Learn piano online live for £12.99 / month. Enrol now

Seven Easy Pieces Every Beginner Pianist Should Know

piano lessons shepherd's bush
When you start your piano lessons in Shepherd’s Bush, you’ll want to jump right into learning music. Your Shepherd’s Bush piano teacher will start by teaching you how to play basic pieces that every pianist knows. These pieces are ones that have a simple rhythm and don’t involve too many notes.
While playing the piano usually involves using both hands, beginner piano music will usually involve just one hand. Typically, you’ll learn music by working on one hand at a time. Once you’ve mastered each hand, you’ll play them together.
With this in mind, it’s a good idea to start with pieces that only require one hand. After that, you can start to experiment and become more comfortable with playing music both hands. Our piano teacher in Shepherd’s Bush is rounding up the seven easy pieces that every beginner pianist should learn how to play.

1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

If there’s one song that every beginner musician learns, it’s twinkle tinkle. Whether it’s a piano, violin, or flute, this song is easy to master. Both adults and kids start by learning this song. For instance, learning Twinkle Twinkle can help you improve your posture and hand positioning before you start moving on to more difficult music.
You start by placing your right thumb on the middle C note. After that, every note that you’ll need will be right under your fingers, except for the highest note you’ll need. This note is just one note above where your little finger will be. Your Shepherd’s Bush piano teacher will help you master this technique.

2. Jingle Bells

With the holiday season right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to learn how to play Jingle Bells. Above all, the chords of Jingle Bells are one of the easiest to learn. It’s an instant crowd-pleaser and a song that everyone knows the tune of. In addition, as the tune is so familiar, it’s easier to learn. The verse is the hardest part of the song, but still simple to master. Jingle Bells is one song you’ll always learn during your piano lessons in Shepherd’s Bush before the holiday season.

3. Happy Birthday

Similarly, another crowd-pleaser that every pianist should know is Happy Birthday. It’s easy to play and another one you’ll be familiar with. Once you know how to play Twinkle Twinkle, Happy Birthday will be a breeze. You’ll start by putting your right thumb on middle C. Then, the notes you need for the first half of the song will be right under your fingers.
There is an octave jump during the song, moving from the C you start with to the next C. When you’re playing the higher C with your little finger, the following notes will be right under your fingers. During this song, you’ll only need to play one black note, which is B flat.

4. Hallelujah

Once you’ve learnt a few songs with one hand, it’s time to start working on using both. In other words, once you’ve become comfortable playing the piano, it’s a sign that it’s time to move on to something more difficult. Hallelujah is a great choice to start with as it’s relatively easy and one of the most popular songs that every pianist wants to know.
What makes Hallelujah easy to play is that you’ll use your left hand for the chords. In addition, you’ll play the melody with your right hand. This song is a firm favourite with students who attend piano lessons in Shepherd’s Bush.

5. Prelude in C Major by Bach

Your piano teacher in Shepherd’s Bush will include classical music during your lessons. Above all, every pianist should have classical music within their repertoire. Bach’s Prelude in C Major is one of the easiest for beginners who have started to use both hands while playing.
Although you’ll use both hands to play this piece, you don’t have to play two notes at once. Essentially, you’ll only be playing one note at a time, even when using both hands. With this piece, every note group happens twice. Prelude in C major looks more difficult than it is.
During your piano lessons in Shepherd’s Bush, your teacher will help you go through this piece note by note. Once you become familiar with each pattern, you’ll master this piece in no time.
Piano teacher Shepherd’s Bush

6. Fur Elise by Beethoven

After that, it’s time to master another piece of classical music. Beethoven’s Fur Elise is one of the most iconic pieces of music of all time. If you want to learn a piece of music to impress your friends with, ask your piano teacher in Shepherd’s Bush to teach you Fur Elise.
Although this piece involves a few black notes and a little jumping between notes, it’s a challenge most beginners can deal with. If you’ve worked your way through the other pieces on this list, Fur Elise will be a gradual progression. As a beginner, you’ll find the first section of the music easiest. However, the second section is more advanced. Your Shepherd’s Bush piano teacher will usually ask you to focus on just the first part before moving on to the second.

7. Havana – Camila Cabello

While classical music is synonymous with piano lessons, it’s good to have some contemporary music in your repertoire. Havana by Camila Cabello was one of the most popular songs this summer and one that everyone knows. Therefore, it’s the perfect beginner’s piano song. The rhythm can be slightly challenging, but the chorus is easy to learn. You’ll start the song by playing a few chords with your right hand before getting into the natural rhythm of the song.

Booking your Shepherd’s Bush piano lessons

You can start your piano lessons in Shepherd’s Bush today by getting in touch with us at info@kensingtonpianolessons.com or by calling us at 020 3745 2868. You can also book your lessons with a Shepherd’s Bush piano teacher directly through our online booking page.