidated by unabridged versions of your favorite classical pieces, don’t worry! We have LOTS of easy sheet music for pieces beyond “Clair de Lune.” Check out some of our other lessons: