Let’s face it: it probably wasn’t the specific chords, triads, or arpeggios that first attracted you to the piano.
We’d venture a guess that it was the beautiful songs and melodies that drew you in! Maybe it was one of the well-known classical pieces by Haydn or Beethoven. Or maybe it was a fun piece you heard at a jazz club.
Whichever piano style caught your ear, there’s plenty more to explore when you comb through the repertoire. The trick, of course, is to find the easy piano songs to start with!
In this guide, we’ll run through song recommendations for practically every genre, as well as some easy piano song tutorials for kids. Then, we’ll show you some of the best methods for learning these songs, so your skills can grow in the most efficient way possible.
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
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Step 1: Finding Simple Piano Songs to Learn
When you’re just starting to dabble in playing the piano, it’s important to work on songs that keep your interest alive. Children’s traditional songs are good for getting down the basics, but you can find tunes that sound great and are easy to learn across a wide variety of genres.
While your teacher will assign you songs to learn in your lessons, it’s a good idea to be proactive and look for music you truly want to learn. This is especially important for adult piano students. There are folk songs, show tunes, and even some pop/contemporary pieces that are great for beginners, so find a song that speaks to you and work up to it. Classical and jazz tend to be more advanced — but don’t let that stop you!
Once you have a genre in mind, ask your piano teacher for recommendations — or browse through the articles below. Some of the song recommendations include video tutorials or links to sheet music, while others simply have YouTube links that you can use to learn the song by ear.
- Easy Classical Songs:
- Easy Pop Songs
- Easy Jazz and Blues Songs
- Easy Rock Songs
- » Top 5 Easiest Rock Songs To Play On The Piano [tutorials] – via Music To Your Home
- » Famous Rock Songs Piano Tutorial [YouTube]
- Other Easy Piano Songs
- Holiday & Seasonal Songs
Easy Piano Songs for Kids
Do you have kids that are interested in piano lessons? Fantastic! I’ve been teaching piano for a while now, and in my opinion, five years old is a great age to introduce students to regular piano lessons.
There are many reasons to get your kid started with piano lessons. The piano fundamentals that they learn today can serve a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Music, language, and math are all interconnected, so piano lessons can even benefit your child in the classroom. On top of that, nothing beats the confidence boost after an encouraging performance!
If you’re trying to find simple piano songs to learn for kids to gauge their interest, consider guiding them through songs they’re already familiar with — think nursery rhymes, worship songs they’ve heard at church, or even their favorite TV show or video game jingle. If your child does not seem drawn to a particular song or style, try introducing them to a little of everything (one song at a time). Maybe they will find they love jazz or show tunes!
Once you’ve found a great piano teacher, he or she can recommend books for your child to learn from. There are great video tutorials for easy kids songs as well. If you don’t know where to start, check out the recommendations linked to the right.
- More Easy Piano Songs for Kids
- » 5 Easy Piano Songs to Teach to Toddlers [tutorials]
- » 10 MORE Easy Piano Songs for Kids [tutorials]
- » 10 Classical Piano Songs Boys Will Love to Play [learn by ear]
Step 2: Learning to Play
While it’s best to study piano with an actual teacher, these days you can find tons of resources online to get your feet wet! YouTube and other video platforms are full of piano tutorials, including guides for specific songs.
Learning Songs Via YouTube Tutorials
If you’re itching to learn a current pop hit, YouTube is a great place to check, as many teachers love to share tutorials of the latest tunes. In many cases, you can even find song tutorials before the official sheet music is published!
Usually, these videos break down the basics: the notes for the melody, plus the notes for the chord. The fingerings for each part will also be covered. Some may be geared for beginners and only teach one hand, while others may include notes for both hands. These videos are great because you can pause them in the middle of the lesson and review certain steps as often as you need.
With that being said, I wouldn’t get into the habit of learning only from YouTube videos. When you do this, you won’t get the hands-on instruction and critiques about your technique. At the end of the video, you may be able to play a song, but is your piano technique correct? This can impact your progress as a piano player.
Think of YouTube as a helpful resource, not a comprehensive approach to learning piano. That’s what piano teachers are for!
- More YouTube Tutorial Piano Resources:
Learning Songs via Sheet Music
Downloading easy piano sheet music using websites like MusicNotes, SheetMusicPlus, or 8Notes is another option — if you know how to read music, that is! If you’re already taking piano lessons, you probably already know the basics. If not, check out this guide to reading sheet music.
Reading sheet music is essential if you want to get the most out of your music education. While it’s great to develop a strong ear and to memorize patterns quickly, you’re at a huge advantage if you know how to read the notes on the page! This is a must-have skill if you want to study music professionally — there’s no way around it.
If it seems overwhelming, start simple with the proper fingering for each hand, then the notes of the scale. Use visuals, flashcards, name games, and rhymes to help memorize basic music theory. Once this is mastered, it then leads to reading chords, keys, and rhythms in more challenging sheet music. Your teacher will guide you at the right pace, and before long, you’ll be reading like a pro.
- More Piano Sheet Music Resources:
Learning Songs by Ear
Another option for learning piano songs is to learn the entire song by ear. Some students are blessed with the gift of perfect pitch at a young age and may be able to tell which note is played on the piano (without looking).
If that’s not you, that’s OK! If you go slowly, you can often take a song note-by-note and figure out how to play at least the melody. Listen to the song and experiment with different notes until it sounds right.
From there, you can also try to figure out the chords. Are they three-note or five-note chords? Do they sound major or minor?
Of course, do not expect this to happen overnight — this can take years of practice. Over time, your ear will develop, and you’ll be able to identify different note intervals, chords, and rhythms with ease.
Even with the easiest piano songs out there, you may need to follow along with either a YouTube tutorial or the sheet music to get it down.
- More Learning Songs by Ear Resources
Piano Challenge:
Once you’ve mastered a few easy piano songs, I encourage you to challenge yourself! Try composing your own song or transcribing a song that you love. Perform solo, accompany a singer, or play with a band. Explore a new genre, style, or composer.
Just because you finish your piano book or a year in piano lessons, doesn’t mean you have to end there. In fact, this is only the beginning! Music is a lifelong venture, and even the greatest living masters are still learning. The enthusiasm to learn new things on the piano is the driving force behind seasoned players and beginners alike.
If you have an interest in playing the piano, why not try a lesson? You’ll have access to personalized lesson plans and hands-on instruction. Plus, you can get all your musical questions answered. Find a piano teacher today!
Post Author: Liz T.
Liz T. teaches piano, singing, acting, and more online. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, R&B, and Country. Learn more about Liz here!
Maria Kusior