{"id":5260,"date":"2020-08-21T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-21T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=5260"},"modified":"2023-05-02T11:03:56","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T18:03:56","slug":"play-any-song-on-the-piano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/play-any-song-on-the-piano\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Play ANY Pop Song on Piano"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Guess what? You can learn how to play <em>any <\/em>pop song on the piano with <strong>just three things<\/strong>: 1. Chords 2. Chord charts, and 3. Playing by ear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll run through these three things. Then we\u2019ll connect you to more resources to fill in the gaps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The awesome thing about pop songs is that you can play them as simple or as complex as you like. One song can sound stunning in five different ways, from the bare basics to Elton John-level virtuosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\"><p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p><nav><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#tool-1-chord-knowledge\">Tool #1: Chord Knowledge <\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#tool-2-chord-charts\">Tool #2: Chord Charts<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#tool-3-playing-by-ear\">Tool #3: Playing By Ear<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#how-to-play-almost-any-song-on-the-piano-get-a-head-start\">Head Start (Free Song Tutorials)<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size: 22px;\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Don&#8217;t Miss Out on Free Song Tutorials<\/b><\/h3><p>We love helping people learn the songs they love. Each week, we release quick tips, song tutorials, and other free content for piano players, by piano players. Subscribe to our mailing list so you don&#8217;t miss out. You can unsubscribe any time.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-x-large-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"tool-1-chord-knowledge\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#f61a30\" class=\"has-inline-color\">TOOL #1: CHORD KNOWLEDGE<\/mark><\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn how to play any pop song on the piano, you need to understand chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why? Aren\u2019t songs made of melodies and harmonies?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, yes, but if we break them down to their most basic components, all songs are built from chords. If you take sheet music \u2014 for example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/someone-you-loved\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cSomeone You Loved\u201d by Lewis Capaldi<\/a> \u2014 you\u2019ll discover that everything is built up of recognizable chords like D, A, and Bm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"208\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/26094110\/someone-you-loved-lead-sheet-chord-notes-1024x208.png\" alt=\"Lead sheet markup of &quot;Someone You Loved&quot; by Lewis Capaldi showing notes that belong to chords.\" class=\"wp-image-13346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/26094110\/someone-you-loved-lead-sheet-chord-notes-1024x208.png 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/26094110\/someone-you-loved-lead-sheet-chord-notes-300x61.png 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/26094110\/someone-you-loved-lead-sheet-chord-notes-768x156.png 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/26094110\/someone-you-loved-lead-sheet-chord-notes-1536x312.png 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/26094110\/someone-you-loved-lead-sheet-chord-notes-2048x416.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The highlighted notes are all from the chords<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After all, a guitar player who sings and plays can recreate an entire song by singing the melody over a small handful of chords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And you can do the same thing with piano!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, some of you will want to play the melody of a song on your right hand and the chords on your left hand. Don\u2019t worry \u2014 we\u2019ll get to that soon \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; Suggested Lesson: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/all-piano-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Play ALL Piano Chords<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-how-many-chords-do-i-need-to-know\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\"><strong>So&#8230;how many chords do I need to know?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need to know every single chord, or that much about chords to get started. If you\u2019re a total beginner, start by memorizing these four chords: C, G, Am, and F.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/C%20Chord.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of C Major chord with keys C, E, G colored red and labelled.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/G%20Chord.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of G Major chord with keys G, B, D colored red and labelled.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/Am%20Chord.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of Am chord with keys A, C, E colored red and labelled.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/F%20Chord.png\" alt=\"Keyboard diagram of F Major chord with keys F, A, C colored red and labelled.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>With just these chords, you can play basic versions of these songs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-let-it-be-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cLet It Be\u201d by The Beatles<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/perfect-beginner-songs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cCups\u201d from <em>Pitch Perfect<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/hallelujah-song-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cHallelujah\u201d by Leonard Cohen<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the tutorials linked above to get started and you\u2019ll see what we mean when we say <em>anyone<\/em> can play songs on day 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"you-can-do-a-lot-with-chords\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>You can do A LOT with chords<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you may be thinking: but chords are so boring!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, playing triads in root position can quickly get cold. But once you&#8217;re comfortable with chord basics, there are countless little tweaks you can do to chords to make them sound more interesting, complex, and sophisticated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"One Chord = ENDLESS Harmonies: The Secret of Slash Chords \ud83c\udfb9\ud83c\udfb6 (Piano Lesson)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RmTmYLIjLsE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sam teaches the magic of slash chords. Lesson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/chord-harmonies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chord inversions.<\/strong> \u201cInversion\u201d is a fancy word for playing the notes of a chord in a different order. This will vary the sound a bit without changing the fundamental nature of the chord. You can find a chart of all inversions <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-chord-inversions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Seventh chords. <\/strong>Seventh chords are responsible for that dreamy, jazzy sound you hear in piano music. In chord charts, they\u2019re represented like \u201cCmaj7\u201d and \u201cCm7.\u201d Learn what these all mean <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/understanding-7ths\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sus chords and slash chords.<\/strong> If you&#8217;ve seen \u201cDsus4\u201d and \u201cG\/B\u201d on a chord chart and wondered what that was all about, learn about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/sus-piano-chords-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sus chords<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/slash-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slash chords<\/a>. They\u2019re easier than they look and they add more personality to your arrangements!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember: you don&#8217;t have to play chords in solid, quarter-note pulses all the time time. Break up your chords. Add some syncopation. Little things can make a big difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<iframe class=\"email-form-include-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weekly-email\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-x-large-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"tool-2-chord-charts\"><strong><span style=\"color:#f61a30\" class=\"has-inline-color\">TOOL #2: CHORD CHARTS<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-find-chord-charts\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Find Chord Charts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, so you know how to play chords. But how do you know what chords to play if, say, you want to play <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/falling-tutorial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cFalling\u201d by Harry Styles<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Easy: use the internet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re living in a wonderful time because we can find resources, with the click of a button, on how to play almost any pop song on the piano. You can find the chord charts (instructions on what chords a song has and when to play them) for most popular songs on <a href=\"https:\/\/tabs.ultimate-guitar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ultimate-Guitar.com<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nope, this website isn\u2019t just for guitarists. You can toggle the chord diagrams at the top of the page to \u201cpiano\u201d and it\u2019ll tell you <em>exactly<\/em> what keys to play for certain chords.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/falling%20-%20ultimate-guitar.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"530\" height=\"550\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot from Ultimate-Guitar.com (<a href=\"https:\/\/tabs.ultimate-guitar.com\/tab\/harry-styles\/falling-chords-2926901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re new to chord charts, they\u2019re pretty easy to decipher. The chord symbols are placed above the lyrics of a song, which means you change chords whenever a new chord appears above a lyric.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/falling%20screenshot.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"514\" height=\"266\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><meta charset=\"utf-8\">Screenshot from Ultimate-Guitar.com (<a href=\"https:\/\/tabs.ultimate-guitar.com\/tab\/harry-styles\/falling-chords-2926901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">source<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Now, not all chord charts are accurate. Many free chord charts you\u2019ll find on the internet are created by amateur musicians who share and upload their transcriptions for free. Sheet music and chord charts by the original musicians are often copyrighted and will cost money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if something sounds wrong to you, you may be right. This is why knowing how to play by ear is such an important skill even when you have tools like chord charts. We\u2019ll explore this in a bit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-2-find-lead-sheets\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Find Lead Sheets<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lead sheets are somewhere between chord charts and full-on sheet music. They include the notes for the melody of a song along with chord symbols and they\u2019re ideal for beginner sight-readers because they\u2019re less intimidating to read than a grand staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about lead sheets <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-piano\/#6-3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>. And if you\u2019re new to reading music, make sure to check out our most popular tutorial on YouTube, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-read-piano-notes\/\">\u201cHow to Read Notes.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also download lead sheets on sites like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.8notes.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">8notes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/musescore.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Musescore<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheetmusicdirect.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SheetMusicDirect<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size:22px;\">\ud83c\udfbc <b>Learn Your Favorites, Step By Step With Full Sheet Music Downloads<\/b><\/h3><p> As a Pianote+ Member, you\u2019ll get access to our 10-step Method, song library, and growing community of piano players just like you. Plus: get coached by world-class pianists who have played with rock stars.<\/p><center><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><br><\/center><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-x-large-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"tool-3-playing-by-ear\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);color:#f61a30\" class=\"has-inline-color\">TOOL #3: PLAYING BY EAR<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Understanding chords gives you the foundation to start learning songs. But if you prefer playing your melody instead of singing it, or if you can\u2019t find chord charts for a song, you\u2019ll need to know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/play-by-ear\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how to play by ear<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being able to hear something and then play it on an instrument is a fantastic skill. Indeed, some of the world\u2019s most famous musicians didn\u2019t use sheet music. <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/4503916\/paul-mccartney-cant-read-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Beatles<\/a> couldn&#8217;t read sheet music and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.classicfm.com\/composers\/mozart\/guides\/mozart-allegri-miserere\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mozart<\/a> was rumored to recreate pieces by ear after listening to them once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing by ear seems like a magical talent that only the best musicians have. But it\u2019s a skill like any other. It can be learned and practiced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-2-how-to-play-by-ear-figuring-out-the-key\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Play By Ear: Figuring Out the Key<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A basic understanding of key will help you play songs by ear faster. The key can help you figure out the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-chord-progressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chord progression<\/a> of a song.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many pop songs, the key is the last note of the chorus. So if your song ends on E, it\u2019s very likely that it\u2019s in E Major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Figuring this out is just trial and error. Here\u2019s a demonstration in the beginning of this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Play Songs By Ear On The Piano (No Score, No Chord Charts)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iUyf4e66I_I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Why is knowing the key useful? Well, if we know that a song is in E Major\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>We\u2019ll know what sharps and flats to watch out for. <\/strong>E Major has four sharps (F#, C#, G# and D#). You can find the number of sharps and flats in a key by referring to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-music-theory-circle-of-fifths\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Circle of Fifths<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>We\u2019ll also know what chords might show up in the song. <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/diatonic-chords\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Diatonic chords<\/a> are chords that occur on a scale. The most common chords used in pop songs are the I, the V, the IV, and the vi chords. In E Major, this is the E chord, B chord, A chord, and C#m chord.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-3-how-to-play-by-ear-intervals\" style=\"font-size:28px\"><strong>How to Play By Ear: Intervals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; Suggested Lesson: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/interval-ear-training\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ultimate Guide to Interval Ear Training<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Intervals are a tool musicians use to help them play songs by ear. An <strong>interval<\/strong> is the space between two notes. If you can identify the intervals between notes, you can identify a melody.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com\/blog\/2021\/Song%20Tutorials%20Pillar\/P5%20Interval.png\" alt=\"Diagram of keyboard with C and G colored in red and labelled as a perfect 5th.\" width=\"300\" height=\"182\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-2-practice-recognizing-intervals-by-ear\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Practice recognizing intervals by ear<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Each interval has a name and a distinct sound. You can recognize intervals by associating them with a song, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Major 2nd (in C major: C to D)<\/strong><br>Song: Happy Birthday<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Major 3rd (C to E)<\/strong><br>Songs: When the Saints Go Marching In, \u201cSummertime\u201d by George Gershwin<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Perfect 4th (C to F)<\/strong><br>Songs: Wedding March, We Wish You a Merry Christmas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Perfect 5th (C to G)<\/strong><br>Songs: Twinkle Twinkle, Scarborough Fair<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Major 6th (C to A)<\/strong><br>Songs: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Major 7th (C to B)<\/strong><br>Song: \u201cDon\u2019t Know Why\u201d by Norah Jones<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Interval: Perfect Octave (C to C)<\/strong><br>Song: \u201cSomewhere Over the Rainbow\u201d from The Wizard of Oz<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Find more interval song shortcuts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-piano-by-ear\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it may feel overwhelming at first, there are several ways you can practice recognizing intervals by ear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pick a random note and practice singing an interval above or below it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Play intervals on the piano while saying the name of the interval.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Connect <em>your<\/em> favorite songs to intervals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"step-3-apply-your-knowledge-to-melodies-and-chord-progressions\" style=\"font-size:24px\">Apply your knowledge to melodies and chord progressions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Intervals can be used to figure out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/piano-chord-progressions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">chord progressions<\/a> too. When one chord moves to another, there\u2019s a discernible interval between the sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learning to play by ear can be frustrating at first. It\u2019s a trial-and-error process. But as we\u2019ve mentioned before, it\u2019s a skill like any other. It just takes practice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before long, you\u2019ll be playing chords and melodies with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size: 22px;\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 For Piano Players, By Piano Players<\/b><\/h3><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/25133330\/anand-practicing-on-casio-1024x683.jpg\"><p>Love more guides like this? Subscribe to <i>The Note<\/i> for more quick tips, cheat sheets, explainers, and other stuff piano players love. Delivered to your inbox for free.<\/p><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-large-font-size wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-play-almost-any-song-on-the-piano-get-a-head-start\"><strong>How to Play Almost Any Song on the Piano: Get a Head Start<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&gt; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/song-tutorials\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">All Song Tutorials<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have learned that with three tools, you can play practically any pop song on the piano. Here\u2019s a recap:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Understand how to play chords.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find chord charts that will tell you what chords to play.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use your ear to fill in the gaps, figure out melody, and confirm chord progressions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>But! For an even <em>bigger <\/em>advantage, we have <strong>free<\/strong>, step-by-step, easy-to-follow tutorials right here on the Pianote blog. Beloved songs like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Imagine<\/strong><br>John Lennon<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &quot;Imagine&quot; by John Lennon - Piano Lesson (Pianote)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q8iYw7D2of4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-imagine-on-piano\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>drivers license<\/strong><br>Olivia Rodrigo<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &#039;Drivers License&#039; By Olivia Rodrigo From a Real Piano Teacher (Free Sheet Music)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/w4iLr_RTlzM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/olivia-rodrigo-drivers-license\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Bohemian Rhapsody<\/strong><br>Queen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Play Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen (Piano Tutorial)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HLB28rTqNTw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/bohemian-rhapsody-sheet-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Someone You Loved<\/strong><br>Lewis Capaldi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &quot;Someone You Loved&quot; On The Piano\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/i1AMYsR7xHQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/someone-you-loved\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>The Scientist<\/strong><br>Coldplay<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How To Play &quot;The Scientist&quot; (Piano Song Tutorial)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yD0tj7vQd7s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/coldplay-the-scientist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Someone Like You<\/strong><br>Adele<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;Someone Like You&quot; by Adele (Piano Tutorial)\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VHCa-2lYl8c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/how-to-play-someone-like-you-adele\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>These tutorials will give you an unfair head start in playing these songs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you want to go <em>even further, <\/em>try <strong>500 Songs in 5 Days<\/strong>. This pack includes bangers like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Rocket Man<\/strong><br><em>Elton John<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>No One<\/strong><br><em>Alice Keys<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Piano Man<\/strong><br><em>Billy Joel<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Photograph<\/strong><br><em>Ed Sheeran<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>My Immortal<\/strong><br><em>Evanescence<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Hit the Road Jack<\/strong><br><em>Ray Charles<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/500-songs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LEARN 500 SONGS IN 5 DAYS<\/a><\/center>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Have fun learning songs and happy practicing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h3 style=\"font-size:22px;\"><b>Master the Piano YOUR Way \ud83d\udd25<\/b><\/h3><p>As a Pianote+ Member, you\u2019ll get access to our 10-step Method, song library, and growing community of piano players just like you. Plus: get coached by world-class pianists and learn whenever you  want, wherever you want, and whatever you want.<\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><br><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You only need three things to learn how to play virtually any pop song on the piano: chord knowledge, chord charts, and a trained ear.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":3069,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1108,508],"tags":[1086],"class_list":["post-5260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-musicianship","category-song-tutorials","tag-l3s"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5260","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5260"}],"version-history":[{"count":57,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5260\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13481,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5260\/revisions\/13481"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3069"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}