Piano Blog by Skoove – Piano Practice Tips
You know a smash hit when you hear it. Smash hits are the songs you hear on the radio that make you want to sing at the top of your lungs. They are the songs everyone at the party knows. And they inspire countless people to begin playing musical instruments!
Wouldn’t it be fun if you could learn these smash hits on the piano? Playing piano smash hits is actually way easier than you might think. Many smash hits use similar piano chords and generally have simple, singable melodies. Read on to learn more smash hits online!
Easy piano smash hits
Whether the song was originally from a movie, a big dance hit, or just received a lot of air time on the radio, smash hits are an important part of our shared musical experience and a fun and exciting way to connect with the piano!
You can learn many piano smash hits with online piano lessons from Skoove. We will explore a few of them here. However, once you start practicing them, chances are you will not want to stop!
All you need to play most smash hits online with the piano are a few basic piano chords and a positive attitude! These songs are wonderful for beginning piano students to learn because they are well known, full of common patterns, and have catchy, singable melodies.
Yesterday
Many people consider The Beatles to be the greatest band of all time, and there are many reasons to agree with them. In a short period of time, The Beatles composed some of the biggest hits in music history. Their songwriting styles and innovations in recording technology helped to influence generations of musicians, as well as helped push many of their peers to up their musical game as well.
Skoove has an entire section of lessons dedicated to learning the music of The Beatles. “Yesterday” is one of the most covered songs of all time and a staple in the books of beginning piano students. With its catchy melody, timeless chord progression, and instantly relatable lyrics, “Yesterday” is a smash hit that everyone loves. Now you can add it to your repertoire with Skoove!
American Pie
Turn on the classic rock radio station in just about any country and chances are you will hear the tune “American Pie” at some point during the day. Originally composed by Don McLean in 1971, “American Pie” is a distinctly 70’s smash hit with its typical piano accompaniment and story-telling lyrics. With one of the most memorable chorus sections of all time, it is a wonderful way to learn how to play piano.
Mamma Mia
Chances are if you go to any dance club in the world, you will hear some version of the smash hit “Mamma Mia” by the Swedish band ABBA. Originally released in 1975, “Mamma Mia” became one of ABBA’s best known songs due to its extremely catchy chorus and marimba intro. The song has gained a new audience thanks to the release of the hit movie “Mamma Mia” in 2008.
Candle in the Wind
Elton John has composed more piano smash hits than perhaps any other musician in recent memory. His tune “Candle in the Wind” was recorded and released in 1974 and was originally inspired by the life of Marylin Monroe.
Elton John’s lyricist Benny Taupin said the song is about “the idea of fame or youth or somebody being cut short in the prime of their life. The song could have been about James Dean, it could have been about Montgomery Clift, it could have been about Jim Morrison … how we glamorise death, how we immortalise people.”
Every Breath You Take
At their height of popularity in the 80s, the Police were one of the biggest and most successful bands of all time, regularly selling out huge stadiums with their stripped-down rock music. “Every Breath You Take” became something of a signature song for the band. It became the number one single of 1983 and the fifth best selling single of the entire decade! The tempo marking is moderately fast and is a perfect tune for beginners to rock out on!
I Will Always Love You
Originally composed and recorded in 1973 by country star Dolly Parton, “I Will Always Love You” became a major smash hit for Whitney Houston in 1992. Recorded for the 1992 film “Bodyguard”, Houston’s version later spent a record-breaking 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard charts and still remains one of the best selling singles of all time. Houston’s version of the song re-entered the charts after her death in 2012, making it one of two singles ever to chart in the top 3 on two separate occasions!
Clocks
In the last two decades, British band Coldplay has developed into one of the most influential bands in rock and pop music. With many piano smash hits to their credit, Coldplay continues to sell out huge stadiums and release new albums.
Their hit tune “Clocks” features one of the most iconic piano intros of the 2000s. Originally released in 2003, the tune helped propel Coldplay to international fame and helped them to win Album of the Year at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Practicing “Clocks” with Skoove is a wonderful way to practice your piano notes!
Rollin’ in the Deep
Adele’s smash hit “Rollin in the Deep” from 2011 is the best selling digital single of all time, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. The song propelled Adele to international fame and the song received praise and accolades from just about every fan, critic, and reviewer.
“Rolling in the Deep” features some great piano playing that is both fun and not terribly difficult to play. Pay special attention to the rest symbols in this lesson and notice how the right hand generally has a rest while the left hand plays a chord!
Conclusion
Learning fun piano smash hits is an excellent way to learn how to play the piano. Skoove offers lessons on many of your favorite songs so you can play the music that you actually want to play, faster! With over 400 lessons, hours of repertoire, and exciting lessons on piano technique and music theory, Skoove offers something for every pianist to enjoy. Try out a free 7 day trial and explore the creative world of Skoove
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.
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