About this song
Inspired by a real lamb that followed a girl to school in Sterling, Massachusetts. Thomas Edison chose this melody to demonstrate his 1877 phonograph — the first song ever recorded by machine.
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 Mary Had a Little Lamb online in my browser?
Yes. Use the demo player above to hear this public-domain Traditional childhood song 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 Mary Had a Little Lamb?
Mary Had a Little Lamb is Sarah Josepha Hale (1830) (Traditional childhood song). It is in the public domain, so it can be freely arranged, performed and used.
What key is Mary Had a Little Lamb usually played in?
This arrangement is written in C major. The demo above uses that key so you can hear the melody as traditionally performed.
Is a MIDI file version of Mary Had a Little Lamb 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.