Written by Ambre Montespan - Updated on Mar 25, 2026
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If you loved Walt Disney’s animated film The Little Mermaid, with the unforgettable adventures of Ariel, Ursula, Flounder, and Prince Eric, you probably remember the Oscar-winning song “Under the Sea”, sung by Sebastian the crab to convince Ariel to stay in the ocean. Want to learn how to play it on your 17-tine kalimba? With the sheet music and tablature you’ll find below, you’ll soon be able to play “Under the Sea” on your thumb piano.
Let’s dive in with King Triton’s daughter and learn this kalimba melody together.
Test your knowledge before playing this kalimba sheet music
Even though “Under the Sea” sounds playful, learning it is anything but easy. The tempo is fairly fast, which means you’ll need nimble fingers to play it cleanly. Most of all, it’s essential to know how to read kalimba sheet music. A rough understanding of the notation can be frustrating, because the result won’t live up to your expectations and may leave you discouraged. So take the time to fully understand the sheet music you’re about to use.
Also, I often meet players who try to play songs without tuning their kalimba first, which leads to a less-than-convincing performance. This instrument has tines that can slide over the bridge, changing the pitch of the notes produced. Therefore, check your kalimba’s tuning often, and you’ll notice your melodies sound much more harmonious.
Watch a video showing you how to play Under the Sea
Want to hear what your practice will sound like once you master our sheet music and tablature for Under the Sea? Watch the video below—it also doubles as a helpful tutorial.
And if you’ve never heard this song before, here’s the original version straight from the Disney animated film.
The numbered sheet music for mbira of The Little Mermaid
Easy enough for even the youngest players thanks to its simplicity, here is the numbered sheet music for “Under the Sea” from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
Choose a score with letters for Under the Sea
Sheet music with letters is no different from sheet music with numbers. However, some players prefer this notation and find it easier to learn.
Improve your skills with thumb piano tablature
While sheet music has the advantage of being simple, it can leave out a lot of crucial information for musicians who want more detail in their playing. That’s why we’re sharing a tablature for the song Under the Sea so everyone can learn in the format that suits them best.
Play this melody wherever you want with a PDF file
Don’t want to rely on the internet to play your favorite songs on the kalimba? We’ve got you covered. By downloading this PDF file, you’ll get all the sheet music and tablature for The Little Mermaid you’ve just discovered, free of charge.
Who sings Under the Sea in French?
In the French-language dub, there were two artists who provided Sebastian’s singing voice for “Under the Sea.” The first was Henri Salvador, born July 18, 1917, and deceased February 13, 2008, who voiced the famous red crab in 1989. He began his musical career in the 1930s as a guitarist in jazz bands, and his career took off in 1948 when he made his debut as a singer. He released several memorable songs, such as “Le lion est mort ce soir” and “Le travail, c’est la santé,” and took part in multiple animated-film dubs, including The Little Mermaid and its sequel released in 2000.
The second artist to sing “Under the Sea” was Christophe Peyroux, an actor specializing in dubbing for films, series, video games, and animated feature films. He performed in 1998, nearly nine years after Henri Salvador. Besides The Little Mermaid, Christophe Peyroux also dubbed Dewey in Malcolm in the Middle, Nico the canary in Rio and Rio 2, and Papa Doc in 8 Mile.
Why were there two dubs of The Little Mermaid?
It may seem surprising that the same film was dubbed again nearly 10 years later. This change was prompted by Walt Disney Studios, who weren’t satisfied with the first version released in 1989. A second dub was released in 1998, in which only Claire Guyot’s voice for Ariel was kept. All the other voices, including Sebastian the crab, were changed. This second dub was also used for the release of “The Little Mermaid 2: Return to the Sea” in 2000.
However, this dubbing wasn’t well received by Disney fans, especially because Henri Salvador’s voice was missing. Still, it became the official version and was the only commercially available one at the time. Faced with widespread dissatisfaction, the studio eventually backtracked and chose the 1989 dub as the official version. To keep things consistent, The Little Mermaid 2 was fully redubbed in 2006 with the original voice of the crab, satisfying viewers who preferred Henri Salvador over Christophe Peyroux.
Play music with a professional-quality kalimba
“Under the Sea” has become a Disney animation classic that stays stuck in our heads thanks to its upbeat, energetic groove. It’s only natural to want to play it on your musical instrument and relive the best moments of The Little Mermaid. Now that you have the kalimba sheet music and tablature for this melody, you have everything you need to play it beautifully.
That said, because this melody is fairly challenging, a high-quality kalimba is a must if you want every note to ring out clearly and accurately. Instruments du Monde recommends a Gecko thumb piano model that’s not only excellent in terms of sound and finish, but also comes in a gorgeous blue color reminiscent of the underwater world where Ariel, Sebastian, and Flounder live.
Get your kalimba now by clicking on the link below:
Immerse yourself in 1950s America and learn Frank Sinatra’s Fly Me to the Moon with our kalimba sheet music and tablature. You won’t be able to resist this love song, which has become a staple of contemporary jazz. Prefer something more recent? In that case, check out our list of sheet music for 17-tine kalimbas for more modern picks.
