Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to learn the Notre Dame Fight Song for a while now. I’m a huge fan, and what’s better than being able to play the song yourself, right?
So, first, I started looking for sheet music. I thought, “How hard could it be?” Turns out, there are a ton of different arrangements out there. Some looked way too complicated for a beginner like me, but I wanted to find something that was both accurate and, well, doable.
I spent a good chunk of time looking around. I found some stuff mentioning a guy named Joseph J. Casasanta, who apparently wrote the Alma Mater back in 1930. Then there was also a Rev. Michael J. Shea who composed the fight song, and someone called Travis Hayman arranged it. It got a bit confusing, to be honest.
I did come across some resources mentioning Hal Leonard College Songs, with names like “Fight On,” “Iowa Corn Song,” and “Northwestern Push On Song.” It made me think about how many different college songs there must be. But I was focused on Notre Dame’s. Anyway, I also found sheet music for around $2.50. I figured that was reasonable.
- Looked up sheet music online.
- Found different versions and arrangements.
- Saw names like Joseph J. Casasanta, Rev. Michael J. Shea, and Travis Hayman.
- Considered the $2.50 sheet music option.
Then, I stumbled upon a lesson that promised to teach me how to play it on the piano. I was all, “Yes, this is it!” It said it was an easy way to learn, so I was hopeful. I’m not a piano expert, you see, so I needed something beginner-friendly. The Travis Hayman arrangement seemed to be the one I was leaning towards. It had a score and an individual part, 8 pages long. The description used words like “Contemporary,” which sounded cool.
My Practice Routine
Once I got my hands on the sheet music (the Travis Hayman one), I started practicing. I’m not gonna lie, it was a bit tough at first. I mean, I had to get my fingers to cooperate, and reading music isn’t exactly my forte. But I kept at it.
I started slow, playing one hand at a time. I’d focus on the right hand, trying to get the melody down. Then I’d switch to the left hand, working on the chords. It felt like a real workout for my brain, trying to coordinate everything. But, bit by bit, it started to come together. I’d play a few measures, then stop and go back if I messed up. It was all about repetition, you know? Just keeping at it until it started to sound like, well, music.
After a few days (or was it weeks? Time flies when you’re having fun… or struggling), I could play the whole thing! It wasn’t perfect, of course. I’d still hit a wrong note here and there, and my timing wasn’t always spot-on. But, man, it felt good to play the Notre Dame Fight Song from start to finish. I felt a real sense of accomplishment.
Now, I’m not saying I’m ready to perform at a concert or anything. But I can play it for myself, and maybe for some friends who are also Notre Dame fans. And that’s pretty awesome, if you ask me. It’s like, I have this connection to the team and the school, and I can express it through music. How cool is that?
So, yeah, that’s my journey of learning the Notre Dame Fight Song. It wasn’t always easy, but it was definitely worth it. And who knows, maybe I’ll tackle another fight song next. But for now, I’m happy to have this one under my belt. Go Irish!
