The short answer is yes—you can learn a lot from playing songs, but it’s important to approach it thoughtfully to build a well-rounded foundation. You’ll want to learn notes, chords, chord progressions, musical keys and time signatures, and more while using songs as tools. Let’s explore different ways to learn piano through songs and how you can develop your skills beyond just memorizing tunes.
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Learn by Picking Out Melodies by Ear
Many musicians start by simply trying to find the notes of their favorite songs on the piano. This approach helps train your ear to recognize pitches and intervals, which is a great skill for any musician. It’s tempting, isn’t it? You want to start learning piano so you can play your favorites tunes. But any good teacher will use your favorite songs as materials from which to teach fundamental concepts like rhythm, note reading, key signatures, and more.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of rote learning when using this method. Playing a melody repeatedly without understanding the notes or structure limits how much you truly learn. Instead, try to learn the actual notes while playing by ear, so hat knowledge can become transferable when learning other songs or even when improvising.
It’s like learning a language. You can either learn individual words by rote, or you can include that in a more holistic approach to speaking fluently with syntax, sentence structure, reading and more.
Learning Chords on the Piano
Chords are a huge part of playing piano, especially if you want to accompany melodies or play pop music. Learning chords by ear, through pop music charts, or by reading them on the staff gives you flexibility in how you approach songs. Understanding basic chords (such as major, minor, and seventh chords) allows you to play a wide variety of songs and even create your own music.
Many songs rely on simple chord progressions like I-IV-V, which are easy to pick up but foundational in music. Start by practicing simple chords, and gradually add more complex variations to give your playing more texture and emotion.
Once you have learned some basic chords, you can add those to melodies as accompaniments, and you can even break up the chords with an arpeggiated pattern, as in Adele’s “Someone Like You.”
What is “Learning” the Piano?
The idea of “learning” the piano can mean different things depending on who you ask. For some, learning piano means mastering the ability to improvise like a jazz musician. For others, it’s about reading sheet music and being able to play classical pieces. Then there are those who feel learning the piano means understanding chords, reading chord charts, and being able to accompany singers or play in a band.
There isn’t one right answer to what learning the piano involves—it depends on your goals and the type of music you want to play. A classical pianist might focus heavily on reading music and perfecting technique, while a pop or jazz musician might prioritize improvisation and chord knowledge. The key is to identify your personal goals and focus on the skills that will help you reach them. No matter what your goals are, a well-rounded approach that incorporates different methods (ear training, reading music, learning chords) will make you a more capable player.
Avoid Simple Rote Learning
While playing songs by ear or from memory can help you get started, relying solely on rote learning can limit your growth. Rote learning occurs when you play a song repeatedly until you memorize it, without understanding the underlying structure of the music. This method may give you a party trick, but it doesn’t give you transferable and dynamic skills on the piano.
If you only memorize songs without understanding chords, reading notes, or recognizing patterns, you may struggle when faced with new music. You’ll have to replicate the rote learning process all over again. To avoid this, focus on recognizing chord patterns, understanding how notes relate to each other on the piano, and building your ability to read music.
Work With a Teacher of Follow a Curriculum
So can you learn piano by playing songs? Absolutely, but it’s important to go beyond simple memorization. By learning melodies by ear, mastering chords, and understanding the structure of the music you’re playing, you can develop a strong foundation that will allow you to grow as a musician. Whether you want to play pop, jazz, or classical, a combination of learning songs and understanding the fundamentals will set you up for long-term success. For more information about music lessons at our studio, please get in touch. We’ll help you become a confident musician.
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