Repertoire
Songs and tunes to play, including the play-along pieces.
17 articles
Dynamics, Slurs, and Articulations
Play Clementi's "Sonatina in C Major" while learning dynamics, slurs, articulations, and cut time to shape phrases with smooth, separated, loud, and soft notes.
Song 5: “Misty” (Erroll Garner/Johnny Burke)
Play the beloved jazz standard "Misty" by Erroll Garner in a piano-bass-drums trio arrangement, comping behind the vocal in authentic jazz style.
Song 4: “Takin’ Care of Business” (BTO)
Rock out with BTO's 1974 hit "Takin' Care of Business," pairing left-hand root–5th and root–6th intervals with bluesy right-hand phrasing for great rock 'n' roll piano.
Song 3: “Benny and the Jets” (Elton John)
Tackle Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets," learning the percussive piano downbeats marked by eighth notes and rests, plus honky-tonk-style playing on the verses.
Song 2: “Come Sail Away” (Styx)
Play Styx's classic 1970s power ballad "Come Sail Away" using left-hand arpeggios, right-hand triads, and an Alberti bass — staple pop/rock piano techniques.
Song 1: “Minuet in G” (J.S. Bach)
Play Bach's graceful "Minuet in G" — a right-hand melody in the upper register supported by light left-hand harmony, the perfect introduction to Baroque keyboard style.
Using the 7th and the 3rd of the Chord Below the Melody
Master the jazz staple of voicing the 7th and 3rd of a chord below the melody, demonstrated on the standard "All the Things You Are."
Using Right-Hand Triads with Single Notes in the Left Hand
Arrange Sarah McLachlan's gospel ballad "Angel" in 3/4 with right-hand triads over a static left hand, while learning add9 chords and bass-note walkdowns.
Applying the Techniques to Songs
See comping techniques at work on real songs, starting with the Beatles' instantly recognizable "Let It Be" piano figure and its octave doubling and upper-structure voicings.
Pop and Classical Tunes
Tackle real repertoire with arpeggios and triad voicings across Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight," Dire Straits' "Walk of Life," and classical works by Clementi and Satie.
Adding Triads in the Left Hand
Accompany the melody of "Buffalo Gals" with full left-hand triads, practicing the 5-3-1 fingering and the back-and-forth hand shifts between F and C chords.
Adding Single Notes in the Left Hand
Give your right-hand melody a left-hand bass line in "Ode to Joy," with a finger-crossing move that makes the two hands sound truly independent.
Playing the Melody with Both Hands
Play your first true hands-together song with "Jingle Bells," doubling the melody an octave apart in both hands while staying in C position.
Moving Hand Positions While Playing
Shift between hand positions mid-song to cover a wider range, using thumb-turns and finger crossings on the Beatles' "All My Loving."
Extending the Basic Five-Finger “G Position”
Extend G Position so both hands can stretch up to E, then play the spiritual "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" with smart fingering for repeated notes.
Extending the Basic Five-Finger F Position
Stretch your thumb and pinkie out of the basic F Position to reach extra notes, then put it into practice with the folk tune "Marianne."
The Left-Hand C Position
Move your left hand into C position and play your first left-hand song, the spiritual "Dry Bones," while mastering fingering, steady counting, and a tricky pickup measure.