Easy Piano Songs for Beginners
Starting any new skill or hobby can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. Starting to learn the piano, for instance, may be overwhelming if you do not know where to start, or discouraging if you start with the wrong music. You most likely just want to feel (and sound!) accomplished quickly. So, where and how do you start? When you are a beginner (child or adult), it is best to start at the beginning of a structured method series that can walk you through new material and lessons. Starting at the beginning does not mean you can’t sound great and learn fun songs right away because you can!
In Piano Marvel, there are two 6-level series: the method series, and technique series. Working on both series at the same time will help you learn and become well-rounded. Not only will you learn how to read a variety of music, but you will also practice playing by ear and learn chords and scales.
Starting at the beginning with easy songs does not mean that your music will be boring. Even though the first levels are for beginners, they have accompaniments in the background that are fun and engaging. You will be learning, learning, learning from the beginning! You don’t have to play for years to learn how to sight-read music or play with dynamics, which creates feeling and musicality in a performance. In the very first level in Piano Marvel, you will learn:
- Whole, half, quarter, eighth, dotted quarter, dotted half notes and rests
- Names of notes
- Time signatures
- Repeats
- Slurs
- Staccatos
- Dynamics (forte & piano)
- Finger numbers/positions
- Ties
- Rhythms
- Playing by ear/ear training
You will also learn how to play music by rote in the very first level, which means you will learn songs by memorization instead of reading. You will sound like you have been playing for a year, when in fact, you have only been playing for a few weeks! Songs like Peter Peter, Chopsticks, and Heart and Soul are examples of songs you will be learning by rote.
The Piano Marvel series is a great place to begin, no matter if you are 5 or 95! It is perfect for beginners and experienced players. If you have some experience playing the piano, you can find your level and continue from there. You may even want to start with easy songs to brush up on your piano skills. Learning (or relearning) the basics can help you progress faster and will eliminate a lot of discouragement. There are also various beginner method series that can be found in the Piano Marvel Library section to consider, including Alfred’s Premier Piano, Group Piano for Adults, and Basic Adult All-In-One Courses, and FJH’s The Perfect Start and Piano Made Fun series. All of these courses are great places to either start or play through to improve sight-reading skills.
Playing easy piano songs can help you become a better sight-reader. There are several boot camps available in Piano Marvel, which give you an immersion-type approach to learning to read music. The more you read, the better you will become and be able to read any music you are given. Another great feature of Piano Marvel is the SASR (Standard Assessment of Sight-Reading). You will be given a sight-reading score based on how well you can read small sections of music that you are given. They start easy and become more difficult. Each level of difficulty depends on different factors, including the range of notes, hand positions, song length, key signatures, rhythm, and tempo.
Here is a question that you might ask yourself as you start your piano-learning journey: What level should I be at to start performing for others at recitals, talent shows, or in private settings? It is actually important to start performing right away, even with easy songs! Performing will increase motivation for learning and practice, improve memorization and sight-reading, supply experience, and provide enjoyment for you and others as you share your developing talents. Great beginner performance pieces are among the thousands of songs that can be found in the Piano Marvel Library section. There are several different genres and categories to choose from (even for beginning pieces) including classical, pop, Disney, jazz, hymns, and original pieces written by various composers. Search by difficulty level, genre, title, or many other sorting options. I recommend the Popular Piano Solos book, A Million Dreams (from The Greatest Showman), Carol of the Bells, Satin Gloves, Peter Peter, Perfect (by Ed Sheeran), and Morning Mood just to name a few. You can view a list of pieces in the Library here: https://pianomarvel.com/music-library
Overall, playing easy songs is the best way to start, and will help give you a great foundation for your piano journey. No matter what level you are, you can find a fun song to learn that will be motivating and will help you learn and improve your piano-playing skills. Happy practicing!
