Are there such things as easy Chopin pieces? Yes! In this lesson, we’ll introduce you to three fantastic classics. We’ve arranged an easy version of each piece so beginner players can get the joy out of playing Chopin right away! You can use the arrangements as a stepping-stone to playing the originals, which we’ll also link to in this post.
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Frédéric Chopin is one of the most famous and beloved composers of all time. His sound has become so tied with the piano, that when we think of what piano music sounds like, many of us automatically think of Chopin.
Chopin was born in 1810 with a Polish mother and a French father. He performed and taught in Paris, where he was a local celebrity and a much sought-after teacher. Famous friends included Eugene Delacroix and Franz Liszt. Chopin’s most famous relationship was with the novelist George Sand (Aurore Dudevant) and he was his most productive during his relationship with her.
Interestingly, Chopin only performed 30 times over 30 years. He was also unique in that he focused almost solely on the piano. While other composers wrote operas and symphonies, Chopin wrote waltzes, preludes, etudes, mazurkas, polonaises, and nocturnes.
So what’s behind that magical Chopin sound? There are certain things that are unmistakably Chopin:
Chromatic runs: Chopin wasn’t afraid of a little crunchiness and frequently slides up and down the piano with chromatic runs.
Ornaments: Chopin liked to decorate his melodies with trills, turns, and mordents.
Romantic melodies: Chopin’s melodies can be described as wistful, yearning, lyrical, and no doubt emotional. He was a Romantic composer after all! If you want to play Chopin well, try to think of your piano as singing.
Waltz rhythm: Chopin was fond of waltz rhythms and triple meters. These aren’t exclusive to his waltzes—the Nocturne in E-Flat Major we’ll play does this too!
Moody harmonies: Chopin added drama to his pieces with interesting harmonic choices like using predominant and diminished chords.
> Download Free Sheet Music (Easy)
> Download Free Sheet Music (Original) via IMSLP
The secret to mastering this piece is nailing the left hand first. Our key signature is E-flat major, which gives us three flats (B♭, E♭, and A♭). Watch the accidentals too! Especially those pesky C-flats. (C-flat is the same pitch as B natural).
The “fanciest” section is measures 21-24. Things look complicated here, so take it slow and one note at a time. Essentially, we’re “dancing around” a C chord. Don’t be afraid to write down fingering if you need to! And use whatever fingering works best for you.
Once you get all your notes down, it’s time for the fun part: expression! The secret to playing incredible Romantic music is to imagine as if you’re singing the melody. Take a breath (literally) before phrases, and connect notes together that would be “sung” in one phrase. Shape your melody by using dynamics and let your personality shine through!
🌌 What’s a nocturne? Nocturnes are meant to evoke a nighttime atmosphere and are perfect for nighttime listening! While Chopin’s nocturnes are the most famous around, did you know that the form was actually invented by Irish composer John Field? Other composers who wrote nocturnes include Mendelssohn, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff.> Download Free Sheet Music (Easy)
> Download Free Sheet Music (Original) via IMSLP
This moody prelude famously showed up in the Academy Award-winning film The Pianist. It’s so dark and broody and beautiful! We’re in E minor, which means there is only one sharp (F#) to remember.
Again, it helps to get the left hand locked in first. We have some crunchy 7ths in this piece, and while the many accidentals can look intimidating, you’ll discover that our left hand is a pattern of descending, chromatic half-steps.
On your right hand, watch your thumb-tucks, and again, think of yourself as singing the melody.
It’s important to connect with this piece emotionally. Think tentative, nervous feelings. This is also a great piece to practice rubato with. Rubato (“robbed time”) is when you push and pull at the tempo to be more expressive.
🎹 What’s a prelude? As its name suggests, preludes are short pieces that introduce a larger piece. However, many preludes can stand alone. The most famous preludes you’ve probably heard are the Well-Tempered Clavier preludes and fugues by J.S. Bach, including the heavenly Prelude in C Major. Chopin, on the other hand, wrote 24 stand-alone preludes.> Full lesson on Waltz in A Minor, including sheet music downloads
This one is super fun. It’s pretty lively too! And the best part? The original version isn’t that much harder, so use this easy version as a stepping-stone and you’ll be playing the original in no time 🙂
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, again, master the left hand first. We’re in A minor this time, which means no sharps or flats to worry about (yay!). Just watch for the occasional accidental.
When it comes to the left hand waltz rhythm, feel it in a strong-weak-weak pattern. Meanwhile, your right hand will be dancing around. Again, watch your phrasing in this piece. Think of each phrase as a sentence.
💃 What’s a waltz? Waltzes are dances…right? Chopin’s waltzes, however, are notoriously difficult to dance to! Just imagine keeping up with the Minute Waltz. Whether or not some of Chopin’s “dance music” was meant for dancing confused people even in Chopin’s time. What we can say is he was probably inspired by the physical movements of dance.We hope you like these easy Chopin pieces! You’ll be playing Chopin originals in no time. Meanwhile, here are more easy classical tutorials:
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Lisa Witt has been teaching piano for more than 20 years and in that time has helped hundreds of students learn to play the songs they love. Lisa received classical piano training through the Royal Conservatory of Music, but she has since embraced popular music and playing by ear in order to accompany herself and others. Learn more about Lisa.
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