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Silent Night — Free Lead Sheet PDF (Eb, Bb, Concert)

By SaxTeacher UK on 5 min read
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Download the Silent Night lead sheet free below as a PDF — in Eb for alto sax, Bb for tenor sax, or Concert pitch for piano, guitar and other instruments. Silent Night is an 1818 Austrian Christmas Eve Hymn, and this chart is free to keep, permanently.

The Silent Night lead sheet on this page shows the melody and chord changes — melody and chords only, with no lyrics. Below the downloads you will find the story behind the tune, notes on its musical character, and tips on using it at a gig, whether you are sight-reading it for a carol service or building it into a jazz Christmas set.

Three Free Downloads

Silent Night lead sheet PDF in Eb (alto/baritone sax), Bb (tenor/soprano sax, trumpet, clarinet) and Concert pitch (piano, guitar, flute, trombone, bass). Free forever.

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Silent Night lead sheet — free PDF download in Eb, Bb and Concert pitch for saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, piano and all instruments
Free PDF Download

Silent Night Lead Sheet

Pick your instrument’s key. Each PDF is free, no sign-up required — and this one is free to keep.

Eb For Alto & Baritone Sax

Alto saxophone, baritone saxophone

Download PDF Bb For Tenor Sax, Trumpet

Tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, trumpet, clarinet

Download PDF Concert For Piano, Guitar, Flute

Piano, guitar, flute, trombone, bass, vocals

Download PDF

Franz Xaver Gruber · 1818 · Traditional Christmas carol · Melody & chords only

Not sure which to pick? Our interactive saxophone transposition chart can help. PDFs open in a new tab — right-click (or long-press on mobile) and choose “Save as” to download.

About Silent Night

An 1818 Austrian Christmas Eve Hymn

Silent Night, or Stille Nacht, was composed by the Austrian schoolteacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber to a poem by the priest Joseph Mohr, and was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria, reportedly with guitar accompaniment because the church organ had broken.

The song spread across Europe through travelling folk singers over the following decades and eventually reached worldwide popularity, becoming perhaps the single most recorded Christmas carol in history.

If you are also building a Christmas set, What Child Is This is another free carol on this site worth pairing it with.

The Tune & Chords

A Gentle 6/8 Lullaby

The tune's lilting 6/8 waltz feel and narrow, stepwise melody give it an unmistakably tender, lullaby-like quality — one of the most immediately recognisable melodies in the entire carol repertoire, and one that rewards restraint: a simple, unadorned reading is usually more effective than an elaborate arrangement.

Verse (Concert, simplified) C – G7 – C – F – C – G7 – C

One simplified concert-pitch harmonisation — traditional carols were passed down as melodies, so chord choices vary between arrangers and songbooks.

Using This Lead Sheet

The Quiet Close to Any Set

Silent Night is the classic choice for the closing, hushed moment of a church, carol-concert or jazz-club Christmas set — many players arrange it as a slow jazz waltz, giving the familiar melody just enough harmonic colour to feel fresh without losing its essential simplicity.

If you would like one-to-one guidance building a Christmas set or working on your reading and improvisation more generally, saxophone lessons in person in South East London or online are available. You can also browse the full Christmas lead sheet index for more free carols, including The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Silent Night free to use, including at a gig? +

Yes. This lead sheet can be used freely at any performance, church service or jam session with no licensing concerns.

Where can I download the Silent Night lead sheet for free? +

You can download the Silent Night lead sheet free as a PDF from the downloads section at the top of this page in three transpositions: Eb for alto and baritone saxophone, Bb for tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, trumpet and clarinet, or Concert pitch for piano, guitar, flute, trombone and bass. No sign-up or email required, and this chart is free to keep, not a temporary download.

What is the history of Silent Night? +

Franz Xaver Gruber composed Silent Night to a poem by priest Joseph Mohr, and the two first performed it together on Christmas Eve 1818 at St Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, Austria.

Which transposition do I need for my instrument? +

Download the Concert pitch version if you play piano, guitar, flute, trombone or bass. Choose the Bb version for tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, trumpet or clarinet. Choose the Eb version for alto saxophone or baritone saxophone.

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SaxTeacher UK — Founder SaxTeacher UK Founder

SaxTeacher UK is a woodwind and piano teacher based in South East London. With 17 years of individual and group tuition experience. Get in touch for in-person or online lessons.

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