Hallelujah By Leonard Cohen
When you begin learning to play the piano, you predominantly use one hand. As you progress, you start to learn how to play with the other, too. Hallelujah is the perfect song to introduce you to utilizing your other hand for the first time because its still relatively uncomplicated to follow along with as a popular song and only focuses on foundational keystrokes.
When you introduce your left hand, you wont have to complete any complex chords. The song focuses on the basics, making it prime for learning the standard chords with your left hand.
The slow pace of the song aids in your learning as well. It gives you more time to think through the moves you need to make and keys you need to hit next. The steady harmony will transition from one hand to two more comfortably, especially when compared to an upbeat tune like Jingle Bells because you have time to adjust and process.
Im Yours By Jason Mraz
Genre: Pop
Im Yours is the first single of Jason Mraz from his third studio album We Sing. The song was already being performed live for about five years before its release. Jason Mraz noted, When I finally recorded it, my fans were relieved that we didnt overproduce it. We kept the feel and arrangement true to how we play it live. Im Yours held the record for most weeks spent on Billboard Hot 100 charts with 76 weeks.
Focus on the left-hand rhythm at the intro and chorus. It acts as a percussive instrument in addition to filling bass frequencies. Practice with a metronome to get a cleaner rhythm if you can. Chords are pretty much the same throughout the song so you can focus on rhythmic parts.
Easy Songs To Play On Piano
You can start by one of these easy songs to play on piano.
Don’t forget to use the sustain pedal for these songs. You can let it depressed all the time at the beginning. With more experience, you will hear that the sound is better when you release and depress the pedal just before you start a new serie of notes.
This Instructable will teach you how to play your first song on piano.
Beginners can learn this song in one hour. You will use only your right hand in the first parts and your left hand, just a little at the end. The tutorial is very easy and the song sounds good on piano.
This Instructable will teach you how to play your first song on piano with both hands.
Beginners can learn this song in one day. You will play with both hands but the left hand is easy because the position stays almost the same. The tutorial is very easy and the song sounds good on piano.
This Instructable will teach you how to play your first song on piano with both hands.
Beginners can learn this song in a few hours. You will play with both hands but the left hand is very easy because you use only two fingers and the hand position stays the same. The tutorial is very easy and the song sounds good on piano.
This Instructable will teach you how to play your first song on piano with both hands.
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The Entertainer Scott Joplin
And finally, we come to Scott Joplin, a composer, and pianist born in the 1800s in Texas and was known as the king of ragtime. Ragtime is a genre of music that was very popular during Joplins time that used syncopated rhythm which mimics a two-step marching rhythm.
The Entertainer is a widely known piece that incorporates various shifts in position and repeating melodies. This is a bit more ambitious piece to learn but the version presented here is meant for intermediate beginners and so is one to work up to.
Why Play Classical Piano Music
Classical music has a reputation for being stuffy and serious, but its a very diverse genre. If you do enough digging, youre likely to find something you like. Classical music also informs the jazz, blues, and pop genres. Its all connected, and its all very fun to play.
One convenient thing about playing classical pieces is, thanks to copyright expiration, you can access the majority of classical sheet music for free. The International Music Score Library Project has a vast, online database of free classical sheet music.
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River Flows In You Yiruma
Simply beautiful. Thats probably the best way to describe this song by the South Korean-British composer Yiruma. If youre a fan of sparkly vampires, you might recognize the tune from the Twilight soundtrack
River Flows in You features a delicate melody in the right hand and a four chord ostinato progression in the left hand . To tackle this piece, start by practicing the left hand chords on their own, then work on the right hand melody. When you feel confident playing each hand separately, its time to bring both hands together. Go as slowly as you need to and bring things up to speed as you get more comfortable.
Pirates Of The Caribbean Theme Song
Genre: Soundtrack
The famous fantasy movie series Pirates of the Caribbean started in 2003 with The Curse of the Black Pearl which grossed $654 million worldwide! The franchise in total has grossed over $4.5 billion worldwide and became the 14th highest-grossing film series of all time! Music was composed by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer. At the beginning composer Alan Silvestri was hired to write the score but after Silvestri had to leave the project the team asked Zimmer to write the score for The Curse of the Black Pearl. However, Zimmer was busy scoring The Last Samurai so he asked a relatively new composer Klaus Badelt to collaborate.
The most significant and probably important part of this song is its characteristic rhythm. So pay attention to the rhythm pattern before jumping to the notes directly. You can practice by clapping to left-hand or right-hand notes while watching the video. Once you get comfortable with the rhythm go on and learn the notes but without the rhythm of the left hand. Just play long single notes at first for the left hand. When you feel familiar with the correct notes then you can use your experience from the rhythm practice you made.
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Youre Beautiful By James Blunt
Genre: Pop
Youre Beautiful remains James Blunts biggest hit single to this day. It was released in 2005 It topped the UK, US, and Canada charts quickly and reached the Billboard Hot 100 at top 40. However, at the same time, it took number-seven place on Rolling Stones list of the 10 most annoying songs of all time! So it is a love-hate relationship when it comes to this song. It is a pop-rock/soft-rock song written by Blunt, Sacha Skarbek, and Amanda Ghost.
You can add a lower octave to the left hand if you feel comfortable. You can also practice using the pedals on this song. Use the sustain pedal to connect notes. Dont forget to clean the pedal by removing your foot and pressing again every time the bass changes in your left hand.
All Of Me By John Legend
This entry into the piano pop songs list was one of the biggest love songs in 2010. It actually started John Legends career and he quickly became one of the most admired and loved singers, songwriters and pianists of the generation. When you listen to the song you will probably be able to tell that it was inspired by his wife, Chrissy Teigen. All of Me was meant to represent how they balance each other out. Sheet music for the song is available online as well as easy piano versions.
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Here Comes The Sun By The Beatles
Genre: Pop
Here Comes the Sun was composed for the Beatles by George Harrison and is one of his best-known compositions. Harrison composed this song at his friend Eric Claptons country house in early 1969. The lyrics reflect his joy at springs arrival and the temporary respite from the corporate affairs of the band. As of today, with over 50 million plays, this was the most-streamed Beatles album in the UK.
When you play two notes at the same time on your right hand, try to select logical finger numbers to tie notes to each other. The bridge section can be a little complex with the arpeggios. Slow down the video if necessary. Try to memorize the bass first so you can focus on the right-hand melody later on. This song is quite challenging compared to others on this list. Try to enjoy it!
Learning To Play Piano Is For Anyone
Finally, the last thing for you to learn right now is that ANYONE can learn to play the piano. Dont let the negative voices in your head talk you out of trying to learn piano. Voices like:
- Im not very musical
- I have no sense of rhythm
- I dont know if I have a talent for music
- Im too old to learn piano
- Im not coordinated enough for learning piano
- I feel clumsy with my fingers
Instead, tell yourself:
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Heart & Soulhoagy Carmichael
Learning to play Heart and Soul, one of the easiest beginner piano songs, is a little more difficult than learning to play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
It has more keys, which means more hand movements on your part. The keys involved introduce you to the spectrum of notes available on the piano, which you will need to know if you choose to continue your studies.
Heart and Soul is also an excellent choice for a duet.
If youre a visual learner, playing and learning the song as a duet can help. You can observe your partner or teacher in action and copy what you see and hear.
Morning Mood Edvard Grieg
Grieg wrote this piece to depict the rising sun, and it perfectly captures the beauty and wonder of a new dawn. Youve probably heard it played on flute and oboe before. Our easy arrangement for piano requires you to move your hands around a little, but has you maintain a simple, steady melody that we think most beginners will be able to pick up in no time.
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Fallin By Alicia Keys
Could a song come from an artist with the last name keys and not feature some sort of piano? Fallin by Alicia Keys was one of the first songs to come from this artist and is still probably her most loved to this day. Coming through as an R& B soul anthem it took inspiration from the likes of Aretha Franklin to really pack a punch. Alicia first started to play the piano when she was six and began classical piano training when she turned seven. She would practice for hours a day, and you can certainly see this commitment to piano songs in the track.
Solfegietto In C Minor
Composer: CPE Bach, one of Johann Sebastian Bachs sons
Why Learn It: CPE Bachs Solfegietto is more advanced, but Im including it here because it sounds so cool, especially the speed metal versions on the electric guitar.
Another neat thing about this song is that for the majority of the time, your hands take turns, so you dont have to worry about hand independence too much.
Challenge yourself to play this song as fast as you canits truly fun and its one of those songs that looks very impressive without being too difficult. The dark, minor key further gives this piece an epic, dramatic mood that reminds me of speed metal.
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My Heart Will Go On Of Titanic
Genre: Soundtrack
My Heart Will Go On is considered to be Celine Dions signature song with worldwide sales estimated at 18 million copies. It is the main theme song to James Camerons blockbuster film Titanic and was composed by James Horner. It won four Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Award, and the Academy Award for Best Original Song. The song belongs to the Songs of the Century. It is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Dont play so fast. Start with a tempo you feel comfortable and try to keep the same tempo until the end without changing it. If you cant keep up with that rhythm because of mistakes just go back and start with a slower tempo. Repeat this until you play without mistakes and then raise the tempo then repeat the same procedure.
The Simpsons Theme Song
Genre: Soundtrack
The main title theme for the animated television series The Simpsons was composed by famous composer Danny Elfman in1989. Elfman is mostly known for his music to Tim Burton movies but he once noted that The Simpsons main theme has been the most popular piece of his career. Its not a surprise since the show has been quite popular since the early days. The theme won the National Music Award for Favorite TV Theme in 2002 and has won the BMI TV Music Award in 1996, 1998, and 2003. In 1990, the theme was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Main Title Theme Music.
Start with practicing the right-hand melody first. Some parts may be complicated at first. If it sounds awkward you can listen to the original version to hear the melody in the context. This way you can get familiar with it and you can sing while playing. After getting comfortable with the melody you can start adding the bass with your left hand. If you feel lost in the rhythm while playing both hands pay attention to the moments your both hand play at the same time and try to memorize those notes.
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Rolling In The Deep By Adele
Genre: Pop
Did you know that Adele wanted to make a sorrowful song about her break-up with her boyfriend and with the suggestion of her producer she turn it into Rolling In The Deep? Adele clarified that the songs name was taken from the slang roll deep which means always to have someone who is by your side and helps in difficult moments. It won three Grammy Awards to Adele. The music video also won three awards! It was the first song of Adele that reached a number-one position in the USA.
This version is relatively easy compared to others on the list. A simple bass pattern moves around the same chords. You play two notes the root and the fifth. This voicing is pretty common because it gives the power chord effect in electric guitar. Spend some time on the rhythm of the melody in the right hand. You can sing at the same time to get the groove.
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/the Alphabet Song
In case you havent already noticed, these two songs are basically the same but with more or fewer notes. Therefore, if you learn one, you will also know the other. I know these are little kids songs, but learning them helps you to know the basics, so, these are great songs to start you off on your musical journey. Its very easy to learn, and its probably already stamped in your head.
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Summertime Sadness Of Lana Del Rey
Genre: Pop
Summertime Sadness was released in 2012 by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey for her second studio album, Born to Die. Many covers and remixes were made for the song. A remix version of Summertime Sadness by Cedric Gervais became quite successful around the world and as a result, it won a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical.
You can learn the lyrics and start singing it with this video even before learning to play it. Even if you cant sing just try to hum while clapping. First, it will help to internalize the rhythm, and second, it is super fun! Then start learning the right-hand melody while singing or humming. Then you can add the left-hand melodies which are relatively easier to memorize. You can play with the dynamics after getting all the notes right. Try to switch between soft and hard when you go to a different section.
What Do I Need To Know Before I Learn Songs
Before you look at the song suggestions we have here, you should at the very least be able to
- Identify the notes on your piano or keyboard.
- Play the piano at least a root note independently to your right hand in various simple rhythms.
- Be able to hold a 3-note chord instead and play the notes independently in an arpeggio style.
Your options will be far greater if you can also
- Identify the notes on a musical staff for both hands.
- Read and study rhythms.
- Have a few basic chords memorized for contemporary pieces.
The truth is that a bit of musical theory is required to study a song on any instrument. You could try to work the notes out by ear, but it is a long process and requires well-trained ears.
It may work for easy piano songs, but to be able to work out all notes held at one time doesnt come quickly without already having substantial knowledge of chords.
Actually, as far as pop songs are concerned, you only really need to learn 8-10 popular chords to play the majority of go-to progressions.
Pop is a genre with pretty easy musical accompaniment. It relies on catchy lyrics and interesting vocal melodies. The piano is there to back the superstar, so to speak.
In fact, there are loads of tutorials available online for simple piano songs that will show you that with just 3 or 4 chords under your belt, you can already jam your way through renditions of hundreds of popular songs.
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