The whole area of teaching my students to sing & play is very close to my heart. There are so so many great benefits for students who engage with this aspect of my piano lessons.
As a child, I always wanted to sing and play piano but in spite of the fact that I have been learning piano since I was six years old, I only discovered a route into this world when my eldest child Jack began taking lessons on how to sing and play piano – with Eamonn Murray (from Eamonn & Michele fame, back in the day). When I saw the magic happen with Jack, I studied with Eamonn and am now eagerly spreading the word with my own students!!
The secret is understanding chords!
Chords are the essential building blocks and knowing them is the magic formula to understanding the structure of almost any piece or song.
We begin with simple three chord songs. During the first term, many of my students, even the youngest beginners will be able to play and sing one or more of these songs.
Here is a sample list of beginner songs
- Happy Birthday – P & M Hill
- Count on Me – Bruno Mars
- Ireland’s Call – Phil Coulter
- Paradise – Coldplay
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
- Yellow Submarine – The Beatles
- Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town
- Lost Boy – Ruth B
- 7 Years – Lukas Graham
What’s Next?
Once a student has mastered singing and playing their first song, the world is their oyster. They begin seeking out their favourite songs on Spotify or YouTube or they hear something they like played by another student during Group Lessons. Together we go about creating a chord chart, working out a groove and creating a piano accompaniment to go along with their singing.
Students ultimately learn about chord progressions, how to play lead sheets (melody and chord symbols) of popular songs and even try composing their own songs. Hurrah!!