I'm looking for some fun songs to learn...intermediate level that will sound impressive when I go to test new pianos. Right now I only have a few songs that I can play by memory. I'm looking for suggestions for fun/somewhat challenging songs to learn for my ongoing quest in finding the perfect piano. I feel stupid when I go shopping and can play very little. Since I will be shopping for the next 6 months or more, I have time to learn new songs to do some piano testing.

I just learned "fantasy" by tom grant. It is the jazz piano re-make of the classic earth wind and fire song..very nice.

You may also want to try "trouble" by coldplay, "my immortal" by evanessence, 100 years by five for fighting. "Listen to your heart" by heart, "your song" by elton john, there are lots and lots of great piano songs.

Some of the ones mentioned above are really popular today.

Thanks SH...I tried Elton early on (Tiny Dancer), before I knew enough about piano to know I wasn't anywhere ready for some of his songs That was 1-1/2 year ago or so. I might be able to do "Your Song". He is so good at adding his own style I find him hard to duplicate - at least for now. I will check out the others. I think I might have the sheet music for a couple of them already. I'll let you know how I make out.

Funny you mention "Your Song", I just bought some new music over the weekend and that was one of them (easy version, of course). I played around with it and figure it will take me quite a while to make it sound decent even to my own ears!

I know exactly what you mean Weezer. Everybody plays the first couple bars of Fur Elise or something like that. You walk up to a potentially buyable piano and you need to hear it but you don't want to tinkle up and down the scales like your beginner. You have some salesman on your back and inevitably everyone in the store turns around as soon as someone starts to play.

I personally recommend Chopin, Nocturn in Eb. I'm almost done learning it myself and I think most poeple consider it intermediate. It has a very repitious waltz pattern which is nice, but easy to remember.

Some others perhaps?

Non-Classical:[/b]
Pianoman
(You don't have to be drunk for this to be a crowd pleaser, and it too is somewhat repetitious)

Stormy Weather
(A very nice jazzy riff. Might not be as impressive as you want, but it could be easier to remember)

Classical:[/b]
Mozart - Turkish March
(Very Repetitious - and sounds far more impressive than it actually is. Someone mentioned it at Thanksgiving last year, and I played the first 40 measures or so, and everybody's jaw dropped. Fortunately, they didn't realize I had only been playing it a week)

Mozart - Sonata in C
(Who doesn't like this? Very recognizable, and it sounds alot harder than it is, hope you practiced your scales)

I played "Cristofori's Dream" by David Lanz a lot while shopping. It's not all that hard, but sounds nice. Even better, it uses pretty much the entire range of the keyboard and has a mix of very soft and loud passages, so it's good for hearing what the range of the piano is.

Trust me; the salespeople have heard it all, from awful to concert-level, and they won't care what you play (as long as it's not Fur Elise). Other customers, well, maybe they would. That's why I tried to time my shopping visits when I'd be the only person in the store.

All great suggestions. I've gotten the midi to most of them now and will import them into Band in a box to help me learn them. Thanks everyone!

WeezerM,

Some general advice and a nomination for your list:

I almost hate to share this one, it has been a signature for me for over ten years... It is repetitive enough to simplify memorization.

Billy Joel: "Root Beer Rag".

Also, in regard to Elton John I would recommend looking at one of his slow ballads like "Believe". This way you avoid being bogged down by challenging rhythms. Plus I have always felt that Elton's use of chord progressions builds a very broad sound with good depth. But I'm kind of partial to his music.

I have always struggled memorizing music, so when I go into stores with intent to play I pick out a stack of music that I want to take with me.

The only other thing I would recommend is to look for songs that are well known with distinct intros. No matter how lame you feel when you break into a rendition of "Chariots of Fire" it never fails to bring someone running over to comment. (Please make note that this song is NOT on my personal repertoire. I can't get past the feeling lame part.)

Happy Hunting!

Me. I can't stand it.

Hee!

I play the first two movements of this pretty much every single day.

I'd suggest some of the easier Chopin if you're into classical at all. And the Bach prelude WTC No. 1.

While the overall piece is certainly way beyond intermediate, see if you can handle the opening section of the Rachmaninoff c# minor prelude. This is an excellent piano-testing piece, with the crashing deep bass octaves alternating with very gentle chords at the upper end of the keyboard...might be a real bear to memorize, though...

Ok, I've got the first page of "Your Song" down...you can just call me Elton now

It's funny because of friend of mine has been calling me Elton since I started trying to learn how to play, now I can play something by Elton (even if it is an easy version)...

Here is the one I am playing: www.sunhawk.com Your Song

How easy would you more experienced players say this is? I have no idea if I am playing like Grade 1 stuff or what...

One of my favorite pieces apart from Rach 2. I haven't memorized it enitirely, but I can play most of the first 100 measures from memory. It is actually rather repetitive.

Elton (Rocky),

That looks like a beginner level piece to me. What stage of beginner I don't know. The melody and rhythm looks like it effectively produces the gist of what the song sounds like. It also requires left hand chord techniques with rhythm, suggesting to me a competent beginner. Elton always likes putting notation on up beats rather than down beats so I think his music is great for improving timing between the left and right hands. The versions I have just arrange it in the original key (Eb I think) make the left hand much more active and right a little more active. I think it also squeezes two measures on your music into one measure on mine. As a comparison I would consider the versions I have to be intermediate-late intermediate skill levels. Personally, I think this looks like a great primer to get pianists into Elton's music. I currently own three Elton music books and have two more on the way. I just really like his style (old and new).

Hopefully my commentary has given relevant insight to your question.

Thanks dk...yep....I'm a beginner, playing beginner level music, where I should be I guess!

I hope I didn't sound arrogant and/or offensive in my evaluation... Definitely not my intent. Besides, everyone starts as a beginner. Honestly, the reason I lurk around here every day is for inspiration and motivation. I enjoy listening to posted performances. I have been looking forward to tomorrows concert since the inception by the Hunk. And now, you have inspired me to start recording my own performances for others. (I have always been a closet pianist, hesitant to share my talents with others.) You guys bring a lot of passion and support to the table. I would actually bet money that active readers of the AB forum progress at a much higher rate than the national average. Just food for thought.

As a side note, it is my opinion that attempting music beyond your skill level can be detrimental to personal progress. It is an necessary blow to one's ego and creates negativity. Never be ashamed of your skill level. Take pride in the fact that you have chosen to learn a skill and are willing to work to improve it.

I realise that you were speaking to the entire forum, but that advice is so personal to me. I kid you not, I actually had Chopin's 10/12 on the music stand last week. The only thing I would say is that attempting (and i mean, attempting!) music like that doesn't give me a blow to my ego if i cant do it. I eventually just meander back to easier stuff, especially when something new attracts my attention. I don't feel negative about it at all. I just feel good about seeing the music in front of me.

Looking forward to hearing you play!
Thanks,
Euan.

I really appreciate all the great suggestions. I am working on Monica's "Cristofori's Dream", which is a beautiful song, just long compared what I am used to playing in my children's piano books. The older I get, the more I realize memory is truly a gift of the young. Why-oh why didn't I learn piano when I was six?

So anyhow, keep the songs coming. I will compile a list and listen to all of them to see what I want to learn next. Unfortunately, other than popular music, my knowledge of classical, jazz, etc. is vastly inadequate. Hence my asking for some help.

P.S. I have my clothes all laid out for the recital in the morning. I'm going in black chiffon, high heels...very classy outfit. (Actually, sweats and sneakers...but I will pretend I'm wearing that and that it is just very comfortable indeed!)

Weezer, I am also going to try "cristofori's dream" as a suggestion from Monica. I don't have the music yet, but I will find it somewhere.

I would like to learn this song as it is a very romantic piece. This is my favorite type of piano music which is also why I learned most of the popular jim brickman songs.

BTW, I too am going to wear a black chiffon dress with high heels for the recital in the morning. I was originally going to rent a tux, but they had this cute little gown on sale at the evening wear store in my size so I thought, oh what the heck and spoiled myself!!

S-H, LOL...hey, I will send you the sheet music. If you have musicnotes player, I can send to you electronically. BTW, I never received the song you were going to fax to me. The phone at the office wasn't working well this last week but the service guy got it re-directed on a new line and it's all clear now. So if you did try to fax it, it may not have gone through. Just let me knof if you want this song and give me your e-mail.

dk...I was in no way offended....I'm exactly 1 yr. into this and and well aware of my beginner status and loving every minute! I am teaching myself and therefore I only have y'all to ask my questions to and I appreciate any and all answers! Heck, I am still amazed that I can play anything at all on the piano....I don't give darn if its easy or not!!!

:::edit::: sorry, I hijacked this thread...now back to the regular programming!:::::

OK...after reading this disturbing news...I will now just be picturing all of you in your underwear as I perform my piece. And then as I listen to each of you perform I will go ahead and picture you playing in your underwear......

I just took a look at it. I don't know anything about Grade levels (I never worked with a formal curriculum), but I would call it advanced beginner, myself. It's definitely not early beginner, as it's got all those chords and not the most straightforward rhythm in the left hand.

I want all of you to know that I[/b] will be playing my recital piece in a nun's habit.

Sorry Monica, dvdiva already has that covered. Wait 'til you hear her music - it so reminded me of the Singing Nun.

Aw shucks...okay, I'll be doing my recital in full knight's armor.

Hey Bob...can you drop us any hints? About how many submissions have you gotten so far? [asks in a VERY casual tone of voice] Has anybody sent in the same piece, ha ha? [a tad less casually now] Er, nobody sent in the same thing as I did, did they?

I think there're about 30 so far and no, there are no duplicates.

In my part of the world, nuns don't look like little white donkeys (or even sound like them, except for that nun who brayed in my ear once). But it's all a matter of opinion!