How to play Für Elise on piano?

“Für Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous and recognizable piano melodies in the world. Whenever anybody starts playing the piano, the “Für Elise” piano notes are one of the things they aspire to learn.

Many new piano players dream of learning it. So, if you’re learning how to play piano, we’ve created a friendly “Für Elise” piano song tutorial that breaks the song into small, simple steps so you never feel overwhelmed. We will cover the techniques required for you to play the Für Elise piano notes as well as the relevant piano chords. Think of it like having a caring piano teacher sitting with you, patiently guiding you through each note and chord. At Skoove, we love turning challenging songs into fun lessons and “Für Elise” is no exception.

“Für Elise” chords and progressions

When you start learning the Für Elise piano chords you will need to recall some music theory topics that you have ideally previously covered. Arpeggios and broken chords form an important part of the song – this is when, instead of playing several notes at the same time, you play a chord broken down into one note at a time.

The right hand plays the simple and famous “Für Elise” notes while the left hand is playing these broken chords.

“Für Elise” is written in the key of A minor and to begin with you’ll need to know what an A minor chord is and then practice playing it:

A minor is the tonic chord of the “Für Elise” melody. Next you’ll need to know the dominant chord, which is E major. Try playing it now:

What are the notes in “Für Elise”?

Let’s start with the most exciting part, the notes themselves. The famous “Für Elise” melody begins simply and when we use letter notes as well as sheet music, it becomes much easier.

Let’s break it down hand by hand.

Playing the notes with the right hand

The magic of “Für Elise” starts with the right hand. If you’re just beginning, don’t worry, it may sound complex, however once you see the notes written in letters and use the right fingering, it becomes much easier.

Place your 4th finger on E to start and your 3rd finger takes D#. Use your 1st (thumb) on A when you reach down.

This setup makes the quick back-and-forth between E and D# much easier, and it helps your hand stay relaxed as the melody flows

Here’s how to start:

E(4) – D#(3) – E(4) – D#(3) – E(4) – B(1) – D♮(3) – C(2) – A(1)

Play this slowly with your right hand until it feels smooth. This line repeats with slight variations, so once you’re comfortable here, the rest will feel familiar.

Playing the notes with the left hand

The left hand supports the melody with a simple bass rhythm.

A(1) – A(1) – E(4) – E(4) – A(1) – A(1)

Think of your left hand as the steady beat of the song, slow, calm, and supportive keeping the 6/4 time.

How to play “Für Elise” on piano?

Now that you’ve seen the notes, let’s put them into action. The key to success is to learn in small steps and let your hands get comfortable before moving on. That’s why we’ve prepared a simple “Für Elise” piano song tutorial video where you can follow along step by step. You’ll watch how each hand moves, when the notes come together and how to build the famous melody with confidence.

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Lesson plan

Step 1: listen to the song

Listen to the song “Für Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven a couple of times to get a sense of its overall structure and nuances.

Step 2: practice the “Für Elise” chords

Take a look at the chord charts and practice playing those chords. Make sure that you’re paying attention to your hand positioning.

Step 3: try the tune in the right hand

Try playing the melody in the right hand only initially and get accustomed to it.

Step 4: learn the left hand accompaniment

Now take a look at the accompaniment in the left hand and get more familiar with that part.

Step 5: play both hands together

Once you’ve learned the song for both hands separately, you can try playing hands together. It’s helpful to start slowly and then increase tempo as you get more accustomed to playing both parts simultaneously. You can use the metronome in the Skoove app to help with this.

Practice tips for learning “Für Elise” on piano

Here are a few practical tips we at Skoove recommend to make your practice smoother and more enjoyable:

1. Watch out for accidentals – The song is in the key of A minor, which means there are no sharps or flats in the key signature. Even so, do look out for all the accidentals as there are a lot of sharps that sometimes change back to naturals.
2. Slow down first – It’s tempting to rush because the melody i, so familiar, however speed comes after control. Play the “Für Elise” piano notes slowly, with a steady beat. This builds accuracy and muscle memory.
3. Smooth the reach down to A – When the right hand drops to the low A (after C), some beginners “collapse” their hand. Try and keep your wrist relaxed and let your thumb glide down. This keeps the melody flowing without tension.
4. Use short, playful sessions – Instead of one long, tiring practice, do 5–10 minute sessions. For kids (and even adults!) 98 shorter bursts keep energy and focus high.
5. Count out loud or use a metronome – Rhythm is half the magic of “Für Elise”. If you notice your timing slipping, count “1 -2 – 3 – 4 -5 – 6” or let Skoove’s built-in metronome guide you.

Cheat sheet

Start your adventure now

If you’ve made it this far, you know “Für Elise” isn’t just a dream piece for advanced pianists. With the letter notes, step-by-step practice, and careful hand coordination, you can start playing the iconic opening today.

Want to keep going? Skoove makes playing “Für Elise” on piano easy. You can interactively, slow it down when needed, and get real-time feedback. Plus, you’ll discover hundreds of other songs that build your skills one step at a time. Sit down at your piano, open the app and let’s keep making music together.

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Author of this blog post:

Sam Girling is a percussion and piano teacher, writer, an researcher based in Münster, Germany and Auckland, New Zealand. He has performed extensively in New Zealand and Europe, lectures on a variety of music history and theory topics, and has published several academic articles and musical scores. Sam has taught music in a variety of contexts, from primary schools through to university level.