Welcome to our latest series of free online guitar lessons for kids. In the past, we covered your first five chords and your first five riffs. This time, we’re focusing on five classic melodies kids know and love. First up: Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven.

 

What’s a Melody, Anyway? 

A melody is a sequence of single notes grouped together as a single entity. It’s the singable, hummable, instantly recognizable element of your favorite songs. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is a melody. Jingle Bells is a melody. Of course, Ode to Joy is melody too.

 

Ode to Joy History

Ode to Joy was originally written by Friedrich Schiller in the summer of 1785. It’s a poem about the universal triumph of brotherhood over war and desperation. However, it’s best known as the final movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. In 1985, Ode to Joy became the official anthem of the European Community, which later became the European Union.

 

 

Why Learn Ode to Joy on the Guitar?

Aside from its inspirational message and historical significance, Ode to Joy makes a great first melody for kids because it’s instantly recognizable and easy to play. In fact, Ode to Joy can be played on two strings with just two fingers, which makes it a perfect choice for absolute beginners. (As a bonus, it makes a great song for two guitars if you can strum chords as your kid plays the melody.) 

 

 

 

SIGN YOUR KIDS UP FOR ONLINE GUITAR LESSONS

The Rock Dojo is an award-winning guitar program for kids in Portland, OR. Online guitar lessons are the safest and most effective method for learning to play the guitar during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can register your kid now for our online group guitar classes for kids and private guitar lessons for kids. You can also try our FREE workshop, which happens once per month.