If you want to learn how to play the piano as an adult, you’re going to need a few things. Amongst these will be time, dedication, sheet music and easy piano songs to learn.
At this point, you might be wondering how long it takes to learn piano songs!
The answer is dependent on a number of factors but an important one is whether you decide to self-teach, or whether you learn with an online or in-person piano teacher.
How difficult is it to learn piano songs?
The first thing that will help you to play songs on piano is a knowledge of music theory.
When you can break down the structure of a song to its individual notes and the key in which it should be played, you will have an easier time testing out the best piano songs as a student and reaching a level of musical mastery.
So, if you have already learned where the notes are and know your scales, then you are probably ready to start playing songs on piano.
Reasons for Using Piano Music to Learn
After practising with sheet music, you’ll want to take a break from it and just play.
This is where learning using piano songs comes in.
Even if you can only play the most basic piano music in the beginning, working towards perfecting at least one of the easy piano songs from your first week of playing will be worth it.
Why?
Because your piano songs will become milestones that indicate how much progress you have made.
Musical Milestones
As a would-be pianist, your songs on piano will become like your personal musical milestones.
Piano songs have a way of marking your musical progress and providing you with important clues to your weaknesses and strengths.
Use your songs as a metric to see how far you have progressed.
Also, be sure to discuss with your tutor the best piano songs available for the particular technical skills you are aiming to gain.
Every time you add another one of the easy piano songs to your repertoire, it will be like another feather in your musical cap.
Make Learning Fun
Mention the fact that you’re learning piano and you might hear, “I tried that once, but gave up!”
Sadly, when it comes to musical instruments, there are many stories about failure.
Common reasons are that children are often pushed into it or because classes were simply not enjoyable.
Bear in mind that you will need to take the highs with the lows. You’ll love learning songs on piano, but you won’t be able to do this without nailing piano scales and practicing your left handed piano moves.
Learning an instrument can be tough.
As such, if you can make the process in any way more enjoyable or fun, do it!
Use your piano songs to stay committed and have fun as you learn too.
How to Learn Songs on Piano
Even if you are learning easy piano songs, this is still best accomplished with the help of a competent piano teacher.
Having this kind of one-on-one tuition is undoubtedly the fastest way to speed up your learning process. Finding one is easy on Superprof where you can find a local who offers in-person lessons by simply using the website’s location too. Alternatively, there is nothing to stop you from learning your best piano songs with an online tutor either. On Superprof, there are literally thousands to choose from who are based all over the world.
Working with a private piano teacher gives you access to years of their experience with regard to important techniques and the appropriate piano music for learning at your level. Not only that, lessons can be tailor-made according to your own goals, strengths and weaknesses. This kind of individual attention is the best way to learn any new musical instrument and grow in confidence so that you can practise by yourself.
Of course, don’t discount the fact that when you have a piano teacher, they will already have a library of all the best piano songs for students of every ability! And if you have your heart set on certain pieces of piano music, your tutor will tell you in an instant whether it is wise to try and play it, or whether you are wasting your time and energy for your current level.
Key Elements to Master
As mentioned, before you begin practising with easy piano songs there are a few basics that you will first need to master. Again, these foundational elements are best learnt with an experienced piano teacher:
Music Notation
Before you break out your favourite piano music, the first thing you’ll need to do is learn how to read sheet music and this should be your priority.
Knowing how to read music is necessary for most instruments, but even more so when it comes to learning how to play classical piano. So as mundane as it may sound, to translate a music sheet into a song, start with the theory.
To explain this in a nutshell, you’ll find the staff which is the basis for all the other notes, the two clefs which tell you which register to play and the actual notes which are played with various pitches and durations.
Key Signatures
If you have not yet heard of key signatures, perhaps you have heard of ‘flats’ or ‘sharps’. In piano terms, the key signature is the one that tells you which black key you need to hit. Further to that, keys are divided into minor and major keys. For example, you might her the wording F flat in minor or G sharp in major.
This might sound like gibberish if you have not come across it before, but once you begin lessons it won’t take long before it makes sense.
Piano Scales
Getting to grips with key signatures means understanding how to play piano scales.
So what are they?
In simple terms, a piano scale is a group of notes played sequentially, but that starts with a keynote.
When you learn piano scales you will have a good idea of how to navigate keys. Not only that, they provide information on which collections sound best together.
Best Piano Songs for Every Level
Finding songs that are appropriate for the different levels of piano playing can be time-consuming. To save you time, here are a few that may appeal to you and are worth discussing with your piano teacher.
Beginner
Adele – Hello: You have no doubt heard Adele’s blockbuster hit ‘Adele’ which also happens to be an excellent choice when it comes to easy piano songs for beginners.
Not only will it impress your family and friends, but it’s perfect if you have a vocalist who is keen to jam with you. Piano chords which include Em, G, D and C are simple.
Lower Intermediate
Camila Cabello – Havana: When it comes to the lower intermediate level, one of the best piano songs for learning is the popular ‘Havana’ by Camila Cabello.
It might be a bit more of a challenge than ‘Hello’- but having said that, it should not take you too long to include it into your repertoire.
This song is also a good option for improving your left-hand technique, especially during the chorus when your left hand will be the most active.
Higher Intermediate
Ludwig Van Beethoven: Sonatina in G, Anh. 5, No. 1: At some point, you will be playing classical piano music because it is the genre that is most associated with piano music. Knowing how to play this well-known Beethoven piece proves that you have stepped up from the beginner level. It is an excellent piece with its many twists and turns to work on left-handed arpeggiated chords.
Advanced
Claude Debussy - Clair de Lune: If you’re disciplined enough to make it to advanced piano playing then Claude Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’ is a good one to practice.
This song, with its complex rhythm, has all the hallmarks of a difficult-to-play piano track.
Finally, if you are looking for the best piano songs for every level, a good place to start is to make sure you check out ‘Piano Book’ by Lang Lang.
For more advice on which are the best songs for learning the piano, consider working with a private piano tutor who shares a passion for the same genre of music that you do.
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