Ready to start playing some well-known tunes on the piano? We’ve got you covered with our extensive catalog of tunes. Explore our video tutorials or dive into your favorite genre with our lists of piano music for beginners. Each song is arranged by difficulty so you can find the perfect piece to match your skills.
Easy songs to play on piano
In this section, we’ve listed a few of our favorite popular songs to play on piano. These songs cover a range of different styles and musical periods so there should be something for everyone. This list isn’t the end of it, once you’re done with these there are many more exciting and easy-to-follow lessons available for you to explore on Skoove!
“Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen
| Difficulty level | Beginner |
| Key(s) | C major (Gb major Skoove lesson) |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Single note in each hand; coordination |
| Try Adding | Sustain pedal for more atmosphere |
“Hallelujah” this timeless ballad is one of the greatest easy piano songs to learn. This song contains a few basic piano techniques. It is also in Gb major making it a great way to get yourself familiar with the black keys. It’s a really great way to improve your skills and add to your repertoire.
Learn to play ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Fly Me to the Moon” by Bart Howard
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Key(s) | C major |
| Meter | Common time |
| Technique | Seventh chords |
| Try Adding | Rhythmic variation to the melody for a jazzy feel |
“Fly Me to the Moon” classic tune is one of the most popular jazz standards of all time. The song introduces you to some basic seventh chords. Don’t be intimidated by this, these seventh chords are broken down into scales and an easy bassline. This makes it one of the best easy beginner piano songs to introduce you to some scalic playing and lush jazz chords.
Learn to play ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Lean on Me” by Bill Withers
| Difficulty level | Beginner |
| Key(s) | C major |
| C major | 4/4 |
| Technique | Independent playing in each hand |
| Try Adding | Dynamics to highlight the interesting movement between your hands |
Bill Withers’ hit song “Lean on Me” is a relatively easy melody on piano. Both hands follow the same rhythm. However, instead of using the same notes the song uses a more independent melody in each hand. This gives the music a more full-sounding harmony with some interesting melodic interplay making it a top choice among piano songs for beginners!
Learn to play ‘Lean on Me’ by Bill Withers on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion
| Difficulty level | Beginner |
| Key(s) | C major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Melody with bass notes. |
| Try Adding | Feel and articulation to the bass movement |
The iconic theme song from the 1997 cinematic sensation Titanic,“My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion is a beautiful choice for easy songs to play on piano. This soulful ballad features a beautiful melody and makes use of dotted rhythms and beautiful bass movement. This makes it a great tune for working on rhythm and coordination. Give it a try today!
Learn to play ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“The Wall” by Pink Floyd
| Difficulty level | Beginner |
| Key(s) | D major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Hand coordination |
| Try Adding | Variation to the pedal note articulation |
“The Wall’ by Pink Floyd is a great choice among one hand easy piano songs for beginners. The melody is played by the right hand while the other parts are played in the left hand. The left hand makes use of a repeated pedal note allowing you to focus on playing the iconic melody with your right. This makes complicated rock music surprisingly simple to play on a piano!
Learn to play ‘The Wall’ by Pink Floyd on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
| Difficulty level | Intermediate |
| Key(s) | C major |
| Meter | 6/8 |
| Technique | Melody with bass notes |
| Try Adding | Dynamics to convey more feeling |
One of Elvis’s finest melodies, the slow ballad “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. This tune is in 6/8 time making it a great way to get used to new time signatures compound time. In our interactive Skoove lesson the left-hand piano accompaniment is simple. It’s a great choice from these easy songs to play on piano if you’re a beginner looking to learn an easy fun song to play!
Learn to play ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ by Elvis Presley on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Fur Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven
| Difficulty Level | Intermediate |
| Key | A Minor |
| Meter | 6/8 |
| Technique | Right hand melody, left hand broken chords |
| Try Adding | Coordination of dynamics between hands |
“Fur Elise” is one of the most popular beginner piano songs. Everyone who plays the piano will probably come across “Fur Elise” at some point on their piano playing journey. This tune is another great example of a piano beginner song in 6/8 time. It features a steady rhythm that flows between both hands making it an ideal piece to practice coordination between the hands.
Learn to play ‘Fur Elise’ by Ludwig van Beethoven on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Blue Danube” by Johann Strauss II
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 3/4 |
| Technique | Playing legato |
| Try Adding | An accented first beat to feel like a waltz |
“Blue Danube” is a waltz, a piece in 3/4 time, composed by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II. This classical staple of easy songs for piano is a perfect way to practice your phrasing and legato playing. This will improve your touch and feeling on the piano. Give it a try on the Skoove app to help you feel the phrasing and nuances of the piece.
Learn to play ‘Blue Danube’ by Johann Strauss on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“American Pie” by Don McLean
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Staying focused through repetitive melody |
| Try Adding | Articulation to make the rhythm more interesting |
Don McLean’s song “American Pie” is one of the most iconic songs of the 1970’s. This piece features a classic chord progression and simple, hummable melody that is quite fun to play on the piano. Take care as this melody features a lot of repeated notes. However this is an opportunity to work on your articulation as easy songs to learn on piano are great places to work on the more nuanced parts of your playing before moving on to more difficult pieces.
Learn to play ‘American Pie’ by Don McLean on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” by Jane Taylor
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Melody with bass notes |
| Try Adding | Sustain pedal for smoother transitions |
‘Twinkle, twinkle, Little star” is a nursery rhyme everyone knows. This favourite among piano beginner songs is a great way to get to grips with playing. Pay attention to your hand position and touch as you move in C major. This simple tune is a great way to build confidence and technique.
Learn to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ by Jane Taylor on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” by Sarah Josepha Hale
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Playing legato |
| Try Adding | More varied phrasing with the legato feel |
This tune is another great tune as one of the simple piano songs for complete beginners. With its stepwise melody and simple rhythm it’s a great way to get to grips with reading notes and controlling your fingers. Try to focus on smooth even tone throughout the legato phrasing.
Learn to play ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ by Sarah Josepha Hale on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Happy Birthday to You” by Patty and Mildred J. Hill
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 3/4 |
| Technique | Melody leaps |
| Try Adding | Dynamics when repeating for a more exciting performance |
“Happy Birthday” is a must-know piece for any beginner piano player. It’s a party piece and a great tune to have up your sleeve should anyone’s birthday call for a bit of music. The 3/4 time signature and melodic leaps make it a great piece to introduce these new concepts and build your piano playing skill set.
Learn to play ‘Happy Birthday to You’ by Patty and Mildred J. Hill on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Jingle Bells” by James Pierpont
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Playing with one hand |
| Try Adding | Articulation to get that festive feel |
A festive favourite, “Jingle bells” is a fun and easy piece for beginners. The repetitive melody and steady time make it one of the good piano songs to learn when building your confidence. Use this song to practice dynamics and articulation for extra holiday flair!
Learn to play ‘Jingle Bells’ by James Pierpont on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“Hot Cross Buns” – Traditional
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | C major |
| Meter | 4/4 |
| Technique | Playing with one hand |
| Try Adding | Legato for smooth transitions |
“Hot Cross Buns” is often the first tune many piano players learn. As one of the basic piano songs to learn on piano, it uses just three notes in a simple scale pattern. It offers a great introduction to simple rhythms. With these simple concepts it’s a great piece to work on a solid time feel and your touch on the piano keys.
Learn to play ‘Hot Cross Buns’ – Traditional on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” by Paul Dukas
| Difficulty Level | Beginner |
| Key | A minor |
| Meter | 3/4 |
| Technique | Accidentals |
| Try Adding | Articulation for a cheeky interesting feel |
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” may not be the first piece that comes to mind for easy piano songs, but it is a great one to learn. With repetitive rhythms and simple time it is an easy piece to play. The inclusion of accidental notes makes it a great choice for introducing some black keys and more interesting melodies and will help you improve your confidence in navigating the keyboard. It’s also a fantastic tune to work on some more interesting and cheeky articulation!
Learn to play ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ by Paul Dukas on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
Top 10 classical piano pieces for beginners
There is a wide world of classical music that beginners can learn and enjoy. While most pop and rock music is readily accessible for beginners, here is a list of easy classical compositions.
- Bach’s Prelude No. 1 in C major from WTK I
- Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven
- Gymnopedie No. 1 by Satie
- Symphony Number Five by Beethoven
- Prelude in C Major by Bach
- Minuet in G by Bach
- Au Clair De Lune by Debussy
- Rondo Alla Turca by Mozart
- Spring Song by Felix Mendelssohn
- Ode To Joy by Beethoven
Top 10 piano pop songs for beginners
As with the classical pieces shown above there are a wide variety of easy beginner pop songs for piano.
- Hello by Lionel Richie
- Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel
- Our House by Madness
- Piano man by Billy Joel
- Super Trouper by Abba
- Ain’t No sunshine by Bill Withers
- Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins
- Big Big World by Emilia
- Close To You by THe Carpenters
- Counting Stars by One Republic
Top 10 film music piano pieces for beginners
Easy piano songs aren’t just limited to pop rock and classical you can also play some of your favorite film scores on piano.
- Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Monty Python
- Beetlejuice Theme By Danny Elfman
- Inception, Dream is Collapsing by Hanz Zimmer
- Interstellar by Hanz Zimmer
- Jaws by John Williams
- Moon River by Audrey Hepburn
- The Sorcerers Apprentice by Paul Dukas
- We Are by Hiroshi Kitadani
- My Favorite Things by Rogers and Hammerstein
- Once Upon A December by Stephen Flahrty
How to play easy songs on piano
Learning how to play a variety of easy songs on the piano is a great way to gain confidence and grow your skills while having fun. When you are starting out, stick to basic tunes with a consistent rhythm and avoid songs that demand complex hand independence. Try starting out with something simple like ‘Fly Me To The moon’ before moving onto a more coordination based piece, like ‘Fur Elise’. Play slowly, gradually increasing your pace as you learn control. Most importantly enjoy the experience and pick songs from this list that you enjoy! Here are our top tips for successful practice of beginner tunes:
- Start with simple melodies – Songs with fewer notes and a predictable rhythm like ‘American Pie’ are easier to pick up.
- Practice hands separately first – Master each hand individually before playing with both hands together especially with more coordination dependent pieces like ‘Fur Elise’.
- Play slowly before building up speed – Rushing can lead to mistakes so take your time and develop good habits.
- Keep time – As you build up your speed be sure to keep in time using a metronome or the Skoove app.
- Use interactive tools like Skoove – Guided lessons and helpful playalongs can help break songs down into manageable steps.
- Add feel – When you get confidence add your own feel, focusing on your dynamic and articulation paying attention to how you strike the keys.
Where to go after mastering easy piano songs?
Now you know the sort of things to look for when deciding what piano songs for beginners to learn next. When finding new easy beginner piano songs remember to look out for the level of hand independence, the number of notes in each hand and the difficulty of the rhythm. Follow these tips and you’ll have no problem finding sheet music for beginner piano songs. You will be moving to intermediate piano songs in no time!
Skoove is a great resource to find easy songs to learn on piano from Bach to The Beatles. If you’re looking for songs to play on the piano to apply your newfound skills to progress to harder pieces or keep working at the basics, Skoove offers a plethora of fantastic options. Now you have got to grips with beginner piano songs, the fun starts here. Try moving on to more interesting and intermediate pieces when you’re ready and have fun developing your skills. Happy practicing!
Author of this blog post:
Eddie Bond is a multi-instrumentalist performer, composer, and music instructor currently based in Seattle, Washington USA. He has performed extensively in the US, Canada, Argentina, and China, released over 40 albums, and has over a decade experience working with music students of all ages and ability levels.
Published by Lydia Ogn from the Skoove team
