The 10 Best Piano Solos of All-Time That Everyone Can Learn

If you've been hard at work practicing your piano skills, why not show them off a little? These solo pieces put the beauty and versatility of the piano on full display.Last updated on 21 Nov. 2024

Alone at the piano. Whether playing for yourself or for an audience, it's a wonderful place to be. All you need is the right music.A great piano solo should be one that was written specifically for the piano. Of course, this includes the countless Classical pieces, and we have another article to give you a solid grounding in the genre. But if you want to play solo piano songs from pop, rock or jazz styles, there is so much more at your fingertips.To help you find a piece you'll love, we've listed ten examples of songs with awesome piano solos.

Pop and Rock Piano Solos

"Your Song" - Elton John

This pure, innocent love song was Elton John's first hit and it would be hard to find someone who can't identify it from the first few notes of the opening. Famously, the words were written at his mum's kitchen table by his lyrical partner Bernie Taupin.

"A Thousand Miles" - Vanessa Carlton

An equally distinctive opening melody, but a little faster and trickier to master. It's worth it to nail down this uplifting song with a message about lost love and the lengths we will go to get it back.

"Mad World" - Gary Jules

This walking-down-the-aisle favorite was written by Pachelbel as chamber music in the late 1600s, but lost popularity for centuries. It was rediscovered in the 1960s, and since then, the distinctive recurring progression has been taken on countless forms, while the original version can be heard at some point during many weddings.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen

This isn't just a song. It is the ultimate rock opera. A six-minute suite that goes from a piano ballad, to full operatic interlude, into a full-on rock section before the reflective coda. It might take a while to learn this, but it will be worth it to feel the spirit of the late great Freddie Mercury playing to a stadium

"Don't Know Why" - Norah Jones

You will probably know this hit from Norah Jones, but it was written and released by Jesse Harris, a member of her band, before they even met. There are strong jazz and blues influences in Jones's melting, luxurious version, so this can form a great bridge between pop and our next selection of songs.

Jazz standards

These are an important part of any serious piano repertoire, and a great way to ease yourself into a looser jazz style, especially if you want to try your hand at improvising.

"The Pink Panther" - Henry Mancini

Mancini wrote this piece to accompany the film of the same name, with the animators creating the action around the specific accents and features in the music. The result is a simple, playful theme that is often taught to starting pianists as an easy way into jazz.

"My Baby Just Cares for Me" - Nina Simone

Originally featured in the musical comedy "Whoopee!", we know this better as sung by Nina Simone, The High Priestess of Soul. This is the version that begins with the iconic descending back-and-forth piano riff, and shuffles along through a progression of jazz chords.

"Caravan" - Duke Ellington

An example from the more exotic side of jazz, with influences from latin and swing. Duke Ellington himself preferred to think of his music as "beyond category". But it's not beyond your abilities. It's tough, but you can do it.

"Autumn in New York" - Vernon Duke

This is a more low-key choice. A lonesome piece that evokes falling leaves, or the interior of a smokey piano bar.

"Take Five" - Dave Brubeck

This is cheating a little as the melody for this was originally played on the saxophone, but there are plenty of classic piano versions. Play this to expand your idea of timing, with the rare five-four time. Plus, the blue-scale melody will give you a taste of what you can do when you start improvising.

Improvisation

Improvising allows you to move beyond other people's music entirely, to sit alone at the piano to play whatever comes out of your fingers, your own unique melodies.Starting is not as hard as you might think. In the flowkey app we have a selection of courses called "Improvising with Chords". These courses take you step-by-step from basic accompaniments, to adding color with four-note chords and more advanced accompaniment patterns, then finally to improvising in various pop styles.Give it a try. Stick with it and you'll get to a place where you can keep playing for hours. No limits, letting loose on the piano and creating something truly your own.

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