Alouette
- Introduce the note D (low D)
- Practice five-note range (D, E, G, A, B)
- Develop call-and-response pattern recognition
About This Song
Origin: Traditional French Canadian
Difficulty: Beginner
Notes Used: D, E, G, A, B
Time Signature: 4/4
Key: D Major
Fingering Review
Full Song
This traditional French Canadian children's song features a cheerful call-and-response pattern. We'll focus on the main chorus.
Lyrics:
Alouette, gentille alouette,
Alouette, je te plumerai.
Je te plumerai la tête,
Je te plumerai la tête.
Practice Tips
- New note D: Low D uses all fingers down on both hands - practice this fingering separately
- Range building: This song uses a full five-note range - warm up with scales
- Breath control: Take breaths at natural phrase endings
- Call-and-response: The repetitive structure makes it easy to memorize
Practice Exercises
Practice moving from E to D smoothly.
Practice the ascending pattern used in the song.
Master the first line of the song.
Practice the E and D section.
Practice the closing ascending pattern.
Historical Context
Alouette is a traditional French Canadian children's song that dates back to at least the 1870s. The title means "lark" in French (a type of bird). The song describes plucking the feathers from a lark in a playful, cumulative pattern. Despite the somewhat dark literal meaning, it has become one of the most beloved French children's songs and is often used to teach French language to English speakers. The simple, repetitive melody makes it perfect for beginning musicians.
Next Steps
Once you can play Alouette confidently, try:
- Playing along with a recording to match tempo and style
- Adding dynamics - try playing the repeated phrases at different volumes
- Learning "Lightly Row" which uses the same five notes