agent4125 Posted March 17, 2022 Share Posted March 17, 2022 Hey all, I've recently bought my digital piano, and wanted to hear some recommended really nice pieces of music to learn to play on it (I am intermediate level). Maybe you could add to this thread putting a really nice piece of music you love playing on your keyboard, its difficulty (easy, medium or hard), and a link to the piece, preferably of it being played (youtube, or similar). It could be anything, any genre... classical, pop, rock, jazz, movie theme, etc. The only requirement is that you love playing it. (If there is an existing thread for this, I apologise, and please can you point me to it?) I'd love to hear your recommendations, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 It’s a nice idea for a thread. Do you read sheet music? Lead sheets? Play by ear? Learn by watching YouTube videos? Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamPro Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 JS Bach - Invention in F - or really anything Bach wrote Scott Joplin - Solace Charlie Parker - Scrapple from the Apple Stevie Wonder - Don't You Worry "Bout a Thing Joe Zawinul - Mercy Merrcy Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agent4125 Posted March 18, 2022 Author Share Posted March 18, 2022 @JamPro... thanks, Love that Stevie Wonder song! @ElmerJFudd ... I can read sheet music yes, but my sight reading could be better and I'm taking lessons. I can usually work my way through a score and learn it so I can play it without the music. When I was a teenager I learnt to play Shostakovich's Prelude no.15, op.34, as it was the theme tune to the Ever Decreasing Circles TV series which I used to watch with my family. That's tough, but I remember it being a great fun one to play... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txh_0qTVOx4 (not me playing btw) Bring it on guys, what other songs/pieces to you love to play, or would like to learn to play? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jejefunkyman Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Nice thread idea 😉 Hopefully, I can also pick up some new interesting tunes to learn for my own entertainment 🙂 Here are some tunes I like to play for myself: Bill Withers - Just The Two Of Us Pink Floyd - The Great Gig In The Sky Herbie Hancock - Dolphin Dance Duke Ellington - In A Sentimental Mood Thelonius Monk - Ruby My Dear Some other good Jazz standards: Black Orpheus, Summertime, Body And Soul, Stella By Starlight, The Shadow Of Your Smile, Here's That Rainy Day... I'd like to learn some beautiful classical music not so difficult to play, when I'm kind of depressed and want to ease my pain with music lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stillearning Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 I’ve yet to have a student not jump at the chance to learn Linus and Lucy. And not just play the main theme, but to improvise off it. Quote I would like to apologize to anyone I have not yet offended. Please be patient and I will get to you shortly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulArtola Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 People seemed to react positively whenever I pulled out Mancini's Theme to the Pink Panther. Are those opening 4 chords as famous as Beethoven's? This piece is more accessible to newer keyboard students, and definitely challenges mastery of swing, grace notes, and attitude! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docbop Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 Louie Louie by The Kingsmen 96 Tears by Question Mark & The Mysterians Pushin' Too Hard by The Seeds you'll even get a short piano break Really wow em with Bumble Boogie by Bee Bumble and the Stingers Leon Russell used to go and do gigs as Bee Bumble even though he wasn't but a really cool piano tune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Lobo Posted March 18, 2022 Share Posted March 18, 2022 I've recently started playing with a jazz rehearsal group, reading from Real Book type lead sheets. Here are some of my favorites. I've also played most of these at previous jams without a lead sheet. Some have been done to death, but they're fun and most are easy to play. Autumn Leaves Besame Mucho Black Orpheus Canteloupe Island Cold Duck Time Comin' Home Baby Georgia Mercy Mercy Mercy Song For My Father Stolen Moments Summertime Sunny Watermelon Man Quote These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agent4125 Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 Thanks all, some really great songs. A lot I don't even know but I'll look them up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mighty Motif Max Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Original Rags - Scott Joplin (medium-hard difficulty, you can find the score on IMSLP) A left-field one - No Tears Left To Cry by Ariana Grande. Surprisingly fun to improvise around. Fairly easy IMO. Likewise, Symphony by Clean Bandit. Same idea - nice solo piano tune, lots of room for improv. Anything by Nightwish - a good challenging one is Ghost Love Score. Of course with those songs there’s not much in way of solo piano scores out there, so you would probably have to roll your own arrangement. Shoemaker is another one that translates well to piano IMO. Also anything from Emily Bear’s 2020 single releases. Jazzy pop tunes. Thy Will by Hillary Scott. Quote Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000 Kurzweil: PC3-76, PC4 (88) | Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Ever Decreasing Circles …… by that comment I presume that you in the UK so how about some hits from there? Walk in the Black Forest - Horst Jankowsky Elergy - Jethro Tull Imagine - John Lennon Whiter Shade of Pale - Gary Brooker Prelude to War - Jeff Wayne plus Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto in Bb minor Quote Col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamPro Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 On 3/18/2022 at 11:16 AM, jejefunkyman said: I'd like to learn some beautiful classical music not so difficult to play, when I'm kind of depressed and want to ease my pain with music lol. I recommend Clementi Op 35, numbers 1-6. This is a collection of Sonatinas. The first one is somewhat well-known, and fairly easy. The entire collection in the beginner-intermediate range. This is a nice introduction to the world of solo classical piano music. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamPro Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Sorry - that should be Clementi Op 36 - not Op 35. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongna Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Ludovico Einaudi seems to be enjoying a little surge in popularity (possibly due to his music being used in the film Nomadland). I think this one is my favorite to play: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jejefunkyman Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 8 hours ago, JamPro said: I recommend Clementi Op 35, numbers 1-6. This is a collection of Sonatinas. The first one is somewhat well-known, and fairly easy. The entire collection in the beginner-intermediate range. This is a nice introduction to the world of solo classical piano music. Ok thanks for the hint 😁 I’ll give it a try when I’ll have some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 I was just thinking, I bet you would find this book of Ray Charles Piano transcriptions highly enjoyable and eye opening regarding his style. RAY CHARLES: THE PIANO TRANSCRIPTIONS PIANO, VOIX, GUITARE https://www.amazon.com/dp/0711941262/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_MSY6WXTAJBZEBDJJHEXS Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agent4125 Posted March 21, 2022 Author Share Posted March 21, 2022 Thanks everyone... looks like I'm going to be busy for quite some time lol. I found this too which is great for helping me find the names of classical pieces I've heard but don't know what they're called: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCx8Xcm9l7U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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