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
From Peer Gynt | Edvard Grieg | 1876 | 1907 |
| London Bridge Is Falling Down | Traditional (English) | 18th century | — |
| Row, Row, Row Your Boat | Eliphalet Oram Lyte | 1881 | 1913 |
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.