About this song
An English-derived warning ballad collected in the Appalachian mountains, made world-famous by The Animals' 1964 recording. The arpeggiated minor melody is a right-of-passage for guitar and piano learners.
Play it in MIDI Room
This is a simplified single-line arrangement so you can hear the melody instantly. To play the full piece with a piano roll, multi-track view, tempo control and A/B practice looping, use the main MIDI Player Online tool with your own MIDI file.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play House of the Rising Sun online in my browser?
Yes. Use the demo player above to hear this public-domain American folk melody instantly, or drop your own MIDI file into the MIDI Player Online tool for full piano-roll playback, tempo control and A/B practice looping. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, account or install.
Who composed House of the Rising Sun?
House of the Rising Sun is Traditional American folk song (American folk). It is in the public domain, so it can be freely arranged, performed and used.
What key is House of the Rising Sun usually played in?
This arrangement is written in A minor. The demo above uses that key so you can hear the melody as traditionally performed.
Is a MIDI file version of House of the Rising Sun available?
Instead of downloading a file, you can hear the melody right here with the built-in player. To practice it, set a slow tempo and use the A/B loop to repeat a section. You can also export or record any MIDI you play from the main MIDI Room player.