A Traditional Music Library
Instrumentation for: Piano, Voice or Guitar (Lead Sheets for All)
Categories: Traditional, Christmas
Catalog Size: Huge (1000+)
This huge sheet music library contains thousands of songs in a melody + chord format. The 'library' is divided into 'songbooks' containing different styles of music making it easier to find the kind of music you want. For example, there are bluegrass songbooks, songbooks containing Irish folk tunes, scottish, christmas, cowboy songs, bawdy songs, 'well known traditional tunes', and many more. Once you select a songbook, you'll get a long list of songs available in alphabetical order. Each song contains the melody, chords, and a MIDI file for the song so you can listen to how it should go. The entire library is free here but also available for purchase on CD which gives you much higher quality scores than those here. Updated 11/23/2004

Abacci Music
Instrumentation for: Tin Wistle, Harmonica, Cello, Mandolin and Guitar
Categories: Celtic/Traditional
Catalog Size: Large (100-500)
This delightful web site is dedicated to Irish, Celtic and World music. There are hundreds of tabs as well as MIDI files, and sheet music can be viewed alphabetically, by key, or even by traditional rhythm style. If you love celtic music and have the instrument for it, this site is dream come true. Added 06/22/2005.

Darrell Crowther - Choral Arrangements
Instrumentation for: Piano, Organ, Voice
Categories: Christian, Christmas, Choral
Catalog Size: Small (10-25)
Darrell's choral arrangements for church include a SSAA rendition of Beautiful Savior, as well as the popular Christmas selections Joy To The World and Oh Come Let Us Adore Him. Check out the barbershop quartet version of Home on the Range. All sheet music in PDF format. Updated 10/29/2001.


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Digital Tradition Folk Music Database
Instrumentation for: Voice, Pennywhistle, Dulcimer Tab
Categories: Folk, Traditional, Christmas
Catalog Size: Huge (1000+)
This huge database contains lyrics and melody scores for well over a thousand folk and traditional tunes. You'll find a lot of very familiar tunes including John Barleycorn, Old King Cole, Tah Rah Rah Boom Di Yay and more. You'll also find plenty of traditional Christmas tunes. The *.gif scores available at the site are melody only (fine for improvisational pianists), pennywhistle, and dulcimer. The database is completely text searchable as well as being alphabetically categorized. Nice, BIG collection for folk music enthusiasts. Updated 05/20/2002.

ezFolk.com
Instrumentation for: Folk Guitar, Banjo, Ukulele, Harmonica
Categories: Traditional, Christmas, Popular, Folk.
Catalog Size: Medium (50-100)
Richard Hefner’s excellent instructional site for banjo, folk guitar, harmonica and ukulele includes tablature and tutorials as well MP3 files for most of the songs. You'll find a number of Christmas selections, as well as popular folk favorites such as Amazing Grace, Blue Mountain, Cripple Creek, and Greensleeves. A small, but fantastic tab collection for folk and traditional instrumentalists. Updated 06/21/2005.

Garden of Praise: Arrangements for Piano
Instrumentation for: Piano
Categories: Christmas, Popular
Catalog Size: Small (10-25)
Here you'll find some very easy piano arrangements for a number of popular, public domain songs. These include several Christmas tunes, such as Silent Night, Deck the Halls, and Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, as well as kids songs such as B-I-N-G-O, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and Happy Birthday. The sheet music is in *.gif format. Added 01/03/2003.

Gotta Sing!
Instrumentation for: Vocal, Handbells, Piano, Organ
Categories: Christian, Christmas
Catalog Size: Small (25-50)
A nice selection of sheet music vocal arrangements for church use, including some hymns and Christmas tunes. Sheet music available in PDF and finale format. MIDI files available as well. Added 12/10/2007.

Hoempa Music: Christmas For Percussion
Instrumentation for: Percussion, Vibraphone, Chimes, Drums, Etc.
Categories: Christmas
Catalog Size: Very Small (Less than 10)
Percussionists will be relieved to find at least one site featuring sheet music exclusively for them. Though this site features only a very small catalog of Christmas songs, a variety of percussion instruments are represented. Songs include Christmas in 5/8, Joy to the Percussion World, and The Little Drummer Boy. Sheet music in *.gif format. Updated 09/23/2003.

Michael Bednarek's Mozart Files
Instrumentation for: Piano
Categories: Classical, Christmas
Catalog Size: Large (100-500)
Michael Bednarek's collection features hundreds of free sheet music downloads (and MIDI) produced by MOZART music notation software. Of particular note you'll find a majority of the pieces from Le nozze di Figaro Mozart's famous Opera, as well as other works from both Wolfgang and Leopold Mozart, Bach, Hadyn, and a other composers. Finally, the MOZART files features a nice selection of Christmas music, free for download. All sheet music is available in Mozart, MIDI, and PDF format. Updated 01/10/2008

Music Education Magic
Instrumentation for: Full Band Scores
Categories: Classical, Pop, Christmas
Catalog Size: Small (33 as of this writing)
Folks looking for complete band scores in particular will find something to please here at Music Education Magic. Complete scores are included in both PDF and Sibelius formats for a large number of Christmas tunes plus many traditional favorites such as Amazing Grace, The Star-Spangled Banner, Ode to Joy, Dixie, Alouette and others. Added 12/28/2007.

MySheetMusic.com
Instrumentation for: Piano, Violin, Clarinet, Flute, Trumpet, Clarinet, More
Categories: Classical, Hymns, Children's, Christmas, Folk
Catalog Size: Medium (100 free)
MySheetMusic.com has one of the highest quality, most complete catalogs of sheet music for piano and other instruments that we've reviewed. They offer only 100 sheet music samples for free, but if you're willing to become a "Platinum Member" for $29.95, you can gain access to print all 1300+ files they offer. You'll find dozens of titles, sorted by category as well as alphabetically. While a majority of the pieces are classical, there is a considerable selection of music from other categories including Ragtime, Hymns, Children, Folk, and Christmas. All selections are available in the popular Scorch format. Note, free downloadable manuscript paper is also available. Updated 12/20/2007.

Nottingham Folk Music Database
Instrumentation for: Guitar, Folk & Traditional Instruments
Categories: Folk, Christmas, Historical
Catalog Size: Very Large (1000+)
Fans of renaissance or traditional folk music will really appreciate the Nottingham Folk Music Database, which contains chords and melodies for over a thousand folk songs. Selections include jigs, reels, waltzes and more. Music is downloadable in PDF, GIF, and ASCII (text) format. MIDI files are also provided for most songs. Over 30 Christmas selections are included as well. Added 05/20/2003.

Public Domain Sheet Music
Instrumentation for: Piano, Voice
Categories: Historical, Folk & Traditional, Christmas
Catalog Size: Very Large (500+?)
A large selection of scanned public domain works copyrighted and published before 1922. The collection includes many familiar tunes (Battle Hymn of the Republic, Good-Night Ladies, Rock-A-Bye Baby) as well as numerous popular, traditional Christmas carols. Music sheets are sorted in alphabetical order, in *.gif format and while the scans are a bit on the fuzzy side, they are readable. Updated 02/11/2002.

Rycun Music Company
Instrumentation for: Jazz Ensemble, Piano, Clarinet, Flute, Sax, More...
Categories: Original, Christmas, Christian.
Catalog Size: Medium (25-100)
Jazz composer Ryan Cullen offers visitors his many original scores for jazz ensemble (as well as some solo jazz piano) for download, including arrangements of The Lord's Prayer, Amazing Grace, and a few popular Christmas tunes. MIDI files are available for each selection for listening, and level of difficulty for each selection is noted. In addition to these arrangements, Rycun offers over 30 jazz lead sheets from his 'Online Fakebook'. Added 03/24/2002.

SibeliusMusic.com
Instrumentation for: Piano, Guitar, Voice, Strings, Winds, Big Band, Etc.
Categories: Classical, Historical, Christian, Christmas, Original
Catalog Size: Huge
SibeliusMusic.com is the sheet music home of Scorch software by Sibelius. The advantages of the site, when you have the free software plug-in, are many. For example, you can transpose any song instantly, change instrumentation, and actually listen to the song while you view the music with the click of the button. At the Sibelius site you'll find thousands of sheet music selections. Most of these are for sale (they provide the first page free), within each category (which includes Classical, Jazz, Pop/Rock, Eductional and Worship) you'll find plenty of free sheet music titles to download. Unfortunately, Sibelius does not currently have a 'free' sheet music category to browse, meaning the only way to find the free sheet music is to browse through the 'pay' sheet music. Sibelius does provide a search tool, however, so if you're looking for a particular piece, it's quite easy to find it. Nice site, nice design. Recommended for a visit. Updated 06/11/2004.

Something New for Your Choir This Christmas
Instrumentation for: Piano and Choir
Categories: Christmas
Catalog Size: Very Small (Less than 10)
Here you'll find two original Choral arrangements for piano and treble choir. These include 'Falling Snow' and 'Ev'ry Time a Bell Rings'. Sheet music is viewable from your browser or downloadable. Use of the music is free. To quote the composer, 'No royalties or other fees, professionally arranged, no gimmicks, no SPAM follow-ups or other cheap tricks. We just want our music heard and performed at Christmas.' Added 09/09/2002.

Songs of Praise: Original Worship Sheet Music
Instrumentation for: Piano, Guitar Tablature and Lead Sheets
Categories: Christian, Christmas
Catalog Size: Large (100-500)
Here you'll find a fantastic collection of original songs for worship and praise in your church by numerous artists. This well organized site features nearly two hundred songs, most with free downloadable sheet music you can print right from your web browser. Each song also has a midi file, and many of the songs also have RealAudio and MP3 files to listen to. There's also a very nice selection of sheet music arrangements for original Christmas music. Many songs even include translations, for French, Dutch, Italian, Chinese and many others. Check out the 'Jukebox' which allows you to listen to the songs featured here. Updated 04/22/2002.

Split Infinity Music: Public Domain Worship and Praise
Instrumentation for: Guitar (Tablature)
Categories: Christian, Christmas
Catalog Size: Large (100-500)
Split Infinity Music offers a wide selection of public domain Christian guitar tablature including Hymns, choruses, and Christmas music. They also have one very unique feature... the ability to instantly transpose your selection to any other key. So, if you decided you would rather play A Mighty Fortress Is Our God in the key of E rather than the default key of D, you can do that with a single click. Very cool. Finally, you can browse and listen to MIDI files for over 2000 church hymns. Updated 11/13/2001.

Swing Out Santa
Instrumentation for: Swing Band (Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Bass, Etc.)
Categories: Christmas
Catalog Size: Small (10-25)
From the creators of 'Swing Out America' comes 'Swing Out Santa', Christmas arrangements for Swing Band. Arrangements include such classics as Deck the Halls, Joy to the World, I Saw Three Ships and many others. The orchestration of these melodies features two distinct Big Band ensembles; a 'Hot Band' consisting of the classic complement of trumpets, trombones and saxophones and a 'Cool Band' which showcases clarinet and trombone sections accompanied by vibes. All songs available in PDF format, and complete conductors scores are available for purchase. Added 10/15/2001.

Violin Online
Instrumentation for: Violin
Categories: Classical, Christmas 
Catalog Size: Small (10-25)
Violin Online is an instructional site for beginning violinists, and includes educational material on fingering, bow placement, music fundamentals and more. Included in the sites 'Excercise Studio' are a dozen etudes for violin, including works by Bach, Wohlfahrt, and Sitt. In the "music store" you'll also find a nice selection of easy violin selections for the Christmas season. Updated 02/05/2008.