Don T Stop Believin Piano Accompaniment? Top Answer Update

Today I am going to teach you exactly how to play Don’t Stop Believin. More importantly, I’m going to teach you how to get your hands on it and what kind of progression you want to make, because it’s a lot more detailed progression than most people think. You can use the same progression to bring all the song hands together.

Before we start I want to make one thing clear – I like to call this song a “Level Up Song” because it will push and challenge you. It has some tricky stuff in it – a syncopated left hand, three-note chords in the right hand, and not just chords, they make a pattern with the chords, which makes it even more challenging.

If you can learn to play “Don’t Stop Believin'” it will improve your piano playing skills and many songs that used to be challenging will become easy. Other than that, it will take WORK. You will need to use this GRIND. I really hope you are ready for this because it will improve your piano playing skills tremendously.

How to start learning how to play Don’t Stop Believin

A big mistake people make when trying to bring hands together is not separating hands ROCK SOLID first. You always want to practice hand separately first.

We start with our left hand. Another mistake people make is starting with the right hand because it’s easier. We don’t want to start with the easy part, we want to start with the difficult part first while having more energy, focus and concentration.

Left hand chunks

So starting with our left hand, let’s use a concept called chunking – breaking the piece up into smaller and smaller sections and then gradually increasing the size of the “chunks”. This is a strategy you’ll want to use constantly as you practice.

With your left hand, start with fingers 5, 5-4-3-1 and you’ll just practice this slowly and perfectly 4 times. I’m going through a few different little pieces that you can use to learn this song and they will be a lot easier to see in this video.

Remember to ALWAYS practice slowly enough so that you get the notes ACCURATE. Also, when you watch the video, it’s important to actually go through each step I mentioned. That means you’ll have to pause the video frequently so you can practice each section.

Once we’ve gone through these smaller chunks, we’ll combine them into larger ones. Again, this is all just to start with the left hand.

Right Hand Chunks – Part 1

Once we’ve gone through these sections with the left hand, we’ll switch to the right hand. Alternating left and right hand practice is great because it allows the left hand to “sink” into the brain while the right is practicing and vice versa.

The right hand has a lot of chords for this song, but it really isn’t that complicated once you know it. All you have to practice for this part is to move between the chords. This is a practice strategy I call “chord practice,” and for this you practice arpeggiated chords as block chords at the beginning to make them easier to incorporate.

Again we will start with smaller pieces and then combine them into larger pieces. This progress will be slow but it really allows you to learn the song.

Next, let’s go back to the left hand part, the same one you learned earlier. You will practice this part four more times to really deepen it.

Right Hand Chunks – Part 2

Now that you’ve got the left hand even more solid, we’re going to work on the pulleys for the right hand. We’ll switch between different chord pieces – back and forth, back and forth – until we get a handle on them. The pieces that will be difficult are the transitions.

We’ll practice these transitions by first practicing just the three notes that are part of the transition. Then we add another note. Next, let’s add two more notes to all of these. Once you’ve done that, we’ll practice the whole thing. The same type of process is used over and over again to learn the entire song.

Once you’ve gone through this next series with the right hand (you can see the exact order in this video), you’ll return to the left hand again.

Right Hand Chunks – Part 3

Now for the right hand we will try to put everything together.

If you can’t nail the whole sequence, find the parts that trip you up and CHUNK them. At this point learning how to play Don’t Stop Believin especially if you are a beginner might be good enough for today. You may need to sleep on it, rest your mind, and learn the rest of the song again tomorrow to learn the entire sequence.

get hands together

Alright, to get your hands together it’s important to do it in very small increments. It’s better to move SLOW and GET IT than trying to rush things and end up with a sloppy song.

The first thing you want to do is simply tap your leg with your right hand. While tapping your leg with your right hand, start playing with your left hand. You will only edit the first part to get started and then move on to the next one until you have worked through all of them.

You’ll want to make sure you get those first few chunks solid – play with your left hand while tapping with your right. If you can’t get those chunks as you type, you’re going to have trouble when you have to play those complicated notes with your right hand as well.

This may be a challenge for you now. You’ll probably have to take it slow at first, maybe breaking the chunks into even smaller pieces, until you get it.

Next we will see if you can play the entire left hand part, each section while tapping with the right hand. Once you’re able to, you’ll play the whole thing again, but this time you’ll just play the note “E” on the keyboard with your right hand while going through your left hand pattern. In this process you bring your hands together VERY gradually, so that each step is just a little bit above the last step.

I know it takes you a long time to do this, but as you play more and more songs hands together, you can skip more steps, don’t have to tap your leg, and you’ll get through it a lot faster.

In the next step, we hold chords with our right hand while playing the melody with our left hand. Again, if you need to break the pieces down into smaller pieces, do so and repeat over and over until you get it.

The final step is where we actually make the right pattern with our left hand. This is a challenging step, and we’re going to use the “Added Notes Strategy” for this, where we’ll gradually add one note at a time until we play an entire section.

Again, we want to practice each block multiple times to really build that muscle memory.

Play the entire song

Now that we’ve learned all the different chunks, let’s try to play the entire song. The parts we’re getting stuck on are the parts we need to drill into more.

Remember, this is a Level Up Song. Even though it’s challenging, learning it will really improve your skills. If you can get this song, you can get many other songs too. And yes, this will take time to learn, but it’s a process you can go through to ensure that you’ll learn it over time. Watch the video to see each individual part and step-by-step guide in a visual format.

Last but not least, my free Become a Piano Superhuman course includes more strategies to help you learn piano faster. Try it to improve your piano playing.

You want to impress people at the piano, but only have basic knowledge?

It sounds like some piano songs for beginners and pop songs on piano would be a great thing for you; You just have to make sure they can be learned.

That’s why I’m keeping this list of 25 Easy Piano Songs That Sound Complicated But Aren’t, and updating it whenever possible.

According to this study by Peter Jutras, learning and playing the piano gives people a sense of accomplishment and confidence. This can also apply to other instruments such as the ukulele and trying to learn drums.

Learning a few simple piano songs is a great help. Read on for my guide to these 25 Easy Piano Songs.

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What to Look for in Piano Songs for Beginners

If you’re looking for easy piano songs to impress without stretching your skills, here are some helpful qualities to look out for:

recurring parts

Simple chord progressions

Arpeggios (broken chords)

Driving rhythms

Don’t jump around with your hands

Songs that can be simplified

Repeated parts of the left hand

Single line right parts

All of the songs on this list have these elements to some degree.

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25 Easy Piano Songs

In this section, we’re going to look at the easy piano songs that can actually impress. Some of the songs come with YouTube tutorials to help, and I’ll help you find the song that’s right for you.

Note: I give each beginner piano song a Difficulty and Impress rating. Both aren’t 10 points, but you want low difficulty and high impression value.

Katy Perry – Roar

With over three billion views on YouTube, Roar is Katy Perry’s most famous song. If you’re up for a rhythm challenge, this is a great piano song for beginners.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 8/10

Play full song with Solfeg.io app.

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Deep Blue Something – Breakfast at Tiffany’s

More than 20 years after peaking on the Billboard charts, this pop-rock song hasn’t lost any of its appeal. Have someone sing the chant for you as you play this popular song.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 7/10

Play full song with Solfeg.io app.

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Justin Bieber – Sorry

This song has simple 4 chords that are easy for beginners to play, but the rhythm is a bit tricky thanks to the syncopated passages.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 9/10

Play full song with Solfeg.io app.

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Imagine dragons – believers

Although the vocal part of this song is crazy enough with its screaming effects, the real showstopper of this song is the drum part. So if you are interested in learning the triplet rhythm, this track can be a good place to start!

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 8/10

Play full song with Solfeg.io app.

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#1 Chopsticks

There aren’t many beginner piano songs as iconic as Chopsticks. While there are some people out there who know this song, it can still impress people who are not familiar with how to play it.

Difficulty: 1/10

Impression: 5/10

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#2 For Elise – Beethoven

Similarly, Beethoven’s Fur Elise is iconic as the pianist’s trademark. It is one of the most famous piano pieces ever written.

Fun fact: Beethoven wrote this piece to impress a girl.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 8/10

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#3 Heart and Soul – Hoagy Carmichael

We’re knocking out these popular piano songs for beginners right away. Heart and Soul sounds fun, isn’t difficult, and lets you play with someone else.

From a pedagogical point of view, this song can be helpful when teaching chord progression as the lower part just rotates through the standard I-vi-IV-V progression.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 6/10

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#4 Swan Lake Theme – Tchaikovsky

Between the film Black Swan and children’s shows like Little Einsteins, Tchaikovsky’s lesser known but still popular ballet was an easily recognizable tune.

The title theme is not difficult to play at all, but its beautiful, flowing melody allows you to show your emotional expressions while playing.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 7/10

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#5 Let it be – Beatles

When it comes to pop songs on the piano, Paul McCartney’s catchy intro to “Let It Be” might take some practice, but once you get the idea, it just rolls off your fingers.

Parents and children have loved this song for over 50 years and with good reason. It’s a meaningful message and a simple but beautiful melody that sticks in your ear.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 9/10

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Few songs achieve instant classic status, but The Git Up is one of them. The melody is so simple and repetitive that it becomes extremely catchy.

As a pop song on the piano, everything repeats itself, so once you learn it, you’ll have a handle on the entire song.

When I learned this song, I used a tutorial and then practiced it along with the Solfeg.io songbook. I was able to control the speed and repeat the tricky parts as I practiced.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 10/10

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#7 Lean on me – Bill Withers

Bill Wither’s anthem of support is another crowd favorite. Almost everyone knows at least the chorus of the song and can immediately recognize the song by the first 5 chords.

If you listen to the actual piano with the original recording, you might think I’m crazy for calling this easy. But you can just play the basic chords and rhythms and get the same effect.

On the other hand, if you’re a bit more advanced, you can start incorporating some of the licks between chord changes.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 8/10

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#8 Watches – Coldplay

When you listen to Coldplay’s Clocks intro, you might think that this song is completely impossible for the new pianist. But in reality the pattern is actually very repetitive.

If you slow it down and gradually work your way back up to the faster tempo (speed), it will take you a couple of hours at most to learn this song. It may take longer to get up to full speed, but you can take it a little slower and impress people. This song would also work well for duets.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 10/10

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#9 My Whole Life – KC & Jojo

This classic pop song for piano is similar to Clocks. My whole life sounds extra complicated, but once you get the introduction down, you can just play the chords and sound great.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 9/10

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#10 Let It Go – Frozen

While it may seem to have fallen out of favor with children, don’t be fooled by what they tell you. I’ve rarely played this song that kids don’t sing along to and get involved.

Let It Go is one of those that will stay simple and the piano part is iconic. The chords are easy, but you can always challenge yourself with some voicings.

Solfeg.io’s songbook can also help you practice.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impress: 9/10 (actually), but kids sometimes pretend it’s 6/10

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#11 What a wonderful world – Louis Armstrong

“What A Wonderful World” has been recognized for decades as one of the greatest songs ever written. It’s also one of those easy piano songs that can grow with your skills.

The chords are interesting but standard. You can find many tutorials online showing different ways to play them.

Even if you play the basic chords it will still sound good. Then as you get better you can add more complicated parts to sound even better.

Difficulty: 2/10

Impression: 7/10

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#12 Prelude to the Well-Tempered Clavier – J.S. stream

Looking back on the world of classical music, J.S. Bach wrote this prelude as a piano song for beginners. This Prelude takes a super simple chord progression and breaks it up.

Though he intended it as an arpeggiation (playing chord note by note) practice tool, it sounds just beautiful. The way he moves and decomposes the chords sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is.

Difficulty: 2.5/10

Impression: 8/10

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#13 Prelude in E-Min, Opus 28, No. 4 – Chopin

Much like Bach’s Prelude, Chopin’s Prelude uses some beautiful chords over a simple melody. Although not as easy as Bach’s, it is quite doable with a little practice.

It also offers an opportunity to show your emotional side and make the piece sound like more than it is.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 7/10

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#14 To a Wild Rose – Edward MacDowell

The classic melody To A Wild Rose moves a little more around the hands, making it a great beginner piano song for those moving on to more complicated material. But the song is recognized by most people.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 7/10

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The classic Elvis song “Can’t Help Falling In Love” is sure to be a crowd favorite. It also features some interesting chord progressions and gives students good practice on arpeggios for the chords.

This in the Solfeg.io songbook. I really appreciate practicing along with this one to help me keep track of the chord changes.

Difficulty: 2/10

Impression: 8/10

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#16 The Entertainer – Scott Joplin

We can’t just do this with pop songs. Like Marry You, The Entertainer by Scott Joplin is one of those tunes that you can customize to suit your ability.

One of the most iconic piano pieces ever written, The Entertainer has many, many arrangements for all skill levels; Just find the one that works for you.

Degree of difficulty: Depending on the arrangement between 2 and 6

Impression: 9/10

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#17 Canon in D – Pachelbel

When it comes to beautiful songs, Pachelbel’s Canon in D is one of the most respected. Learning to play it on the piano might be a bit of a challenge, but it’s quite impressive.

The left hand plays the same repetitive part for most of the piece, so it’s actually not difficult to master. Then you can learn as much as you like about the right-hand part.

For teachers, this song is great for making the left hand independent from the right as it moves on its own, but it keeps repeating itself.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 8/10

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#18 Hail Mary – Schubert

Schubert’s Ave Maria is legendary in the music world. You may not recognize the name, but when you hear it you will recognize it immediately.

For the piano, it sounds a lot more complicated than it is. The chord arpeggios are actually very formulaic, with a stunning right hand melody floating above.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 7/10

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#19 Yesterday – Beatles

Another song by The Beatles (and I’ll only allow myself 2!), Yesterday is another easy piano song that sounds a lot trickier than it actually is. Although originally written for guitar, it translates well to piano.

From an educational point of view, the chords are broken down in a way that allows for great practice of the chords and progressions (almost like Bach’s Prelude below).

Difficulty: 2/10

Impression: 7/10

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With Halloween just over, I was surprised at how many people knew and loved the Addam’s Family theme song. The opening piano lick is immediately catchy and will have young and old snapping their fingers.

Whether you’re just paying for the chords or all the complicated parts, this song is just plain fun. In addition, Solfeg.io has it in its songbook to help you practice.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 8/10

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#21 All Jazz – Chicago

All That Jazz may not sound immediately familiar, but the catchy piano part sticks in your head. If you manage to go beyond the simple piano accompaniment and add some filler parts, your audience will be floored.

Difficulty: 4/10

Impression: 9/10

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#22 All of Me – John Legend

John Legend’s Love Song to His Wife All of Me is a great song with a driving syncopated rhythm. Also of interest is the chord progression, which goes beyond the standard chord shape.

But while the chord progression may be different, it’s not far from the normal range. Even better, voicing the chords means you only have to slightly adjust your fingers in either hand to reach the next chord.

Difficulty: 2/10

Impression: 7/10

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#23 Marry You – Bruno Mars

Pop songs on the piano have an unusual place in a pianist’s repertoire. On the one hand, some patterns are quite tricky, on the other hand, the chords will often be easy.

Marry You by Bruno Mars is the same. You can get away with some basic chord ideas and sound impressive, but later challenge yourself with more tricks related to the song.

Difficulty: 2/10 (if easy) 5/10 (if full version)

Impression: 8/10

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#24 My heart will go on – Titanic

This Grammy-winning easy piano song from the movie Titanic is sure to catch the ear of anyone who hears it. Students may not recognize it immediately, but parents surely will.

The chords and voicing are not difficult at all compared to the payoff.

Difficulty: 3/10

Impression: 8/10

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This piano pop song is a killer favorite for college students. Stitches isn’t difficult to play with the right tools, and Solfeg.io can help.

Difficulty: 3.5/10

Impression: 9/10

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Conclusion

I hope you found this list of 25 Easy Piano Songs That Sound Complicated But Not Helpful. It might seem like a pipe dream, but with a good song selection and helpful tools like Solfeg.io, anything is possible.

Solfeg.io can help you play along with high-quality covers of songs while changing speeds or looping difficult parts. It is the ultimate practice tool for musicians.

Written by Zach VanderGraaff

Piano practice is fun again with these 7 great songs

The hardest part of learning a new instrument is mastering the basic techniques required for more advanced pieces. While essential, practicing the basics can quickly become fun, as repetition can seem pointless and, most importantly, boring. But understanding techniques like staccatos and arpeggios and concepts like triplets and odd time signatures can take you from beginner to expert in no time and essentially makes piano practice fun!

No fear! The following songs are easy to learn, fun, and more importantly, a great way to reinforce important fundamentals without bringing you to tears!

Sara Bareilles – Love Song

A fun blast from the 2000s, “Love Song” is a fun and catchy tune with a deceptively simple piano part. The song features heavily staccatos, or short, defined notes that give it a springy feel. Staccatos are great ways to add punch to parts of a song, just like Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony!

Coldplay clocks

Another pop classic from 2004, “Clocks” is a great song to learn about triplets and arpeggio basics. These groups of notes, played together but separately from other notes, are another important foundation of music. Triplets are a great way to make a basic four bar time signature sound unique and cool.

OneRepublic – Counting Stars

Another great song for mastering arpeggios, “Counting Stars” is a great energetic track with some great riffs and nice tempo changes. The song is also a great way to practice playing different beats with both hands, as the left hand plays an even beat throughout.

The Beatles – Hey Jude

Every musician should know at least ONE Beatles song. “Hey Jude” is an easy track to learn and doesn’t change much, which is a great way to practice keeping a steady beat throughout the piece of music. The constructive climax is also a great way to practice playing the piano at different volume levels (piano, forte, etc.).

Avicii – Waiting for love

For those who are more electronic, Avicii’s “Waiting For Love” is another fantastic song that helps master those tricky staccatos. The song’s simple piano structure makes it quick to learn and impress your friends with your piano DJ skills!

Alicia Keys – Fallin’

A phenomenal song for someone who wants to master arpeggios. The piece’s undulating piano riff consists entirely of arpeggios, a great way to practice fundamental skills. It’s also easy to learn and has very few different chords and notes.

Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth – See you again

A cool song with a catchy piano-driven chorus, the simple piano riff of “See You Again” is a great way to learn multi-finger chords, and the simple chord progression makes it easy to get up to speed quickly. It’s also a fantastic way to start practicing accompanying melodies with your left hand.

These great songs are easy to play and add the “fun” to learning the basics! Would you like to learn how to play such songs? Visit JoyTunes.com for more information!

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As a new music producer or musician, the process of finding the perfect chords and chord progressions for a song can seem a bit complex. It can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out which chords fit a specific genre or which one fits an emotion perfectly. It’s even more intimidating when you don’t know how to make chords at all.

The great thing about chords is that you really only need to know four simple chords to produce a chart-topping pop song. That’s correct; Four commonly used chords have spawned thousands of chart toppers!

Playing a chord is easier than it looks and later in this article I will explain step by step how to do it; But before that, let’s look at what chords are and how they should be used.

What are chords?

So what are these popularly used chords? Before you can understand why they are so effective, you must first understand what a chord is. If you are new to music production or new to your instrument, you may not understand what a chord is and how it works.

A chord is a mixture of three or more notes played simultaneously. If it is three notes, it is usually called a triad. These chords are structured with a root selected with the lowest pitch, and then the other two are selected from a major or minor scale.

When musicians typically refer to chords, they use Roman numerals to name them. Understanding the basics of chords will help you understand why most songs use the same four chord progressions.

What are the different types of chords?

Multiple types of chords can create different elements and vibes in a song. These chords are called major chords, minor chords, diminished chords, and augmented chords. Major chords are often described as sounding full, bright, and happy. It’s the most common genre of chords, so much so that it’s used to play Happy Birthday.

There are 12 major chords in total, all derived from the 12 notes of a melodic scale. Minor chords are often described as sad or dark; However, there are some instances where minor chords can create a more upbeat feel, just like 12 major chords are derived from the melodic scale.

Diminished chords are described as dark, tense, and dissonant sounds. They are created by adding a minor third and the fifth above the root. When used as a guitar chord, they usually sound unstable or off-putting. There are three types of diminished chords in total.

Finally, extended chords are described as odd and rarely heard in popular songs. They are created by adding a raised fifth, or better known as a sharp fifth. Because of their rarity, there are only four augmented chords in total.

What are chord progressions?

Once you figure out how to create the type of chord you want, you can start creating chord progressions. Chord progressions are a series of chords, at least two or three, that help build a piece of music. Chord progressions can be extremely simple or complex depending on the style of the song and the genre of music. Most pop records are just two simple chord progressions.

The idea behind chords

Chords are the elements of the song that convey the emotions that the musician is aiming for. They capture the listener’s emotions but also help distinguish the different sections of a song like verse, chorus and bridge. When you play the guitar, you can feel the emotion of the chord in the strumming pattern.

Musicians who play the piano use chords to add different elements and tones to the chord progressions they create. Chords also help the singer or music producer create the melody of the song, whether it’s created with guitars, ukuleles, or piano. Chords are also important because they also articulate the genre of the song depending on the beat pattern or melody pattern.

Insert chords into songs

Chords are one of the main ingredients and usually the first element that comes into being when producing a song. Whether you’re a beginner playing guitar, piano, midi controllers, or using the piano roll on a digital audio workstation, the process is a lot easier than it looks.

To create a major or minor chord, you must select three notes from a major or minor scale. These typically consist of the first, third, and fifth notes of a melodic scale.

Once you’ve selected a note on the scale, you can move up the scale two steps until you reach the last one. For example, the D chord would be D, F#, A. Once you play all three of these notes together, they create a chord. There are different types of chords you can make as a musician that you can learn by studying music theory.

Is music theory necessary?

Speaking of theory, many music producers are often asked if music theory is essential to creating a song. The answer to that is not necessarily.

As a musician, it would be helpful to know at least the basics of music theory, such as scales, key signatures, and chords, which we just gave a mini lesson on above. However, to create basic guitar chords, piano chords, or the most commonly used four chords, you only need to know the basics of music theory to get started.

Some musicians create guitar and piano chords by trusting their ears. But as a live musician, theory may be more important to ensure your piano or guitar chords will accurately accompany the singer or fellow musician.

The 4 most popular chords

Now that you have a general understanding of what a chord is, you can figure out what are the most common four chord progressions used to create hits. The four main chord progressions used for any music track are the Roman numerals I, V, vi, and IV.

The chord progression chords always come from the melodic scales C major, G major, A minor and F major. No matter how you flip this common chord progression, you’ll be able to find a hit derived from it. To see if this is true, take some time and listen to some of your favorite songs and apply this chord progression to the chords you hear.

C major piano keys

G major piano keys

A minor piano keys

F major piano keys

Why are these chords so common?

Since there are so many ways to create chords in music, you might be wondering why these chords are so common. One of the main reasons is that they are easy to remember.

Remember when you sit down to create or practice something new; Usually you start playing the notes you already know. Once you’ve memorized these four main chords, it’s easy to create something pleasing to the ear.

The average listener has also gotten used to hearing these chord progressions, even if they don’t know what they are. Anything outside of these chord progressions will seem new and cool or new and weird to them.

You may be wondering how the same four chords can produce so many different songs over so many years? Well, you wouldn’t be the first to ask this question. Many musicians and producers often hit a wall and ask themselves the same thing.

The great thing about music is that it has so many elements and layers beyond chords: multiple keys and eight octaves create the four chords and sound completely different than many others.

Different tempos or time signatures can create a great sound for a smooth and relaxed atmosphere, or an upbeat and just right feel for a party.

Different layers can disguise the four chords to fade into the background. For example, certain rhythms can be the focus of the song. This is seen heavily in hip hop.

In other genres, the melodies may be the focus of the song. Unique melodies can make a listener pay attention to the background chords, making them easy to use in many songs. Finally, the lyrics added above the four chords can be an essential layer that makes a song different.

Other chord progressions

Although four-chord progressions are used in many pop hits, musicians and producers can use other chord progressions to create songs.

Remember that you can choose your own chords for your songs and create a chord progression from them. It’s a great way to spark creativity when you’re experiencing creative block.

For a song geared towards a sadder and depressing feeling, musicians often use the F minor chord. Some musicians even try to get more creative by using two chords in chord progressions.

Instruments that play chords

As a musician or music producer, you don’t have to be limited to a piano or guitar to create chords. If you know your way around stringed instruments, you can create chords on a violin, bass, electric guitar, harp, and even a ukulele.

There are several types of pianos, xylophones, and other mallet percussion instruments that use scales to produce chords for those who are good with keys. If you’re a producer working in a DAW, there are tons of options for different pianos and synths to create chords and even mix chords while creating chord progressions.

How to play any song with 4 chords

Step 1: Select a major scale from which to create the chords. We’ll stick with the simplest chord, C major, in all white notes for this example.

C D E F G A B C

Step 2: With chords, musicians use numbers to refer to the notes. These numbers correlate with the order of the letters. For example, C is 1, 2 is D, and 3 is E.

To form a chord, you must start with a root and then skip two steps to get to the next note of the chord until you get a three-note chord. It looks like this: 1-3-5

Step 3: Your C major chord should now be C-E-G. If you play all of these notes at the same time, you’ve played a chord.

Step 4: The second part of your chord progression consists of the same process and a chord other than C major. It starts with the second note on the C major scale, which is D.

Step 5: Skip two steps and you will reach Note F.

Step 6: Skip two more steps two more steps and you reach the chord A.

Your next chord in the chord progression should now be D-F-A.

Step 7: The third part of your chord progression follows the same steps; only this time start with the letter E, the third note of the C major scale.

Step 8: Skip two steps and you reach grade G.

Step 9: Skip two more steps and you’ll reach Grade B.

Your next chord in the chord progression should now be E-G-B.

Step 10: Now that you’ve got the hang of it, you can complete your chord progression with the fourth chord. It starts with the note F of the C major scale.

Step 11: Skip two steps and you’ll reach grade A.

Step 12: Skip two more steps and you reach Note C.

Your last chord in the chord progression will be F-A-C.

All four chords are now complete, and your four chord progression will look like this:

I: C-E-G

V: D-F-A

vi: EGB

IV: F-A-C

Get better as you build chords

Now that you understand what chords are and why they are important when creating a song, the next step is to learn how to create them yourself.

It would be cliche to say practice, but it really is the number one key to making your chords sound better. Over time, not only will you memorize the popular four-chord progressions, but your ears will become well trained enough to pick up chord progressions on your own.

Another way to get better is to listen to different chords and chord progressions in different songs while listening to the radio. If you play an instrument like guitar or piano, you already have the benefit of understanding how to make basic chords.

General FAQs

Which chords should I learn first? Before you start learning a chord, you must first learn and memorize your major and minor scales. These are the notes that create the chord. Most people memorize the chords first, namely the C major, G major, A minor, and F major chords. How do you memorize guitar chords? The best way to memorize guitar chords is through practice. Practice the chord progression at least 20 times before moving on to another. As you practice the chord, be sure to hit the chord correctly to memorize the finger movement. What is a triad? A three chord functions as the weaker predominant chord; it is also known as the mediant chord. It’s important in a chord progression because it harmonizes the 7th chord as it blends into the melody. What is a five chord? A 5th chord, also known as a power chord, is the 5th note from the root in a chord progression. It’s called a power chord because it’s typically perfect in all triads, making it a dominant chord. How many chords does a guitarist have to master? The most common chords used by most guitarists in all genres, G major, C major and D major. Which guitar chord is the hardest to play? Learning a guitar chord can be difficult without consistent practice. However, there are a few guitar chords that even some of the most legendary guitarists have a hard time mastering. They are a Cadd9 chord, Am9 chord, Badd9 chord, Cmaj9 chord and B7add13. How many chords should a pianist know? There are 12 chords for a piano, and to be a master pianist you should memorize them all. However, most pianists only memorize the major chord for all 12 notes, making it easier to memorize. Again, if you’re trying to write a hit, you can memorize the 4 main ones above. What is the hardest chord to play on the piano? Unlike the guitar, the piano does not have the usual difficult chords. The chords that are always considered the easiest are the ones where they are all white keys. These chords come from the C major or A minor scale. Which chord sounds the happiest? Of all the chords in music, the 7th chord is the happiest chord. It is happiest in both major and minor chords. When it comes to guitarists, the happiest chord is called the G major 13 chords that Bach created. What are some of the most popular songs with these main chord progressions? There are thousands of big hits that use the four main chords, but a few popular ones include Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”, Elton John’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, Black Eye Peas’ “Where is the Love”, Bob Marley’s ” No Woman No Cry” and Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” to name a few.

As are thousands of hit pop songs that use the four main chords. There are several chord progressions. Some popular songs that use two chords are “I’d Rather Go Blind” by Etta James, “Fallin” by Alicia Keys, “Lively Up Yourself” by The Wailers, and “When Love Comes To Town” by B.B. King.

If you’d like to hear more, check out the excellent Axis of Geniuses below: (WARNING Contains adult language)

last words

The power of chords should not be underestimated. As you read above, pop songs have consisted of just four simple chords since the charts began. Certainly, getting the chord right can make a huge difference in a song’s success and popularity with listeners. With just 4 simple chords on your guitar or keyboard, you’ll soon be well on your way to creating music that resonates with people everywhere!

1981 single from Journey

“Don’t Stop Believin'” is a song by the American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group’s seventh studio album, Escape (1981), released through Columbia Records. “Don’t Stop Believin'” shares writing credits between the band’s vocalist Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain. A mid-tempo rock anthem, “Don’t Stop Believin'” is memorable due to its distinctive keyboard riff at the beginning.

By the early 1980s, Journey was becoming one of the most successful rock acts of the era. The band added Cain on keyboards before entering the studio to record Escape. Cain had saved the song title from the encouragement his father gave him as a struggling musician who lived on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. The song is unusual in that its chorus doesn’t arrive until the song is nearly finished; its structure consists of two pre-choruses and three stanzas before arriving at its central hook. The band recorded the song in one take at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California.

“Don’t Stop Believin’,” a worldwide top 10 hit in 1981, became the group’s trademark and has stuck through the years. Decades after its release, it became the best-selling digital title of the 20th century, with over seven million downloads. Critics praised its anthemic qualities; Rolling Stone magazine ranked it among the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2022, the single was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” in 2009, which surpassed the original internationally.

background [edit]

In 1980, California rock band Journey were on their way to becoming one of the most successful acts of the era. After abandoning their progressive rock roots, the group hired vocalist Steve Perry and smoothed out their sound. The band had scored several domestic top 25 hits with “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” and “Any Way You Want It”. Original keyboardist Gregg Rolie, who had been with the group since their progressive days, amicably parted ways in 1980, leaving the quartet without any of its distinctive elements. Rolie recommended that the band invite British rockers The Babys’ Jonathan Cain as his permanent replacement, who accepted and joined the band as they prepared to record their next album, Escape (1981).

To prepare for the next song, Journey rented a warehouse in Oakland, California, where they worked daily to finalize arrangements and come up with new ideas. Cain came up with the song’s title and hook; it stemmed from something his father often told him when he was a struggling musician living on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Cain was unsuccessful and ready to give up, and every time he would call home in despair, his father would tell him, “Don’t stop believing or you’re done, dude.” [2] Guitarist Neil Schon invented the song’s specialty bass line, and Perry suggested Cain write a driving synthesizer track to complement that bass line. Drummer Steve Smith added that with a standard rock backbeat and instructed Schon to play 16th-note arpeggios over the rest of the instrumentation as if he were a “train” leading the song his way.

Jonathan Cain, the band’s newest member, came up with the song’s title.

This motif also inspired the song lyrically. Cain and Perry thought the images recalled a story of two people leaving past lives behind in their hometown and boarding a midnight train to another location. Perry liked the concept that the characters are a small town girl and a city raised boy. “We felt like every young person has a dream and sometimes you don’t grow up where you belong,” Cain said. They copied the day’s progress onto tapes and took them home for further review. Smith felt that a standard rock beat would not fit the entire song, so he complemented it with melodic, syncopated additions on the tom-toms and ride cymbal bell, increasing its complexity as the song progressed. The song was constructed backwards as the title hook was the only lyric the band originally came up with.

The band recorded the song at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California. Perry had a cold the day of recording and couldn’t make it, so the instrumental was recorded without him. The musicians found the song’s tempo and the different sections difficult to absorb, particularly the intro by Cain and bassist Ross Valory. Co-producer Mike Stone turned on a verbal click track for the group to practice; After about twenty minutes, they turned off the machine and recorded the song live in one take. Perry returned to Journey the next week and also completed his vocals mostly in one take. Overall, the song and corresponding album came together under budget and in about two months. Cain was grateful that Perry gave equal importance to his ideas given his status as a new member of the band.[3]

Composition [ edit ]

While most songs have a chorus that is repeated several times throughout the song, the true chorus of “Don’t Stop Believin'” (as well as the first mention of its title) is not heard until the end of the song. with only 0:50 left. The song’s writers referred to the musically similar sections before the chorus as “pre-chorus.”[3] The structure of the song is as follows:

Introduction (instrumental) (0:00–0:17) Verse 1 (0:17–0:49) Instrumental (0:49–1:05) Verse 2 (half length) (1:05–1:20) Prechorus 1 (1:20–1:54) Instrumental (1:54–2:01) Verse 3 (2:01–2:33) Prelude 2 (2:33–3:05) Instrumental (Chorus) (3:05 –3:21) chorus to fade (3:21–4:11)

The song is played in the key of E major at a tempo of 118 beats per minute. The vocal range is E 4 – C# 5.[4] The chord progression, played by the piano in the introduction and continued throughout most of the song, is eight chords long and follows an I-V-vi-IV-I-V-iii-IV progression.

While the lyrics mention that they were “born and raised in South Detroit”, there is no place called “South Detroit” in the Detroit, Michigan area. the location south of downtown Detroit is actually the Canadian city of Windsor.[5] Steve Perry has said, “I tried North Detroit, I tried East and West and it didn’t sing, but South Detroit sounded so beautiful. I loved the way it sounded, only to find out later that it’s actually Canada.”[5] Detroiters often refer to the city’s “East Side” and “West Side,” but rarely to north (sometimes called “8 Mile,” after the street of the same name) or south (Referred to as “Downriver” or “Mexican”. Town, Village”). The lyrics “Streetlight People Living Just to Find Emotion” are by Perry, who was walking people through the streets of Detroit at night after a show.[6]

staff [edit]

escape version

Revelation live version

Arnel Pineda – lead vocals

Ross Valory – bass, backing vocals

Jonathan Cain – keyboards, backing vocals

Neal Schon – guitars, backing vocals

Deen Castronovo – drums and percussion, backing vocals

Reception [edit]

AllMusic’s Mike DeGagne has described “Don’t Stop Believin'” as a “perfect rock song”[7] and an “anthem” that features “one of the best opening keyboard riffs in rock”.[8] It was ranked #. 133 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[9] It is the best-selling digital title of the 20th century with over seven million copies sold in the United States.[10][11]

In 2021, the song received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award.[12]

In popular culture[edit]

In 2005, the song was featured in the Family Guy episode “Don’t Make Me Over” as a karaoke song by Peter Griffin. In 2007, the song garnered widespread attention and popularity when it was used in the famous closing scene of The Sopranos’ HBO series finale, Made in America. Steve Perry was initially reluctant to have the song used in The Sopranos, but later agreed. Digital downloads of the song skyrocketed after the episode aired and the notoriety motivated the band members to overcome struggles they were experiencing at the time and find a replacement singer following the departure of former singer Steve Augeri.

The song has been played frequently at Detroit Red Wings home games for years. During the final minutes of playoff victories, the volume is lowered during the line “Born and Raised in South Detroit” which is sung by home fans instead. It was played at the 2017 graduation ceremony at Joe Louis Arena, longtime home of the Red Wings. It is also used at other Detroit sporting events.

The song is played during the 8th inning of every San Francisco Giants home game. Giants season ticket holder Steve Perry memorably led the crowd on the song during a 2014 World Series game.[19] Additionally, after the Giants won the 2010 World Series, Fox Sports used the song to wrap up their postgame coverage of the fifth and defining game of the series.

The song got a boost when it was used as the closing track on Rock of Ages, a jukebox musical of ’80s hits. The show ran on Broadway from 2009 to 2015 and was filmed in 2012, starring Tom Cruise.[20]

The song is used in Silas Young’s professional wrestling as his entry music into the independent space, although due to music rights issues he uses internal music commissioned by Ring of Honor while wrestling for that promotion.

In 2020, the song was used in a Toyota Hilux commercial. In the “Using His Hilux” commercial, a father retraces his steps on an epic journey to help his daughter find her lost toy.[22]

Chart performance [ edit ]

The song peaked at number eight on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart and number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It sold over a million copies on vinyl.[23] It is the number one paid digital download song originally released in the 20th century[24] and was also the 72nd most downloaded song of 2008 and the 84th most downloaded song of 2009 Loading, over 27 years after its release. On August 31, 2009, the song surpassed 3 million paid downloads.[25] It is the best-selling digital song from a pre-digital era[26] and it was also the best-selling rock song in digital history until it was overtaken by Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” in January 2014.[23] It was placed just outside the top twenty selling digital songs of all time in September 2010. As of July 2017, over 7 million digital units have been sold in the US.[10]

“Don’t Stop Believin'” has entered other charts around the world in recent years after gaining popularity. After many chart runs, the song reached number 4 in Ireland, number 25 in Sweden and number 50 in the Dutch charts.

The Power Ballad[28] is one of the most popular rock songs in Ireland and continues to rank in the top ten most downloaded songs.[29]

UK chart success[ edit ]

The song was released in the UK in December 1981 and only peaked at number 62. Never re-released as a physical single in the UK, “Don’t Stop Believin'” retained a cult following, re-entering the UK Singles Chart in February 2009 Ranked 94th due to digital downloads. On November 1, 2009, after an appearance on The X Factor, “Don’t Stop Believin'” re-entered the charts, peaking at number 52, and a week later it climbed to number 19. The song stayed on the charts for three weeks charts before dropping out of the top 40. On December 20 of that year, “Don’t Stop Believin'” re-entered the charts at number nine after the song was again performed on The X Factor. The song stayed in the top 10 for another seven weeks in 2010, peaking at number six.

In early 2010, it was announced that the song was the 65th best-selling single of 2009, nearly three decades after its initial release. “Don’t Stop Believin'” spent a total of 21 non-consecutive weeks in the top 40 during its run from November 2009 to April 2010. “Don’t Stop Believin'” was the 25th best-selling track of 2010, just overselling 435,000 times. It re-entered the charts in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and has spent 95 weeks in the top 100 to date.[31]

In September 2014, the Official Charts Company listed the song as selling millions in the UK.[32]

Diagrams[ edit ]

Weekly charts[ edit ]

Year-end charts[ edit ]

Chart (1981) Position US Cashbox Top 100[52] 58

Chart (2009) Position UK Singles (OCC)[54] 65

Chart (2021) Position Global 200 (Billboard)[58] 111

End of the decade charts[edit]

Chart (2010–2019) UK Singles (OCC)[59] position 87

All-time charts[ edit ]

Chart (1981–2013) Position Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[60] 78 UK Download (OCC)[61] 12

Certifications[ edit ]

Glee cast version[edit]

“Don’t Stop Believin'” was recorded by the cast of the American television series Glee. It was performed in whole or in part in six different episodes of the series, ranging from the first episode to the 120th (penultimate) episode. The song was performed at the conclusion of the very first episode “Pilot” (May 2009).[67] This arrangement, which became the first single to be released from the series soundtrack Glee: The Music Volume 1, was adapted from Petra Haden’s version.

Part of the song was re-performed in the fifth episode of the first season, “The Rhodes Not Taken” (September 2009). A second version was performed by the cast in the final episode of season one, “Journey to Regionals” (June 2010), for the glee club’s Regionals competition. This version is included on the Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals EP soundtrack and was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award in December 2010 for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – the only Glee song to ever be nominated became a Grammy. A third version was performed by Lea Michele as Rachel Berry in the nineteenth episode of the show’s fourth season, “Sweet Dreams” (April 2013), along with (in her imagination) the rest of the original six, making her the last new one musical performance by Finn Hudson, as actor Cory Monteith died three months later; This version was released as a single on April 23, 2013. A fourth version was performed by ten of the original twelve members (excluding Monteith as Finn Hudson and Dijon Talton as Matt Rutherford), seven other current members, and Mr. Schuester in the thirteenth episode of season five, “New Directions” (March 2014). [69] A repeat of the six-person “Pilot” version can be seen in the penultimate episode of the series “2009” (March 2015).

Released as a digital download on June 2, 2009, the song performed well in the United States, Ireland, United Kingdom and Australia, where it entered the top five of their national charts. The cast of “Don’t Stop Believin'” was certified Gold in the US in October 2009 and Platinum in March 2011, achieving over 1,000,000 digital sales[70] and Platinum in Australia with over 70,000 sales.[71] It remains the most popular recording in the show’s history, having sold 1,422,000 copies in the United States alone.

“Don’t Stop Believin'” was added to BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2 playlists in the UK in January 2010.

Critical reception[ edit ]

Entertainment Weekly’s Aly Semigan praised the song, saying, “Fox’s Glee has restored the ultimate catchy tune to its rightful place.” She also stated, “Even if you’re not a fan of show choirs (which is frankly shocking), it’s bloody hard to resist.” Semigan also compared it to the original version, saying, “It sounds freaks and geeks meets in this one High School Musical pilots are a little different, but it’s kind of different.”

Chart performance [ edit ]

In the United States, the song debuted at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of June 6, 2009 with first-week sales of 177,000 copies, behind Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow” and Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” . and Jamie Foxx’s “Blame It”, which reached number one, number two and number three on the charts respectively.[74][75] The song received platinum certification from the RIAA for having sold more than 1.4 million digital copies, which is also her best-selling song to date.

Title lists [ edit ]

Digital download

“Don’t stop believing” – 3:50

German CD single

“Keep Believing” – 3:52 “Rehab” – 3:26

Diagrams[ edit ]

Certifications[ edit ]

Sales and Certifications Region Certification Certified Units/Sales Australia (ARIA)[95] Platinum 70,000^ Mexico (AMPROFON)[96] Gold 30,000* United Kingdom (BPI)[97] Platinum 600,000 United States (RIAA)[98] Platinum 1,000. 000^ ^ Shipping figures are based solely on certification.

Revenue and streaming numbers are based on certification alone.

LadBaby version [ edit ]

In December 2020, English blogging couple LadBaby released a comedy version of the song titled “Don’t Stop Me Eatin'” with a sausage bun theme as a charity single with proceeds going to The Trussell Trust. It was released as a single on December 18, 2020. It was officially announced as the Christmas number one on December 25, 2020, becoming LadBaby’s third consecutive Christmas number one in the UK.

Version with Ronan Keating[edit]

A separate alternate version was recorded by Ronan Keating and credited to LadBaby and Ronan Keating, but in fact the vocals were by Keating and LadBaby’s wife, Roxanne.

background [edit]

In December 2020, LadBaby announced its bid for the official Christmas number one for the third time. As with their previous two singles, “We Built This City” and “I Love Sausage Rolls”, all proceeds from the single went to The Trussell Trust.

Diagrams[ edit ]

Other versions[edit]

Joe McElderry version[edit]

In 2009, Joe McElderry performed the song in week 4 of The X Factor UK series 6 and again in the finale. This helped the original version re-enter the UK charts in the second half of 2009. The song was one of the picks to become the series’ winning single, but Journey disliked the arrangement of The X Factor’s version. The choice finally fell on “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus.[109] McElderry still frequently performs the song on his live shows, occasionally changing the lyrics “born and raised in South Detroit” to “born and raised in South Shields”.

George Lamond version[edit]

“Don’t Stop Believin'” Single by George Lamond from the Album Don’t Stop Believin’ Released 2008 Genre Dance-Pop Length 3 : 42 (Radio Edit)

6:00 (extended mix) Label Robbins Entertainment

In 2008, after a hiatus from recording, Giuseppe D, a fellow producer, pitched George Lamond the idea of ​​releasing a dance-pop cover of the song. Lamond’s cover was released by Robbins Entertainment and peaked at #1 on New York’s 103.5 KTU. The release was also successful on other US radio stations, particularly in the Northeast and Canada. WKTU presented Lamond with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

Big Brother 2010[edit]

The 2010 Big Brother housemates recorded a version of the song coached by Andrew Stone of Pineapple Dance Studios in July 2010. Stone also choreographed and directed a video of the performance. According to Digital Spy, Steve and Rachel sang lead vocals in the video “Fast Out-Glees Glee” [111].

UNICEF performance version [ edit ]

In 2020, Journey recorded a new version of the song to promote UNICEF’s “Won’t Stop” campaign, created to raise funds to purchase personal protective equipment for frontline medical workers and to provide for the needs of impoverished children. The performance was broadcast on MSNBC and featured longtime members Arnel Pineda, Neal Schon, and Jonathan Cain, as well as returning bassist Randy Jackson (who was previously Journey’s session and touring bassist from 1986–87), new keyboardist Jason Derlatka, and new drummer Narada Michael Walden.[112]

See also[edit]

1983 single by Michael Jackson

“Billie Jean” is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released on January 2, 1983 by Epic Records as the second single from Jackson’s sixth studio album Thriller (1982). It was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. “Billie Jean” mixes post-disco, rhythm and blues, funk and dance-pop. The text describes a woman, Billie Jean, who claims the narrator is the father of her newborn son, which he denies. Jackson said the lyrics were based on groupies’ claims about his older brothers when he toured with them as the Jackson 5.

“Billie Jean” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart within three weeks, and became Jackson’s fastest rising number one single since “ABC”, “The Love You Save” and “I.” ‘ll be”. There” in 1970, all of which he recorded as a member of the Jackson 5. Billboard ranked it the #2 song for 1983. “Billie Jean” was certified 6× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The song has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. It was also a number one hit in the UK, Canada, France, Switzerland and Belgium and reached the top ten in many other countries. “Billie Jean” was one of the best-selling singles of 1983, helping Thriller become the best-selling album of all time and becoming Jackson’s best-selling solo single.

Jackson’s performance of “Billie Jean” on the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever won recognition and was nominated for an Emmy Award. It introduced a number of Jackson’s signatures, including the moonwalk, black sequin jacket and flood pants, and was widely imitated. The “Billie Jean” music video, directed by Steve Barron, was the first video by a black artist to receive heavy rotation on MTV. Along with the other videos produced for Thriller, it helped establish MTV’s cultural prominence and made music videos an integral part of popular music marketing. The sparse, bass-driven arrangement of “Billie Jean” pioneered what one critic called “lean post-soul pop music.”[2] It also introduced a more paranoid lyrical style for Jackson, a hallmark of his later music.

“Billie Jean” has received two Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, among other awards. A list compiled by Rolling Stone and MTV in 2000 ranked the song the sixth greatest pop song since 1963. Rolling Stone placed it at number 58 in its 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and at number 44 in its 2021 update of the list. The song was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. “Billie Jean” has frequently been named the greatest song of all time in magazine polls and voted the greatest dance record of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners.

background [edit]

There was never a real Billie Jean. The girl in the song is a mix of people my brothers have been afflicted with over the years. I could never understand how these girls could say they were carrying someone’s child when it wasn’t true. – Michael Jackson, Moon Walk (1988)

Jackson said that “Billie Jean” was based on groupies he and his brothers encountered while performing as the Jackson 5.[6] “They hung around behind the doors of the stages and with every band that came to town they had a relationship and I think I wrote that from experience [sic] with my brothers when I was little. There were a lot of Billie Jeans out there. Every girl claimed her son was related to one of my brothers.”[7]

According to Jackson’s biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli, “Billie Jean” was inspired by letters Jackson received in 1981 from a woman who claimed he was the father of one of her twins.[9] Jackson, who regularly received letters of this nature, had never met the woman and ignored these claims. However, she continued to send letters declaring that she loved him and wanted to be with him and asking how he could ignore his own flesh and blood. The letters bothered him so much that he had nightmares.

Eventually, Jackson received a package containing a photo of the fan, a gun, and a letter instructing him to die at a specific time. The fan would do the same after she killed “her” baby so they could be together in the “next life.” To his mother’s dismay, Jackson had the woman’s photo framed and hung above the dining table at their family home. [clarification needed] The Jacksons later found out that the fan had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

production [edit]

Jackson said he sensed that “Billie Jean” was going to be a hit when he wrote it: “A musician knows hit material. Everything has to feel in its place. It fills you up and it makes you feel good’. I knew it was going to be big when I wrote it.”[2] He explained that when he heard it in his head in his car, he was so engrossed that he didn’t realize his car had caught fire until a a passing motorcyclist informed him.[2]

Jackson contradicted producer Quincy Jones about the song. According to some reports, Jones felt it was too weak to be included in Thriller, but Jones has denied this. Jones didn’t like the demo and didn’t care about the bass line and wanted to shorten Jackson’s 29-second introduction. However, Jackson insisted it be retained. According to Jones, when Jackson said it made him want to dance, he admitted, “And when Michael Jackson tells you, ‘that’s what makes me want to dance,’ well, the rest of us have to just shut up.”[2] [14]

Jones also wanted to change the title to “Not My Lover” as he believed people would think the song was a reference to tennis player Billie Jean King. Jackson refused to change the title and asked Jones to give him co-producer credits on the track, feeling that the finished product was close to his demo. Jackson also wanted additional royalties. Jones granted him neither, and the two feuded for several days.

Jones had Jackson sing his vocal overdubs through a six-foot-long cardboard tube.[2] Jackson’s lead vocal was performed in one take; He had received singing lessons every morning throughout the song’s production. Jazz saxophonist Tom Scott played the lyricon, an electronic wind instrument. Bassist Louis Johnson played his part on every bass guitar he owned before Jackson settled on a Yamaha bass.[2]

Engineer Bruce Swedien mixed the song 91 times – unusual for Sweden, who usually only mixed a song once. The mixes kept getting worse and Jones asked Swedien to listen to the second mix again, which was much better. The second mix was the final version. Instructed by Jones to create a drum sound with “sonic personality” that no one had heard before, Swedien constructed a platform for the drum kit using special elements, including a flat piece of wood between the snare and hi-hat. He said, “There aren’t many pieces of music where you can hear the first three or four notes of the drum kit and immediately tell what the piece of music is. But I think that’s the case with ‘Billie Jean’ – and which I attribute to the sonic personality.”[2]

Composition [ edit ]

“Billie Jean” combines post-disco,[17] rhythm and blues,[17][18] funk[19][20] and dance-pop. The song begins with a standard drum beat, along with a standard hi-hat, and is joined by a shaker two bars later. After two more bars, a repeating bass line sets in. Each time it goes through the tonic, the note is doubled by a distorted synth bass. This accompaniment is followed by a repeating three-note synthesizer, played staccato with a deep reverberation. The defining chord progression is then established. Jackson’s soft vocals begin, accompanied by a finger snap that comes and goes during the verses as the rhythm and chord progression repeats. Greg Phillinganes, who played keyboards, said of the song, “‘Billie Jean’ is hot on every level. It’s rhythmically hot. It’s sonically hot because the instrumentation is so minimal that you can really hear everything. It’s hot melodically…lyrically [and] vocally. It affects you physically, emotionally, even spiritually.”[2]

According to Jones, Jackson “stole” sheet music from the Jon and Vangelis song “State of Independence”; [21] Jones had produced Donna Summers’ cover of the song and Jackson had sung backing vocals. According to Jon Anderson, “They took the riff and made it funky for ‘Billie Jean’… So that’s kind of cool, that cross-pollination in the music.”[21] According to Hall & Oates’ Daryl Hall, Jackson told him he did had taken the “Billie Jean” groove from her 1981 track “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)”.[23] Hall said to him, “Oh Michael, what do I care? You did it very differently.”[23]

According to Inside the Hits, the lyrics refer to the commotion created on a dance floor by Billie Jean. She lures the crowd with a seductive come-on before luring the narrator into her bedroom by the scent of her perfume. Jackson’s vocal range was from a high baritone to a falsetto, and he typically wrote melodies to show that range. However, in the verses of “Billie Jean” his vocals range from a tenor to a deep falsetto. A four-note falsetto is presented in the chorus, and Jackson reaches a full octave during the last line. The song has a tempo of 117 beats per minute and is in the key of F♯ minor. After the first chorus, a cello-like synthesizer kicks in at the beginning of the third and later fourth verse. Upon announcing that the baby’s eyes resemble the narrator’s, a voice laments, “Oh no.” This meets Jackson’s signature falsetto “hee hee”. The bridge debuts the strings, holding a pedal tonic except for two lines and a chord leading into the chorus. Violins are then played, followed by a four note minor guitar part. Vocal screams, screams and laughter are added during the guitar part. Meanwhile, the chord progression remains unchanged and is punctuated by Jackson’s vocal hiccups. All musical and vocal elements are then brought together in the final chorus. In the fade, Jackson repeats the narrator’s denial of fathering Billie Jean’s child.

Reception [edit]

On November 30, 1982, Thriller was released to critical and commercial success. On January 2, 1983, “Billie Jean” was released as the album’s second single; it follows Jackson’s successful duet with Paul McCartney on The Girl Is Mine. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 5, 1983.[28] Billboard ranked it the #2 song for 1983. “Billie Jean” topped the R&B charts within three weeks and became Jackson’s fastest-growing number-one single since 1970’s “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There,” which he accepted as a member the Jackson 5. It stayed at number one on the R&B chart for nine weeks, followed by the Gap Band’s “Outstanding”, before the single was eventually superseded by George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog”. “Billie Jean” reached #9 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was also number one on the UK Singles Chart. “Billie Jean” and “Thriller” topped both the singles and albums charts in the same week. This happened simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic, a feat very few acts have ever matched. The song was the third best-selling single of 1983 in the US and ninth in the UK. “Billie Jean” also reached number one in Canada, Switzerland and Belgium and the top ten in Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden.

In a Rolling Stone review, Christopher Connelly described “Billie Jean” as “a sleek, haunting funk number whose message couldn’t be more blunt: ‘She says I’m the one/But the kid ain’t my son'”. He added that the track is a “sad, almost sad song, but a throbbing determination underlies [Jackson’s] feelings”. Blender stated that the song was “one of the most sonically eccentric, psychologically tense, downright bizarre things to ever hit Top 40 radio”. They added that it was “shockingly strong, with a throbbing bass figure on the prowl, a whip-cracking downbeat, and eerie multitrack vocals ricocheting in the wide spaces between keyboards and strings”. Overall, the magazine described the track as “a five-minute mental breakdown locked in a beat”.[2] Stylus said of the song, “It’s one of the best representations of film noir in pop music, ending with no solution other than a single mother and a selfish, carefree scumbag.”[32] In a review of Thriller 25, AllMusic noted that “Billie Jean” was “surprising” in its “futuristic funk.”[20] The track was also praised by Jackson biographers. Nelson George explained that Jerry Hey’s string arrangement made “Billie Jean” more dangerous, while J. Randy Taraborrelli added, that it was “dark and sparse” by Quincy Jones’ production standards.

“Billie Jean” has received numerous awards and honors. At the 1984 Grammy Awards, the song brought Jackson two out of eight awards; Best R&B Song and Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. It won the Billboard Music Award for Favorite Dance/Disco 12-inch LP and the magazine’s 1980s poll named “Billie Jean” as the “Black Single of the Decade”. The American Music Awards recognized the track as the most popular pop/rock single. while Cash Box honored the song with the awards for Top Pop Single and Top Black Single. The track won the Top International Single Award from the Canadian Black Music Awards and won the Black Gold Award for Single of the Year. “Billie Jean” was also recognized for its sales. It won the National Association of Recording Merchandisers’ 1984 Gift of Music Award for best-selling single. In 1989, the standard format single was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipments from Digital Sales of “Billie Jean” was certified gold in 2005 for shipments of at least 500,000 units.[36] In May 2014, a viral video of a high school-age teenager singing Jackson’s Motown 25 via The song’s shape helped the song re-enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number 14, with much of its chart performance accounting for 95% of the viral video streams has been attributed.[37] On August 23, 2018, “Billie Jean” digital sales were certified 5x Platinum in the US.[38]

“Billie Jean” debuts on the Billboard Global 200 chart, where it peaked at 137 on issue date, January 15, 2022.[39]

music video[edit]

Jackson lands on his toes and lights a tile in the “Billie Jean” music video.

MTV initially refused to air the video for “Billie Jean” because network executives felt that black music did not fit into a “rock”-centric network. Walter Yetnikoff, the president of Jackson’s CBS Records label, was furious at her refusal to play the video despite Jackson’s success as a musician. Yetnikoff threatened to go public with MTV’s stance on racial discrimination: “I said to MTV, ‘I’m pulling everything we have out of thin air, all our products. I’m not going to give you any more videos going public and telling them you don’t want to play music by a black man.'”[2] MTV relented and the “Billie Jean” music video debuted on March 10, 1983.[41] After the video was broadcast in heavy rotation, Thriller sold another 10 million copies.[2][42] It was one of the first videos by a black artist to be regularly aired by the station.

Directed by Steve Barron, the video features a photographer following Jackson. The paparazzi never catches him, and when Jackson is photographed, he does not appear in the developed image. He dances to Billie Jean’s hotel room, and as he walks down a sidewalk, every tile lights up at his touch.[43] After performing a quick spin, Jackson jumps and lands, still, on his toes. Upon arriving at the hotel, Jackson climbs the stairs to Billie Jean’s room. Each step lights up when he touches it, and a burned-out “Hotel” sign lights up as he passes. The paparazzi then arrives at the crime scene and watches as Jackson disappears under the covers of Billie Jean’s bed. Pursued by the police, the paparazzi is then arrested for spying on Billie Jean. As the paparazzi is led away, he drops a tiger-patterned cloth — the one Jackson makes earlier in the video and uses to polish his shoes. (On both occasions, the cloth briefly transforms into a tiger cub). Once the street is empty, the cobblestones will light up in sequence again, reversing Jackson’s earlier progress.

Jackson wore a new look for the video; Jackson’s attire, a black leather suit with a pink shirt and red bow tie, was copied by children in the United States. The imitation became so strong that despite student protests, Bound Brook High School banned students from wearing a single white glove, such as Jackson had worn during the performance of “Billie Jean” at Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever.

The short film was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame in 1992. In a 2005 survey by telecommunications company 3 of 31 pop stars, video directors, agents and journalists, the music video was ranked fifth in their “Top 20 Music”. videos of all time”.[46] The video was also ranked as the 35th greatest music video in a list compiled by MTV and TV Guide in the millennium. On June 10, 2021, “Billie Jean” became the first clip by a solo artist to peak out 1 billion views on YouTube in the 1980s.[48]

Motown 25 appearance[edit]

Jackson played “Billie Jean” in the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever which aired May 15, 1983. The performance is considered a turning point in the history of popular culture. The special was recorded on March 25 to commemorate Motown Records’ 25th anniversary (Motown launched in 1959). The event featured many popular Motown acts past and present. Jackson initially declined an invitation to reunite with the Jackson 5 for a gig, but reconsidered after a visit from Motown founder Berry Gordy, whom Jackson respected. Jackson asked that “Billie Jean” be performed as well, to which Gordy agreed. After performances by Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Mary Wells, the Jacksons sang a medley of their hits from the early 1970s. Jermaine Jackson was on stage with the group, marking the first time the original Jackson 5 lineup had performed together since they left Motown in 1975. After the group performed “I’ll Be There”, they left Michael alone on stage ]

Jackson wore black pants, leather penny loafers, a black sequin jacket and a single white rhinestone glove. He turned to the audience, and then “Billie Jean” began to play. (Jackson lip-synched the entire song because organizers were concerned that the evening’s backing band might not be able to reproduce the audio of the recording.) [50] To start his performance, Jackson snapped a fedora to his head and struck a pose – his right hand on his hat and his left leg bent. During an instrumental interlude, he performed a move many believe sealed his status as a pop icon. Jackson slid backwards to perform the moonwalk before spinning on his heels and landing en pointe. It was Jackson’s first time performing the moonwalk in public; He had practiced it in his kitchen before the show.

Many, including Jackson biographer Steve Knopper, have speculated that Jackson’s “Billie Jean” costume and choreography was specifically inspired by a dance routine performed by Bob Fosse in the 1974 musical film The Little Prince.[50] In this film, Fosse, who plays “The Snake”, sings the song “A Snake in the Grass” and performs an accompanying dance that Fosse choreographed himself. The dance incorporates a variety of techniques that seemed to be reflected in Jackson’s routine, including signature Fosse elements such as hip thrusts, bent knees, shoulder isolations, jazz hands and kicks, and a short moonwalk. Jackson openly acknowledged Fosse as a dance influence, having told Fosse himself that he had amassed an entire home collection of Fosse’s choreographic work in film and television, which he viewed frequently. However, Jackson never specifically cited the “Snake in the Grass” routine as an inspiration.

Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever was viewed by 50 million people, and Jackson’s routine earned him an Emmy nomination. With the performance, Jackson reached new audiences and boosted sales of Thriller, which eventually became the best-selling album of all time. The day after the show aired, Jackson received a phone call from his childhood idol, Fred Astaire, who praised him. Another childhood idol, Sammy Davis Jr., had admired Jackson’s black sequined jacket during the performance and later received it as a gift.

Jackson stated at the time that he was disappointed with his performance; he had wanted to stay on his toes longer than he had. Jackson later said that “Billie Jean” was one of his favorite songs to perform live, but only when he didn’t have to do it like he did on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. “The audience wants something specific — I have to do the moonwalk at this point,” he later said. “I would like to do another version.”

A Top 100 list compiled by VH1 and Entertainment Weekly in 2000 ranked Jackson’s performance as the sixth greatest rock ‘n’ roll TV moment.[58] Five years later, Entertainment Weekly cited Jackson’s Motown 25 performance as one of the most important pop culture moments in history. “It was a moment that crossed in a way that no live musical performance has ever had. It had a messianic quality,” commented Steve Daly, editor of Entertainment Weekly. David Moynihan of NME wrote in 2009 that “Jackson’s status as the world’s biggest superstar was confirmed by the performance of Motown 25”.

Pepsi ad[edit]

In 1984, Pepsi sponsored the Jacksons’ Victory Tour. In return, Michael and his brothers would star in two commercials for the company. Jackson had reworked “Billie Jean” for the commercial and titled it “Pepsi Generation.” The song was used as the official jingle for the commercials and was released as a 7 inch promo single. The launch of The Choice of a New Generation campaign in February 1984 was attended by 1,600 people who were given a program and the 7 inch version. Single. During filming of the second commercial, fireworks were set off early in the back of the set, causing Jackson’s hair to burst into flames. The incident required reconstructive surgery.[63][64][65] The commercials premiered at the Grammy Awards, the same night he received a record eight awards.

“Billie Jean 2008” [edit]

Michael Jackson’s original version of “Billie Jean” was remixed by Kanye West for Thriller 25, a 25th anniversary remake of Jackson’s thriller. The remix entitled “Billie Jean 2008” was mixed recorded. Most critics found it impossible to improve on the original. Pitchfork Media’s Tom Ewing stated that the remix would have benefited from a guest verse from West, which “may have lent dynamism to the mix’s awkward claustrophobia”.

Mike Joseph, in a review of Thriller 25 for PopMatters, described the reissue’s track listing as “enjoyable”, but West’s “lazy” remix was the only exception. He added, “You’ve been given the opportunity to remix the most iconic single from one of the most iconic albums of all time, and all you can do is stick a drum machine on the song’s original arrangement?” ] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone disliked the removal of the original bass line, comparing it to “putting Bobby Orr on the ice without a hockey stick”. IGN’s Todd Gilchrist praised West’s remix, stating it was a “pretty great track”. He added, “Almost drowning out the track’s originally understated drama, its additions enhance the song and demonstrate that in a contemporary context.”

legacy [edit]

“Billie Jean” helped Thriller become the best-selling album of all time.[71][72]

It was widely believed that “Billie Jean” was an autobiographical song, referring to someone claiming that Jackson was the father of their child. Based on this theory, Lydia Murdock wrote the song “Superstar”, which was a minor hit in 1983, and intended this song to be a critique of Jackson’s alleged denial of paternity.[73]

“Billie Jean” was frequently ranked in magazine polls as the greatest song of all time and was voted the greatest dance record of all time by BBC Radio 2 listeners.[74] In a list compiled by Rolling Stone and MTV in 2000, the song was ranked the sixth greatest pop song since 1963.[75]

Rolling Stone placed the song at number 58 on its 2004 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In the 2021 update of the list, it had increased to 44.[77] “Billie Jean” was voted number 2 in The Nation’s Favorite Number 1 Single, a UK television program broadcast on ITV on 21 July 2012. In a similar poll in 2015, the song was voted the nation’s second most popular number one song of the 1980s by the British public.[78]

In an interview, Pharrell Williams stated that “Billie Jean” is one of his favorite songs. “It’s hard to say there’s a better song than ‘Billie Jean’. I don’t think there’ll ever be another song like that, with that bassline, with that kind of impact, that eternity, that perfection.” Re-released as part of the Visionary campaign in 2006, “Billie Jean” peaked at #11 in Great Britain. It stayed in the top 200 for over 40 weeks and was by far the most successful reboot. According to Thriller 25: The Book (2008), “Billie Jean” is still in heavy rotation; It receives more than 250,000 spins per week in clubs around the world.

Title lists [ edit ]

7″ single (Epic EPCA 3084 (CBS))[30]

7″ single (Epic 15-06453)[30]

12″ Maxi (Epic 12-3084)[30]

“Billie Jean” – 6:20 “Billie Jean” (Instrumental) – 6:20

staff [edit]

Credits adapted from Blender and the album Thriller 25.[2][80]

Diagrams[ edit ]

Weekly charts[ edit ]

Certifications and sales[ edit ]

Cover versions[ edit ]

The Bates version[edit]

“Billie Jean” Single by The Bates from the Album Pleasure + Pain Released 1995 Length 4 : 25 Label Virgin Songwriter Michael Jackson Producer(s) The Bates

Andi Jung The Bates single chronology “A Real Cool Time”

(1995) “Billie Jean”

(1995) “Say It’s Not So”

(1995)

In 1995, German band The Bates covered “Billie Jean” on their album Pleasure + Pain.

track list [ edit ]

Maxi CD

Billie Jean – 4:25 Tonight (Remix) – 3:45 Love Is Dead (Part II) – 3:22 Yeah (Acoustic Version) – 1:06

Diagrams[ edit ]

Ian Brown version[edit]

English musician Ian Brown took “Billie Jean” to number 5 in the UK charts in 2000. It was the B-side to Dolphins Were Monkeys. Brown said: “I love Jackson. I want to do a Jackson EP with ‘Thriller’, ‘Beat It’, ‘Billie Jean’ and ‘Rockin’ Robin’ or ‘ABC’ on it. Hopefully I can do it.” . Brown later covered “Thriller” on Golden Gaze from his second solo album, Golden Greats.

The Sound Bluntz version [ edit ]

“Billie Jean” Single by Sound Bluntz Released 2002 Label Kontor Songwriter Michael Jackson Producer(s) Cory Cash

Canadian group Sound Bluntz also recorded a cover which peaked at number 17 on the Australian Singles Chart in March 2003. It also reached number 17 in Belgium, number 14 in Finland and number 53 in the Netherlands.

track list [ edit ]

CD Maxi Kontor 14305-5 (noble)

Billie Jean (Beat Radio Mix) – 4:00 Billie Jean (Beat Clubb Mix) – 6:50 Billie Jean (Full Effect Mix) – 7:34 Dura Dura (Reprise) – 1:36

Diagrams[ edit ]

Other covers[edit]

Billie Jean was recorded by American rock musician Chris Cornell for his 2007 album Carry On. Cornell said of his cover, “I didn’t plan it. I didn’t touch the lyrics.” He added, “And it’s no joke. Ich habe musikalisch einen völlig anderen Ansatz gewählt.” Cornell hatte das Lied zuvor live in Europa aufgeführt, einschließlich eines akustischen Sets in Stockholm, Schweden, im September 2006. Später sagte er: “Ich bereitete mich darauf vor, einige akustische Shows auf einer Werbetour für Revelations zu machen, und ich wollte einfach nur Spaß damit haben.” [167] Das Cover erhielt positive Kritiken von Kritikern. MTV bemerkte das “bluesigere, schmerzhaftere und leidenschaftlichere Gefühl”, das “alle Pop-Elemente des Originals” entfernte. Die Los Angeles Times beschrieb den Track als „eine grimmige, gruselige Version“ von Jacksons „Billie Jean“ und fügte hinzu, dass er „amüsant genug“ sei, auch wenn er viel mehr nach Metallicas „Nothing Else Matters“ klingt. Die Zeitung kam zu dem Schluss, dass “Jackos Megahit die Stuntübersetzung [überlebt]”.[168] Im Jahr 2008 wurde Cornells Version live von David Cook in der siebten Staffel von American Idol aufgeführt,[169] und diese Version landet e auf Billboard’s Hot 100 auf Platz 47.[170]

Im Jahr 2011 deckte der Frontmann von Fall Out Boy, Patrick Stump, das Lied als Teil eines A-cappella-Medleys von Michael Jackson-Songs ab, in dem er alle Teile sang.

Im Jahr 2015 veröffentlichte der irische Musiker EDEN einen Remix von “Billie Jean” und veröffentlichte dann separat ein Cover des Songs mit seinem eigenen Gesang.

Mashups und Remixe [ bearbeiten ]

1983 nahm die italienische Studiogruppe Club House das auf, was heute als Mashup von “Billie Jean” und dem Steely Dan-Song “Do It Again” von 1972 mit dem Titel “Do It Again Medley with Billie Jean” bekannt ist. Das Lied war ein Top-Ten-Hit in Belgien, Irland und den Niederlanden. Die amerikanische Band Slingshot nahm später im selben Jahr ein Note-for-Note-Remake des Songs auf. Diese Version erreichte Platz eins in den Billboard Dance/Disco-Charts.[173]

Ein DJ namens Linx erstellte aus den Originalaufnahmen ein Mashup aus “Billie Jean” und dem Eric B. & Rakim-Song “I Know You Got Soul” von 1987 und veröffentlichte es 1997 als “Billie Jean (Got Soul)”. Dieses Mashup erreichte in Schweden Platz 34.[174]

Das Lied “Nachna Onda Nei” der schottischen Bhangra-Gruppe Tigerstyle enthält die Backing-Tracks von “Billie Jean” und “Under Pressure” von Queen und David Bowie mit neuen Vocals von Kaka Bhaniawala. Im Mai 2011 verwendete die Tanzgruppe Signature “Nachna Onda Nei” bei Britain’s Got Talent bei ihrem Vorsprechen und erneut bei ihrer letzten Aufführung.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

quotes

Open Arms is written in the key of D.

Open key notation: 3d. Find

Convert to Camelot notation with our

Get popular songs in the key of D Convert them to Camelot notation with our Key Notation Converter Get Open Arms BPM modulation in D for musicians. Notes in the scale:

D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D Harmonic Mixing in 3d for DJs Compatible open keys are 4d, 2d and 3m. 3d 3m 4d 2d

Similar songs

Find similar songs (100) that sound great when mixed with Journey’s Open Arms. Below is a list of songs with similar tempos and adjacent keys for your next playlist or harmonic mixing.

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When you hear a song for the first time, it can be magical. You start asking yourself questions like, “How did they do that?” and “What are those chords?”

Songs can often sound more complicated than they are.

When I first started learning pop piano (and especially guitar), I was amazed to find that most songs were easy to play once you mastered a few basics.

If you can master six chords in each key, you can play almost any pop song. It sounds crazy but it’s true.

Of course, playing a song and mastering the song are two different things.

A professionally trained pianist will sound better than a beginner, even playing the same simple song.

This is a matter of training, practice and experience.

The only way for you to get this level is to start playing!

I’ve compiled a list of 21 easy songs to play on the piano – including a few standards everyone should know and a few songs that fall just outside left field.

But first, if your goal is to make music professionally, check out our free eBook while it’s still available: Free eBook: Discover How Real Independent Musicians Like You Are Earning Over $4,077 – $22,573 Monthly let me know where to send the details: Name* Email* Subscribe

“Drop of Jupiter” – move

This is a great song to learn because the more you play it the closer you get to the sound that sounds exactly like the recording.

What is special about this song (like many songs) is that it sounds more difficult than it is because of the rhythmic patterns. That takes time and practice. The chords themselves are not difficult to learn.

The main idea of ​​the song can be captured in just four chords. The beginning is only:

C, G, F

And the chorus has a dia.

The thing that makes the song sound pop and cool is that instead of a standard F, you’re supposed to play an Fsus2 chord.

It may sound complicated, but it isn’t. An F chord is made up of three notes: F, A, and C. The same goes for the Fsus2 chord, which is made up of F, G, and C.

It makes the chord sound crunchy and poppy.

For a slow, easy tutorial, watch the video posted above.

“Elastic heart” – Sia

This song by Sia is a bang. It’s also the same four chords throughout.

The original key is A major. And the chords in this song are: D, A, E, F#m.

For a simple breakdown of how to play the chords along with the song’s melody, check out the video I posted above.

Try experimenting with different inversions of the chords – both for effect and to make the song easier to play.

If you’re having trouble playing the black notes, you can change the key to C.

If the song was in C, the chords would be F, C, G and Am. Easy!

“Imagine” – John Lennon

“Imagine” is a classic piano song for beginners – it’s John Lennon’s most consistent hit from his solo years, and people love to learn it because it sounds simple and impressive.

The video breakdown gives you a simplified version of the song – which is great to start with.

You get the general feel for all the chords, as well as some of the key licks that make the song so recognizable.

It also teaches you the tune, which is very satisfying because it’s such a popular tune.

The verse is just C and F with a little passing note on G in it – the chorus gets a bit more complicated, but the video simplifies it nicely.

Most people are so familiar with it that it practically plays itself!

“The Scientist” – Coldplay

Coldplay is another great source for easy piano songs that are recognizable and sound impressive.

This song is very popular among piano beginners because of its simple melody and beautiful chord progression.

The general chord progression in this song is: Dm, Bb, F, Fsus2.

Again, the sus2 chord just means you take the third of the chord and lower it to the next scale degree.

So on the F chord it goes from F, A, C to F, G, C. This also creates a bit of tension, a bit of crunch, it sounds poppy and easy on the ears.

Try playing along with the recorded version of it! It’s a slow song as it is, so it’s not hard to get your fingers around.

“Yellow” – Coldplay

Here’s another really easy Coldplay song that everyone knows.

This song is in B flat, which can be a challenging key for some new students because of all the black keys. But the song has only two parts, and they only use three chords each.

The stanzas are simple: B, F#, E.

The refrains are: E, G#m, F#.

The parts between the verse and the chorus just go back to the verse chords and add a throbbing right hand feel.

“I can’t stop the feeling” – Justin Timberlake

Oh damn I love this song. I used to play it with a wedding ring and it was always fun.

While the verses and chorus are exceptionally simple, the pre-chorus is funky.

The chorus and verses are just: C, Am, F, Am.

Again and again.

The video shows you that, but doesn’t show you the fun bass rhythm you could do with your left hand. Listen to the recording and try to mimic what the bass is doing!

The pre-chorus makes a weird chord movement that looks odd but is a fairly common movement in R&B based pop music. It’s going ok:

Bb, C, Bb, C, Eb, Bb, Eb.

It sort of briefly takes it out of the key of C. Cool!

“Stay With Me” – Ben E. King

“Stand by Me” is another classic beginner song. A simple, repeating bass line and a super recognizable melody – it doesn’t get any better than this!

The main chords in this tune are always:

C, Am, F, G

Again and again.

What makes the song so distinctive is the bass line. Check out the video – it shows you how to play the bass line and melody together. Feel free to add chords as you get better!

“Stay with me” – Sam Smith

The best part about learning “Stay with Me” is that you’re also learning “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty at the same time… I’m kidding. But the songs are remarkably similar!

The chords to the verse are: Amin, F, C.

The chords in the chorus are the same, but you can add a G over the Amin chord to create an Am7 chord. Just a little color!

There is also what is called a passing chord. There’s a fast little E major chord that urges you into the last part of the chorus.

The video shows this very well.

“Someone I used to know” – Gotye

This song is a great beginner song – its almost childlike melody is easy to wrap around your head and the chords just keep repeating over and over.

The chords for almost the entire song are just Dm and C.

No kidding – it’s that simple.

The chorus changes that slightly and goes: Dm, C, Bb, C, Dm.

This is fun to accompany a voice because you can play big octaves with your left hand and simple chords with your right hand – a very effective accompaniment.

“Pumped Up Kicks” – Foster the People

This is another one I used to play in a wedding band.

I think it’s great for beginners because it works your left hand but stays the same throughout. Never change.

The video shows you how to play the bass line.

The chords for the whole song are just Dm, F, C and G.

The tricky part is getting your left hand to play the bass line while your right hand plays the melody/chords.

Once you get it, it’s a blast!

“Army of the Seven Nations” – The White Stripes

As soon as I thought of “Pumped Up Kicks” this song came to mind.

“Seven Nation Army” is a fun song because it has a repetitive bassline that booms through most of the song, apart from a few power chords that rock through the chorus.

The most fun way to learn this song would be to get the basics by watching the video and then playing along to the recording of The White Stripes.

The recording rocks and it’s a lot more fun to play along with Jack White’s vocals.

“Lean on me” – Bill Withers

This guide would be incomplete if I hadn’t told you to learn “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers.

The easiest and best parts of the song are the verses.

This song is a common piano song for beginners because it literally includes almost every chord from a major key upwards and moves “in steps” so you can easily find your way around.

The bridge is a little funky, but funky is fun!

The video I’ve attached shows you how to play the exact piano parts that are on the original recording of the song.

If you want more of a piano version (with the melody in the right hand), check out this version:

Some combinations of both would make a great piano cover!

“Desperado” – eagle

That was the very first pop song I learned on the piano.

It’s not as easy as some of the other songs on this list, but it’s beautiful. I watched this YouTuber’s full lesson and he thoroughly explains the song.

The chords aren’t that difficult, but there are a lot of 7 chords in this song.

The video lesson has both a piano visualization and the notes above the piano.

The man explaining the song plays it slowly and makes it sound beautiful.

“Take me to church” – Hozier

This is fun because the recording is piano-heavy – huge, pounding pop piano throughout.

The chords aren’t difficult, but the progression is quite long.

The general idea is this:

Em, am, em, am

There are some variations that go to G and then D and C.

The chorus is a whole different thing, with big, smashing low notes.

Again, it’s fun to play along as the piano performance on the track is great.

“She will be loved” – Maroon 5

Who remembers this classic? It’s a great pop song!

It’s also relatively easy to learn.

Most of the song is about Cm and Bb.

The chorus goes to:

Eb, Bb, Cm, Ab.

Quite easy. The video only shows single left hand notes, but since there are so few chords, try adding the chords.

“The way you are” – Bruno Mars

This tune is perfect for serenading your crush.

It’s in the key of F.

The main chords are F, Dm, Bb, F.

It doesn’t stray too far and the melody (especially in the chorus) is easy to follow.

“I’m yours” – Jason Mraz

This is a simple guitar song, but it’s just as easy on the piano and can sound great to boot.

This song can even be played on many smaller kid-friendly keyboards.

The video above has an alternating left hand feel in the chorus that sounds great.

The whole song is just:

B, F#, G#m, E

Unfortunately, the Bb song makes the melody a bit difficult to play because there are so many sharps and flats in the key of Bb.

If you want to change the key to C, the chords become:

C,G,Am,F

“Mamma Mia” – ABBA

This one is so fun to play. The melody is unusual and super catchy.

The song is about D, G and A.

Classic Swedish pop song – it’s all about the melody and keeping the chords simple.

The chorus has a walk down part that might put you off, but once you get it it’s a lot of fun!

“Hit it” – Michael Jackson

Everyone should know how to play the guitar line to “Beat It”. It should be a law. The melody is also super fun and catchy.

The melody is very E minor pentatonic which is a lot of fun to play along with the recording.

If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try learning Eddie Van Halen’s guitar solo, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

“Someone like you Adele

Adele is another great source for piano songs because so many of her songs are piano based.

This satisfying tune is in F sharp minor.

It has an arpeggiating bassline that can be a bit difficult to handle, but if you’re going to work on that anyway, give it a try.

“Hey Jude” – The Beatles

This list would be neglectful without a few Beatles. They have some particularly legendary piano anthems.

This tutorial takes half an hour but will show you how to play “Hey Jude” like the original recording.

The video artist is a great teacher and has a great way of explaining the song so even a complete beginner can learn the authentic piano arrangement.

“Birds” – Imagine dragons

As with many Imagine Dragons songs, “Birds” is heavily production dependent. But who would have thought it could turn into a beautiful piano ballad?

Notice those fast notes in the right hand. This is probably the hardest part of the song.

Also notice the movement in the left hand. Some of it is relatively easy, but there are also some slightly tricky parts.

“Dancing Queen” – ABBA

“Dancing Queen” is one of the most famous numbers by the Swedish pop group ABBA.

You will be playing left-hand double stops for most of the song.

The right hand has some quick movements. So if you’re having trouble with it, slow it down and practice until you get the hang of it.

This simple arrangement sounds great, so have fun with it!

“Beautiful People” – Ed Sheeran (feat. Khalid)

Here is a fun song to play.

The left hand part is incredibly easy. That’s good news because the melody (right hand) changes pretty quickly.

The piano arrangement sounds fantastic here too. You should learn to play this game for your friends (if they like Ed Sheeran) because they will surely be impressed!

“fun society.” – Gorillaz

The bass line in this song is Boss. It’s worth learning for that alone.

If the left hand does more, the right hand does less and vice versa. So that can make it an easier song to learn.

Note that you’ll be playing some right-hand triads, but they’re not too difficult. So don’t be intimidated!

“Wow” – Post Malone

The left hand part in this song is pretty simple. Your right hand will get a little exercise though.

If you like Post Malone, you will no doubt have a lot of fun learning it.

So if you don’t mind learning a slightly more complex melody part, give this one a try.

“Always remember us like this” – Lady Gaga

Who can forget Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way”?

The left hand is basically pounding out a steady beat while your right hand plays a melody with a decent amount of movement.

There’s quite a lot of double stops in the left hand, but that shouldn’t pose too much of a challenge. Have fun with it.

“Don’t worry, be happy” – Bobby McFerrin

This is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head easily.

This arrangement is nice and simple, but it’s important to note that there is quite a bit of manipulation to be done with the right hand.

If you have trouble with this, be sure to work each hand independently before bringing them together.

“You lift me up” – Josh Groban

This ballad is easy to play through and through. Even if you’re a total beginner, you should be able to pick it up with ease.

They only play one note per hand throughout the song, which is a huge benefit.

If the tempo is too slow, feel free to experiment as you please.

“7 Rings” – Ariana Grande

Although the notes are a bit spread out for your right hand, for the most part this is an easy song to play.

And the left hand part is pretty consistent throughout, so that shouldn’t cause you too many problems.

Just keep working on this tune and you should be good to go.

“Stay Alive” – ​​Bee Gees

Who wouldn’t want to learn this classic disco hit?

Well, I will warn you that there is quite a bit of movement in the melody right off the bat and throughout. But once you get that right, the rest of the song is relatively easy.

If you’re having trouble, just slow it down until you’ve got it all under your fingers.

“Army of the Seven Nations” – The White Stripes

Who says you can’t learn rock songs on the piano? Well this is more of a post blues punk song but let’s not get bogged down in the details.

It goes without saying that playing the bass line is a lot of fun.

The tune might sound intimidating at first, but it shouldn’t take too long to get the hang of it.

“In the End” – Linkin Park

One of Linkin Park’s most iconic songs is surprisingly easy to play.

In this arrangement you play no more than two notes at a time in one hand.

The melody gets a little more complicated in the chorus, but if you keep working on it you should be able to pull it off.

“Better” – Khalid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

This song begins with a couple of triads. But they split the chords into two hands, so that shouldn’t pose a challenge.

The bass line is stable and light. The melody is where the interest lies and it may take a little more work.

But I think the arrangement is great and worth a try.

“Bury a Friend” – Billie Eilish

There are a few things that make this song so easy to play.

First, the left-hand rhythm remains more or less constant throughout.

Second, it’s a slow song. Well, that’s always nice when you’re first starting out.

Third, most of the time you only play one note in each hand, although there are some double stops for your right hand.

The right hand melody isn’t bad either, but you’ll probably spend more time on it than on the other parts.

“Highway to Hell” – AC/DC

Who doesn’t want to play some classic rock on the piano?

Well, this is a slowed down version of the Uptempo original, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get up to the tempo with practice.

The hardest part will be the power chords in your left hand. Once you get that down, the rest should be an easy climb.

“Mission Impossible Theme”

Spy themes are a lot of fun to play with and there are few spy themes that are more recognizable than the classic Mission Impossible Theme.

This song has been spoofed in a variety of films. Even if you haven’t heard the original, there’s a good chance you’ve heard something like this.

It can be a little difficult to get the left hand rhythm down while playing the right hand melody. So you might want to work on each of them independently before putting them together.

That will be the case with most songs, mind you.

Conclusion on Easy Piano Songs (And Where to Get Easy Guitar Songs)

I hope you find these songs useful and start playing them as soon as possible.

All are playable on piano, good digital pianos and decent keyboards for adults or children.

If you are up for it too, here we have some easy guitar songs too.

Piano music has the unique ability to express a wide variety of emotions, feelings and songs: from loud and intense epics to soft and delicate melodies.

There are some songs that are immediately recognizable as famous piano songs. With just the first few notes, a listener will be able to identify the song. Obscure classics are great, but wouldn’t it be cool to be able to play something everyone knows?

If that sounds good to you, read on to learn more about 10 Famous Piano Songs You Can Learn to Play the Piano.

1. Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”

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Moonlight Sonata

When we talk about famous piano songs, we have to talk about Beethoven. Beethoven’s music is often regarded as one of the finest music composers of all time and is known for its emotional expressiveness. Despite his deafness, he managed to compose some of the most famous piano songs in history, including “Moonlight Sonata”. This song consists of three movements, the first of which is the most famous and popular. It is played pianissimo, i.e. very softly, with a flowing triplet rhythm. Many describe this first movement as melancholic, haunted and indeed reminiscent of a moonlit landscape.

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Moonlight Sonata

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2. Beethoven’s “For Elise”

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For Elise

Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, better known as Für Elise, is another of Beethoven’s most popular songs. Interestingly, this song was not published until decades after Beethoven’s death, and the “Elise” mentioned was still not positively identified. It is known for both its smooth melody and its popularity with novice pianists. The song begins with its iconic poco-moto, known as “little movement,” which gives a nice smooth flow.

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For Elise

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3. Grieg’s “Piano Concerto in A minor”

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Piano Concerto in A minor

Pianists describe this difficult piece as adventurous, restless, grand and triumphant. With a little bit of everything in this piece, it has become one of the most recognizable and celebrated piano songs in history. It consists of three movements: Allegro molto moderato, Adagio and Allegro moderato molto e marcato – Quasi presto – Andante maestoso. The first movement is best known for the dramatic opening timpani roll, with a grand ending resembling the opening. The third movement is interesting in that it changes from A minor to F major back to A minor and finally A major. This song is known for being challenging, but don’t let that get you down while you learn. A challenge is a great way to learn something, especially when the result is knowing how to play a popular, well-known song.

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Piano Concerto in A minor

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4. “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey

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Do not stop believing

Not everyone knows or likes the classics, so there’s no harm in learning a song that almost everyone has heard these days. This Journey song peaked at number 9 on the Billboard charts and has been described as one of the best keyboard riffs in all of rock music, according to Allmusic.com. The song is played in E major with an 8-chord progression throughout. It is known for its instrumental parts, particularly the opening riff. This is definitely one of those songs that only takes the first few notes before people instantly recognize it.

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Do not stop believing

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5. “Let It Be” by The Beatles

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let it be

This is another insanely popular song from probably the most famous band of all time, but it’s also a great song for a beginner to learn to play. Paul McCartney wrote this song and said he thought of it when he was a teenager after having a dream about his late mother. The song is known for its introduction in which the right hand plays a series of chords while the left hand plays a series of chords and plays individual notes.

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let it be

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6. Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee”

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flight of the bumblebee

As the name suggests, this song tries to mimic the flight and actions of bumblebees with music. It was actually written as part of an opera, and it wasn’t even a big part of that opera. However, the song lives on as one of the most iconic pieces of piano music in history. Like Grieg’s Piano Concerto, this song is notoriously difficult. It’s very fast with intricate fingerings. The best way to learn this song is to practice it very slowly first before trying to play it at the right speed. Another problem that people encounter while learning this song is that they cannot reach the right keys because their hands are too small. This just takes a lot of practice, and some suggest just quickly rolling the chords

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flight of the bumblebee

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7. Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody”

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Hungarian Rhapsody

Let’s continue with another difficult song. This is probably something you should learn if you are very experienced at the piano, otherwise you would be faced with a frustratingly difficult, almost impossible task. This song is technically difficult and demanding, but so is it physically. They’ll be anywhere: you need perseverance, a great understanding of keyboard geography, strength, the ability to play extremely fast and nimble, and an intense dedication to the song. Even the best pianists struggle with this; understand exactly what you’re getting into with this iconic song and prepare to practice for months!

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Hungarian Rhapsody

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8. Billy Joel’s “Piano Man”

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piano man

Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” deserves a place on this list because of its obvious recognizable name and its simplicity, which beginners will be grateful for after watching Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody”. A song about playing the piano definitely needs to be included in this list of famous piano songs: it’s too perfect! The song is in C major. It is best known for the piano intro with the harmonica.

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PIANOMAN

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9. David Foster’s “Love Theme From St. Elmo’s Fire”

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Love theme from St. Elmo’s Fire

Sometimes movie soundtracks become the most famous songs out there (think Star Wars or Indiana Jones Theme). This song is from the movie St. Elmo’s Fire, but the song itself became a hit in its own right. It’s known for being somewhat jazzy and melancholic while also exuding a sense of longing and happiness. This is another recognizable song that isn’t too difficult to play, so it would be a great song to learn as a beginner/intermediate.

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Love theme from St. Elmo’s Fire

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10. Fire Chariot Theme

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Chariot of Fire

Last but not least we have a song from a movie of the same name: Chariots of Fire. The film itself is about two 1924 Olympic athletes. This song actually made the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed at the top of the charts in many countries for months. There was a controversy over plagiarism, but the courts ruled in favor of the composer, saying the controversial F-G-A-G sequence is common in many compositions and therefore does not constitute plagiarism. This popular soundtrack song would be another great song to learn especially if you already know it.

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Chariot of Fire

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You can learn famous piano songs

Famous piano songs have different levels of difficulty, but they are well known and loved, so your listeners will be happy and mesmerized when you start playing them. While some take longer to learn, they are rewarding and fun to play.

If you need help or would like advice from a teacher, contact us and start piano lessons today! Whether you’re just starting out or need help with a particularly difficult song, we can help.

Other famous piano songs

In addition to the top 10 famous piano songs, here is a much more comprehensive list of songs that just didn’t quite make our top 10 list. Below are 55 of our other famous piano songs.

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Fur Elise is one of the most popular and well-known piano pieces to learn. Even the first 2 notes are easily recognizable for most people. It sounds pretty impressive to the general public and many aspiring pianists and hobbyists would love to learn to play it but are unsure if it’s too difficult for their current skill level.

How heavy is Fur Elise? The full version of Für Elise is considered quite difficult, generally an in-between piece around 5th grade, but a shorter arrangement of just the famous section is often taught as well. This is much easier and suitable for late beginners, but still requires some basic skills to work well.

We’re taking a look at the 2 versions to see exactly what’s technically involved to help you decide if this piece is for you or not. In either case, remember that learning to just play the notes is much easier than what it takes to perform it with a real sense of musicality. However, sometimes you need the right level of difficulty to learn something new and advance your game.

Difficulty level of the short version

A lot of people don’t even know that this isn’t even the full version of Fur Elise! It contains the famous parts and many people are just content to learn this without even bothering with the other sections. This version is much better suited for a (late) beginner.

What is involved?

Requires control of weaker fingers 4 and 5

Broken chords in the right hand

Broken chords in left hand and flips thumb

Ability to position hands correctly

Gentle wrist and arm movements over a wide range

Coordination and smooth flow between hands

Basic Reading Skills (If Reading)

Why Fur Elise is so popular and beneficial for beginners

Fur Elise is a very desirable piece for learning among beginner pianists and is often assigned by piano teachers.

Why is Fur Elise so popular? Fur Elise is popular with beginner pianists because learning a recognizable and impressive-sounding, yet manageable piece is very motivating. Teachers also like it because it helps students work on a variety of skills including broken chords, expressive playing, relaxed movements, rubato, and kicking.

It remains popular with most teachers and I too recommend it for a late learner (remember we are talking about the short version). It’s perfect for helping you develop the skills listed above, developing relaxed technique and fluency in your game while still enjoying the ride and showing people something they’ll recognize! With this technique comes control, and this allows us to shape the sound and play with musicality

should you learn it

If you are just starting out in learning the piano, I definitely recommend building on it rather than jumping in on day one. I’m not saying it’s not possible and most people could probably learn to get through the notes at least fairly early on, but it’ll probably sound stiff with bad timing, your technique will suffer and you’ll learn bad habits as a result.

It’s just best to have a few early stage pieces under your belt first and some experience with chords, broken chords and scales. At the point where you’ve developed basic technique and control over your fingers, where the basics no longer feel stiff and awkward, you’ll have a much more positive experience learning Fur Elise. So if you’ve already had this experience, I highly recommend tackling this shorter version of Fur Elise.

Difficulty level of the full version

The full version of Fur Elise is a different ball game and requires a much higher level of skill to perform well than the short version. There are 2 more sections in the full version. It’s about grade 5 (ABRSM) or grade 7 (RCM), so pretty much in the middle range if we judge by the formal standards of the classical piano path.

What is involved?

Of course, everything listed above is also still involved, but here’s what else you’ll encounter.

Much more complicated game

Faster right lines

Harder parts for the left hand

Quick twist of the wrist in the right hand

More difficult hand coordination and rhythm independence

Shift chord positions quickly

should you learn it

If you are still very much in the beginner stage but really want to learn Fur Elise, my honest recommendation would be to stick with the short version for now and come back to the full version after a few years of quality experience behind you.

After some research on various forums, as well as discussions with other teachers (particularly teachers specializing in classical piano), the general consensus seems to be that tackling something well beyond your current ability, technique and future development can harm.

You might be able to get through the sheet music with some hard work, but you probably won’t have the skills necessary to execute certain moments and quick flourishes in it that come anywhere close to a standard required to make it sound musical. It may sound incoherent and with bad feeling and timing. You’ll develop much more control and musicality in your playing if you have something more technically manageable. You don’t just run a marathon without training, you build up that kind of distance,

However, a very important part of your development is to challenge yourself. So if you don’t have a teacher to guide you, use your best judgment to decide when the time is right. If you can already play some slightly less technically demanding pieces comfortably while still executing them well, perhaps the time is right. Listen to some performances and consider if this sounds like a good challenge to push you a little further or go way too far beyond anything you’ve played before.

power levels

While both versions require enough skill to make Fur Elise sound fluid and expressive with practice, that doesn’t mean you should be put off learning because you think it must sound like a professional concert pianist’s performance.

In my opinion, Fur Elise still sounds great at slower tempos. I’d rather hear an expressive, controlled performance with good timing, feel and dynamics at a slower tempo than a sloppy, faster one.

How long it takes Fur Elise to learn

How difficult it feels psychologically to learn something also depends very much on how big the task is, how much there is to learn and how long it will take.

So how long does it take to learn Fur Elise? On average, an advanced player needs between 2 weeks and 2 months to learn the full version of Fur Elise, depending on skill and practice. It may then take longer for the piece to reach performance standards. The same average time frame applies to a late learner learning the short version.

This is based on my experience as a piano teacher and put back together with some research online and in the piano community. Of course, results can vary and it depends greatly on many factors, but significantly on how much practice has gone into it. Students who don’t practice this regularly and forget, for example, the notes or finger patterns, will constantly feel stiff at the piano and their progress will be very slow.

Words like intermediate and beginner are also very broad and while I don’t like using them that much, they help summarize things. Two “intermediate” players can still have very different innate skills, experience with very different playstyles or skills, and learn at different speeds. Person A may learn this piece faster than person B, but the opposite may be true for another piece.