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When I Was a Lad

W. S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan

Sir Joseph explains his unlikely rise to command the Royal Navy. Play the vocal melody and chorus replies from H.M.S. Pinafore with timed lyrics and the source piano bass.

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Make a little progress

  1. Listen once and watch where the notes meet the keyboard.
  2. Set playback to half speed. Hear the right hand on its own.
  3. Choose two bars and switch on the loop.
  4. Add the left hand when the phrase feels familiar.

About this arrangement

Original transcription © The Gilbert and Sullivan Archive. Piano adaptation and lyric timing conversion by Piano Sprig. Principal sung line raised one octave and assigned to the right hand, with source piano bass. Piano-only interludes retained; introduction shortened. Inner vocal parts and expressive tempo changes omitted. MIDI lyric beats retained.

The onscreen note guide simplifies notation. For the complete notation, open the source sheet music.

Source and music credits ↗