Music and copyright
Short version: every melody on this site is in the public domain, and none of it is a recording. Your browser plays each note with a synthesizer we wrote.
The rule we follow
A melody only goes into a game if both of these are true:
- It was first published in 1930 or earlier, or it is a traditional folk tune with no known author.
- Its composer died more than 70 years ago.
That keeps each melody out of copyright in the United States, the European Union and most other countries. We use only the melody itself: no lyrics that are still protected, no modern arrangements, and no recorded performances. The notes are typed in by hand and played live by your browser.
Every melody we use
| Melody | Composer | Published | Composer died |
|---|
Ode to Joy
Theme from Symphony No. 9 | Ludwig van Beethoven | 1824 | 1827 |
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Melody of “Ah! vous dirai-je, maman” | Traditional (French) | 1761 | — |
Für Elise
Composed c. 1810, first published 1867 | Ludwig van Beethoven | 1867 | 1827 |
| Jingle Bells | James Lord Pierpont | 1857 | 1893 |
| Frère Jacques | Traditional (French) | c. 1780 | — |
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Poem by Sarah Josepha Hale, 1830 | Lowell Mason (melody) | c. 1830 | 1872 |
In the Hall of the Mountain King
Written 1875–76 for Peer Gynt, published 1888 | Edvard Grieg | 1888 | 1907 |
| London Bridge Is Falling Down | Traditional (English) | 18th century | — |
| Row, Row, Row Your Boat | Eliphalet Oram Lyte | 1881 | 1913 |
Swan Lake
Oboe theme, Act II | Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | 1877 | 1893 |
| The Blue Danube | Johann Strauss II | 1867 | 1899 |
Shchedryk (Carol of the Bells)
First performed 1916. Melody only: the English title and lyrics (1936) are not used | Mykola Leontovych | 1921 | 1921 |
| Habanera (Carmen) | Georges Bizet | 1875 | 1875 |
| The Entertainer | Scott Joplin | 1902 | 1917 |
Korobeiniki
Folk song, later famous from Tetris | Traditional (Russian) | 19th century | — |
Turkish March
Rondo alla Turca, Piano Sonata No. 11 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 1784 | 1791 |
Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Composed 1787, first published 1827 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 1827 | 1791 |
| Spring (The Four Seasons) | Antonio Vivaldi | 1725 | 1741 |
Canon in D
Composed c. 1680, first published 1919 | Johann Pachelbel | 1919 | 1706 |
| Brahms' Lullaby | Johannes Brahms | 1868 | 1897 |
| Greensleeves | Traditional (English) | 16th century | — |
Bridal Chorus
“Here Comes the Bride”, from Lohengrin | Richard Wagner | 1850 | 1883 |
Minuet in G
In the 1725 Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach; long attributed to J. S. Bach | Christian Petzold | 1725 | 1733 |
Symphony No. 5
Opening motif | Ludwig van Beethoven | 1808 | 1827 |
When the Saints Go Marching In
Familiar version first published by Edward Boatner | Traditional (American spiritual) | 1916 | — |
Amazing Grace
Melody “New Britain” | Traditional (American) | 1829 | — |
| Auld Lang Syne | Traditional (Scottish) | 1799 | — |
| Oh! Susanna | Stephen Foster | 1848 | 1864 |
| Old MacDonald Had a Farm | Traditional (American) | 1917 | — |
Toccata and Fugue in D minor
BWV 565, composed c. 1704, first published 1833 | Johann Sebastian Bach (attributed) | 1833 | 1750 |
Why it matters
A recording of a public-domain piece can still be protected: the orchestra and the label own their performance even when Beethoven's notes belong to everyone. That's why we don't play anyone's recording. The sound you hear is generated on your device at the moment you play.
If you think a melody here is listed wrongly, please tell us from the contact page and we will check it.