Are you eager to show off your skills with some popular piano songs? The good news is there are tons of piano solos that sound complicated but are actually pretty easy to play.
This list of 15 fun, intermediate piano pieces is full of tunes that are sure to amaze your friends. From pop hits to old classics, there are plenty of cool, simple piano songs that won’t take you too long to learn.
Even if you don’t plan on performing for others, learning these medium-level piano songs is a great way to stay motivated and pick up new techniques. Each of these tunes has unique elements that take less effort to explore, and they are all rewarding to play. Keep your enthusiasm for the piano alive by learning a song that is simple to learn, yet impressive sounding!
15 Fun Intermediate Piano Pieces
While these piano solos might not sound like beginner songs, they are fairly easy to master with some practice. Browse these fun, intermediate piano pieces below and choose a few that grab your attention. Familiarize yourself with the tunes, then find some sheet music to play them yourself. Start slow, gradually work up the speed, and in no time, you’ll have these deceivingly virtuosic piano song notes under your fingers!
1. All I Ask of You: Phantom of the Opera
This gorgeous theme song from the musical “Phantom of the Opera,” composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is a classic love song that will surely wow your audience. This great piano solo can be performed with or without vocalists.
2. Piano Man: Billy Joel
If you’re a pianist and a singer, this is a great song to practice both your piano skills and your vocals. Your audience will be impressed with how you can channel your inner Billy Joel with this classic pop piano song.
3. Bohemian Rhapsody: Queen
Looking for a rock solo to add to your repertoire? This piano solo is great if you want to practice slow and fast tempos, and the use of dynamics. You can make this song as easy or as hard as you want.
4. Heart and Soul: Hoagy Carmichael
Whether you decide to play this song solo or as a duet, you’re sure to have a blast! This cool, simple piano song has a lively rhythm in the left hand with a fun melody in the right.
5. Fur Elise: Beethoven
If you’re looking for a classical hit to wow your audience, try this piano solo. It’s great for practicing arpeggios and showing off your classical technique. You can also develop your sense of dynamics and rhythmic feel with this masterpiece.
6. The Entertainer: Scott Joplin
A classic ragtime piece, Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” is a great piano solo that will show off your fancy finger work. There are many modified piano versions out there, so find one that fits your skill set.
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7. Cannon in D: Pachelbel
One of the most popular classical pieces of all time, this piano solo is perfect for weddings or any other formal celebration. It’s also a great solo to practice easy chords and a simple bass line.
8. Ave Maria: Schubert
This simple, but impressive ballad is great for practicing arpeggios and chords. Because the song pretty much keeps the same pattern throughout, you should be able to learn it in no time!
9. Prelude to the Well Tempered Clavichord: Bach
This is one of my personal favorites to play on the piano because it sounds difficult but is very easy to play. It’s also great for practicing dynamics and counterpoint.
10. All that Jazz: Chicago
This piano solo is a funky jazz piece that sounds fancy but is easy to play. The bridge and ending will make your audience think that you can bring the house down.
11. Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Wizard of Oz
Audience members will surely shed a tear during your performance of this famous song. It’s the perfect piano solo to milk out long legato phrases, and it sounds pretty in any key.
12. Tale as Old as Time: Beauty and the Beast
One of Disney’s most sensational piano pieces, this piano solo is an easy piece to embellish the melody, add trills, and play with chord inversions if you feel like making the song extra special.
13. My Heart Will Go On: Titanic
This Grammy award-winning song will captivate your audience’s heart. In this ballad, you can really capture emotion with just a few chords, and a repeating melodic phrase.
14. New York, New York: Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra’s hit, New York, New York is a crowd favorite. You can really build up the chorus section, which the audience will go nuts over because they will want to sing along.
15. What a Wonderful World: Louis Armstrong
Learning Medium-Level Piano Songs
Now that you have some new favorite tunes to learn, you can explore the piano learning resources that are available. Your local music store is full of lesson books and sheet music for the piano songs you love, which you can use to get the notes right. If you’re playing a rock, blues, or pop song, you’ll want to follow along with the recording in order to get the feel just right.
Whether you’re looking for sheet music for slow piano songs or lively rock anthems, you can find free sheet music for these tunes on websites such as 8Notes, Musescore, and MusicNotes. These sites also offer paid premium content that tends to be more accurate and detailed than the free offerings. Of course, there are also countless video lessons on YouTube that can show you how to play these fun, intermediate piano pieces.
While videos and books are a great resource, nothing beats working with a private teacher when it comes to achieving your piano goals. Chances are, there’s a piano teacher near you who can give you personalized lesson plans and hands-on guidance. You can also check out online lessons via TakeLessons Live and connect with the perfect teacher, no matter where you are.
Do you have favorite songs that sound great, yet are easy to learn? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo by Kevin Ohlin
Suzy S.