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Recommend singing piano songs (baritone)


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I'm a self-taught (late bloomer) Gen X pianist who can read music. But I only know bits and pieces of so many different songs, like that half-ass singer-guitarist at the house party. I want to step up my game.

 

I can play a few Beethoven sonatas, can improvise emotional lines over the only jazz progression I know (Autumn Leaves), and can scratch through some standards of my youth (The Entertainer, Desperado, Piano Man, Sister Christian).

 

In fact, my main axe is bass guitar, on which I can play several Rush, Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, and Jamiroquai songs. But my long term goal (for the next 15-30 years) is to develop my piano skills, as my bass playing has pretty much functionally peaked.

 

Recently, the singer in my (primarily) 90's rock band mentioned doing John Legend's "All of Me" (an unusual pop diversion for our repertoire that I never heard before). We have a private function July 7th which we plan to surprise everyone, including the band, with a vocal-piano rendition of this song. I went from zero, seriously struggling with a lot of the syncopated portions, to full speed flowing with rhythms and chords after about 20 hours of a couple hours daily practice on this. I've even got time now to start working on my own vocals so that I can sing and play this myself come gig time, if need be (though of course I'm not as solid a singer as our lead vocalist).

 

With all this background in mind, I'm wondering what singing piano songs you all would recommend I learn to build up my repertoire? I don't envision myself becoming some kind of saloon bar singing pianist, but I'd like to augment my 60's-10's rock/pop band repertoire with the occasional surprise.

 

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For what it's worth, here are the embarassingly few songs of any sort of complexity from each decade that I can get through. I didn't bother to list all the other songs with simple keyboard parts. Probably not what the audience wants to hear, which is why I'm asking for advice from professionals. I want to learn songs I can do standalone with piano and vocals, that will resonate with people who still love live music.

 

Classical

Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, all 3 movements

Debussy Clair De Lune

Beethoven storm sonata (the one in 3/8 D minor)

Bach Prelude in G minor(?)

Beethoven Adagio sonata (Ab)

 

20s

The Entertainer

 

50s

Pink Panther

Autumn Leaves

 

60s:

Imagine

Let It Be

House of the Rising Sun

parts of various Doors songs

 

70s

Bohemian Rhapsody

Georgia

Charlie Brown

Desperado

Time

 

80s

The Way It Is

Sister Christian, Don't Tell Me

Can't Fight This Feeling

Piano Man

Subdivisions, many more Rush songs

Power of Love

Jump, Dreams, Right Now

Greatest Love

Foreplay

Don't Stop Believing, Separate Ways, Open Arms

typical Bon Jovi songs

 

90s

Brick

Virtual Insanity

 

2000s

 

10s

All of Me

Uptown Funk

It's My Life

Game of Thrones

 

As you can see, hardly any of these are what an intimate audience would want to hear from a singing baritone pianist. I'm thinking there's probably a lot of RnB and pop I need to expose myself to?

 

 

 

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I think it is a little hard to suggest songs not knowing your style. For me I am more a ballad / singer song writer type. Slower songs also happen to be a little easier to play and sing at the same time.

 

The other factor for me is how well the song translates to solo piano. While my style is to mainly use block chords, it is important for the song to have some type of signature lick that makes it recognizable. My final requirement is how much I like singing the song. Is it in my range and can I pull it off. For the range thing you can transpose it if you like.

 

Then there is also the idea that how you might play a song in the context of a band will very greatly from how you would have to play it solo.

 

I try out a lot of songs, sometimes they work sometimes then don't. I can however say that Piano man will work, but not for a baritone, this is more a tenor song. And Subdivisions, nor will any Rush songs translate to solo piano, unless you are a master and making something your own. But then this pretty much states the obvious.

 

Maybe start with artists you like to sing. For me this would be Elton John, Billy Joel and Jackson Browne. Then look at their repertoire.

 

 

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Well my main goal is to improve my piano playing skills, but keep the songs something my band's audience would relate to. So this means classic rock, pop, and country. Some of the wives will probably also like RnB and newer pop.

 

The secondary goal is to play songs like the studio version... "like the record". I'm less interested in just playing block chords to some random song -- I'm not looking to be like the folk guitarist or busker who just strums chords to any song. I'd like to cover songs where the singing pianist is playing a constructed piano part, usually with a signature riff or theme, and the song can stand alone without band accompaniment. Here are some almost under my belt that are in the ballpark.

 

All of Me - John Legend

We are the Champions -- Queen

Tiny Dancer - Elton John

Piano Man - Billy Joel

The Way It Is -- Bruce Hornsby

 

You can see the pattern there. All of Me is probably the most relevant and popular, but I have such a narrow background (classic rock and Rush), that I never heard of it until my singer brought it up. The Way It Is and Piano Man and Tiny Dancer are fairly easy, but they're not exactly gems that many would remember or be moved by.

 

So that's basically what I'm asking the community. What piano songs do you play that are popular with your audiences? Songs that a Howl at the Moon piano bar pianist would play, or that a cruise ship entertainer would put in his set list. Something that people at karaoke like to do.

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You wrote that you can sing "We are the Champions". Is this in its original key? Without going to falsetto?

It might help us if you can tell what is the top extent of your vocal range without going into falsetto, with your voice still sounding good.

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If you're talking about B flat above middle C, you're talking Tenor range, big time.

 

 

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If you can truly play the 3rd movement of the Moonlight sonata and the other Beethoven Sonata's well, then your classical list is surely much longer and you are a very advanced piano player. Any pop/rock tune will be easy for you to learn, although you may need to figure out the "groove". Have you considered arrangements of guitar songs (e.g., I Know You Rider, etc.). There are many songs in your vocal range. Also, any song can be transposed down to your vocal range. Or, look for any melodies based in the C to F, maybe G range or transpose to where you are comfortable. I have the same issues with my vocal range...and the additional issue that my voice is just not very pleasant to listen to ;)

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If you're not talking about songs with a wide range you have a lot of latitude as to what key you play it in. Dropping it a bit helps me a ton on some things (I'm a baritone as well). Certain songs I'm just stuck with in a certain place because of the range. Piano Man, for instance, covers an octave and a 5th and I have to do it in Bb or A or the low parts get too low, In the key of Bb I'm right at the top of my usable range singing the high parts. Other tunes that aren't so ambitious range wise I can dump down a bit......Also it depends on how often that top note presents itself in the song. Is it one note in a melody, or something like PM where it hammers that high note repeatedly? All that matters to me when I'm trying to pick a key for something.....
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My top range is around G, sometimes A if it's a good day.

 

We Are The Champions I'm learning for my lead vocalist, a baritone who can go up to a Bb.

 

 

Most Tenors can't even go above F/F#/G. What's your low range?

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My range is probably E2 to G4 on a good day, without going into falsetto, in which case I can go up to C5. That being said, I can do quite a bit of Elton's catalog without straining too hard. Billy Joel stuff as well, I just wish I had the power in my voice like he does, an example being Downeaster Alexa.

 

 

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My range is probably E2 to G4 on a good day, without going into falsetto, in which case I can go up to C5. That being said, I can do quite a bit of Elton's catalog without straining too hard. Billy Joel stuff as well, I just wish I had the power in my voice like he does, an example being Downeaster Alexa.

 

 

E2 I can hit comfortably on any given day, but few songs require that low note. I've tried to convince other band mates that songs can be covered at lower keys, or even at an octave below, but that has not gone well with them. And I can somewhat understand, that for a rock band, singing in a "normal" range just doesn't have the impact.

 

Truth be told, I struggle with F#4 if I'm not warmed up. But on a good day, I can easily do background harmonies up to A4. I need more practice to hit the high notes. My lead singer is not exactly the super gifted, but he works hard at it. And sometimes he amazes with not only his vocal range, but the delivery in his styles. He can cop AC/DC or Zombie, while his regular voice falls more into RHCP or Billy Idol. The key is practice and coaching and self-recording, which I believe does regularly.

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My top range is around G, sometimes A if it's a good day.

 

We Are The Champions I'm learning for my lead vocalist, a baritone who can go up to a Bb.

 

 

Most Tenors can't even go above F/F#/G. What's your low range?

 

We must be miscommunicating ranges. My lowest note is E, but low G is more resonant and has more volume. Two octaves G to G seems about normal for baritone range. My lead singer is also a baritone, but he can more consistently hit that occasional high Bb only because he works at it. Truth be told though, for almost all songs a high A is the top range for him.

 

The tenors I've known and the tenors on the hits (Bryan Adams, Steve Perry, Lou Gramm, Paul Rodgers, Freddie Mercury) all easily hit at least a 4th above the top of the standard baritone range, which I consider to be around G-A. Tenors should be able to hit the C above middle C as par for the course, yes?

 

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If you're not talking about songs with a wide range you have a lot of latitude as to what key you play it in. Dropping it a bit helps me a ton on some things (I'm a baritone as well). Certain songs I'm just stuck with in a certain place because of the range. Piano Man, for instance, covers an octave and a 5th and I have to do it in Bb or A or the low parts get too low, In the key of Bb I'm right at the top of my usable range singing the high parts. Other tunes that aren't so ambitious range wise I can dump down a bit......Also it depends on how often that top note presents itself in the song. Is it one note in a melody, or something like PM where it hammers that high note repeatedly? All that matters to me when I'm trying to pick a key for something.....

 

There are a couple songs we do drop. The Ataris version of Boys of Summer we drop down to Eb minor/ Gb major.

 

I guess for me All of Me opened up a new area for me. The piano part isn't incredibly difficult, but it's got enough signature parts to it that people will recognize how close or how far you are from the original. And John Legend is a baritone as well. So I guess I'm looking for other pop sleepers like this that are playable and singable. Bruno Mars' "When I Was Your Man" and any Coldplay songs would be great to do, but unfortunately they're tenors, and downshifting the song to fit a baritone loses a lot of impact.

 

Surely there must be a few popular baritone singer / piano songs?

 

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Thinking out loud Ed Sheeran. Maybe transpose to C rather than D.

 

Mandolin RainBruce Hornsby

 

Thanks for the suggestions, I''ll check these out.

 

But from what I can recall quickly off hand, Ed Sheeran's song is a guitar song, and Mandolin Rain is even less popular / more obscure than The Way It Is... trying to reach an audience that will resonate with a sudden long lost gem sung during 3rd set when everyone's drunk, or that quiet moment during a gig when heartstrings can be plucked.

 

Also, I want to focus on the piano playing as well. I'm not the greatest natural singer, so I will have to put many hours into practicing just a few gems. I want to drop a bomb with both vocals and pianos, not looking to be a lead singer here. Quality over quantity here.

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If you can truly play the 3rd movement of the Moonlight sonata and the other Beethoven Sonata's well, then your classical list is surely much longer and you are a very advanced piano player. Any pop/rock tune will be easy for you to learn, although you may need to figure out the "groove". Have you considered arrangements of guitar songs (e.g., I Know You Rider, etc.). There are many songs in your vocal range. Also, any song can be transposed down to your vocal range. Or, look for any melodies based in the C to F, maybe G range or transpose to where you are comfortable. I have the same issues with my vocal range...and the additional issue that my voice is just not very pleasant to listen to ;)

 

I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I'm really self taught and have a *long* way to go. I can only play the 3rd movement at about 130bpm, I was just giving that as a reference that I can go beyond block chords and that I do have independence in each hand, after working many hours at it. As you well noted, "groove" is more important. I really struggled with All of Me for the first couple weeks, but after I memorized it and ironed out some of the key signature riffs, it all really flowed suddenly when I "got " the groove. Now I can play almost automatically and sing it, although the lead singer will be carrying this, I'll just join in on the occasional harmony.

 

Again, what I'm looking for is to reproduce a radio piano/vocal song. I'm not just looking for random songs to do, whether guitar or synths or what have you. I'm looking to reproduce a song "just like the record".

 

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I apologize all, after responding to those latest posts, I see a pattern in my replies that I don't like. I don't want to seem ungrateful, I truly appreciate each and everyone's input.

 

I guess I'm being really specific in my request, probably something that doesn't seem logical to most of you.

 

I'm simply looking for songs that have a recognizable piano part, such that you could isolate just the piano and immediately identify the songs without vocals.

 

But then again, I'm asking that the song be in baritone range. If there is a great match that is a bit too high, I'm definitely willing to transpose down. I'm not trying to be a vocalist with a lot of fluff and transposed block chord songs. I'm trying to be that underdog/ background bassist/ pianist/ harmony vocalist that pulls out the occasional surprise with a solo rendition of a moving song.

 

In 6 decades of rock/pop/RnB, surely there must be some self-evident piano/baritone hits that gets the audience singing or crying along? I'm just very ignorant on what those must be?

 

I'm new to these forums, but I got the distinct impression that there are more than a few singer/ pianists here who've been around the block and know what is practical and what moves audiences...

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My range is probably E2 to G4 on a good day, without going into falsetto, in which case I can go up to C5. That being said, I can do quite a bit of Elton's catalog without straining too hard. Billy Joel stuff as well, I just wish I had the power in my voice like he does, an example being Downeaster Alexa.

 

 

I saw Billy Joel at the Lincoln Center in New York City right after he came back East after getting a Record deal and recording the Piano Man album. Besides his speed on the Piano, his voice was very Powerful coming through the PA system. After enjoying the entire show, I had a good idea that Billy Joel was only going to get bigger, and that my piano skills were feeble compared to his. I have a strong voice, but if I had to rely on my piano playing, I'd starve.

 

 

Mike T.

Yamaha Motif ES8, Alesis Ion, Prophet 5 Rev 3.2, 1979 Rhodes Mark 1 Suitcase 73 Piano, Arp Odyssey Md III, Roland R-70 Drum Machine, Digitech Vocalist Live Pro. Roland Boss Chorus Ensemble CE-1.

 

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I'm simply looking for songs that have a recognizable piano part, such that you could isolate just the piano and immediately identify the songs without vocals.

 

But then again, I'm asking that the song be in baritone range.

 

Couple of suggestions:

1. Easy like Sunday Morning. The piano accompaniment obligato/riff is recognisable, and (in Ab) it doesn't go much above E4 (tenth above Middle C). There are a few vocal flourishes/ad-libs around F#4, but you can work around those. That's my go-to "Mike, can you sing us something" number.

2. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. If you can cop the resonant, soulful vocal delivery, it will work with simple "singer-songwriter" piano comping. It's not really a "piano song", but big LH octaves will nod to the Spector Wall of Sound, and if you open with the Cm-pentatonic riff, it's instantly recognisable. In C, it covers almost 2 octaves (G2-F4 by my calculations) but that might suit you.

 

Cheers, Mike

 

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I'm simply looking for songs that have a recognizable piano part, such that you could isolate just the piano and immediately identify the songs without vocals.

 

But then again, I'm asking that the song be in baritone range.

 

Couple of suggestions:

1. Easy like Sunday Morning. The piano accompaniment obligato/riff is recognisable, and (in Ab) it doesn't go much above E4 (tenth above Middle C). There are a few vocal flourishes/ad-libs around F#4, but you can work around those. That's my go-to "Mike, can you sing us something" number.

2. You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling. If you can cop the resonant, soulful vocal delivery, it will work with simple "singer-songwriter" piano comping. It's not really a "piano song", but big LH octaves will nod to the Spector Wall of Sound, and if you open with the Cm-pentatonic riff, it's instantly recognisable. In C, it covers almost 2 octaves (G2-F4 by my calculations) but that might suit you.

 

Cheers, Mike

 

Sweet, I'm checking them out now. Thanks!

 

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