While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks Recorder Notes
Letters and fingering pictures for soprano recorder, with the words under each note. Starts F A A G F B♭ B♭ A.
The notes and words
Key: F major (the original key).
FWhileAshep-AherdsGwatchedFtheirB♭flocksB♭byAnight,
GAllAseat-CedConBtheCground,
ATheDAn-CgelB♭ofAtheGLordFcameEdown,
AAndGglo-FryFshoneEa-Fround.
- Ecovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Fcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
- Gcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- B♭covered: thumb, 1, 3, 4
- Bcovered: thumb, 1
- Ccovered: thumb, 2
- Dcovered: 2
Key: E♭ major.
E♭WhileGshep-GherdsFwatchedE♭theirA♭flocksA♭byGnight,
FAllGseat-B♭edB♭onAtheB♭ground,
GTheCAn-B♭gelA♭ofGtheFLordE♭cameDdown,
GAndFglo-E♭ryE♭shoneDa-E♭round.
- Dcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- E♭covered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, half 6
- Fcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
- Gcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3
- A♭covered: thumb, 1, 2, 4, 5, half 6
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- B♭covered: thumb, 1, 3, 4
- Ccovered: thumb, 2
Recorder fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Key: G major.
GWhileBshep-BherdsAwatchedGtheirCflocksCbyBnight,
AAllBseat-DedDonC♯theDground,
BTheEAn-DgelCofBtheALordGcameF♯down,
BAndAglo-GryGshoneF♯a-Ground.
- F♯covered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
- Gcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- Bcovered: thumb, 1
- Ccovered: thumb, 2
- C♯covered: 1, 2
- Dcovered: 2
- Ecovered: thumb (pinched), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Recorder fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Key: D major.
DWhileF♯shep-F♯herdsEwatchedDtheirGflocksGbyF♯night,
EAllF♯seat-AedAonG♯theAground,
F♯TheBAn-AgelGofF♯theELordDcameC♯down,
F♯AndEglo-DryDshoneC♯a-Dround.
- C♯covered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, half 7
- Dcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
- Ecovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- F♯covered: thumb, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6
- Gcovered: thumb, 1, 2, 3
- G♯covered: thumb, 1, 2, 4, 5, half 6
- Acovered: thumb, 1, 2
- Bcovered: thumb, 1
Recorder fingering chart: every note, tap to hear it
Staff notation
Play-along guide: the melody played by your browser’s recorder sound. The lit note follows the music. Print large notes
About this song
- Melody
- Tune WINCHESTER OLD, Este's Psalter, 1592
- Words
- Nahum Tate (1652–1715), 1700 (first verse shown; all verses on HymnKeys)
- Public domain
- Melody 1592, words 1700: first published before 1931.
- Source
- Open Hymnal Project file marked public domain, via HymnKeys
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