Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Do you play pop music?

Hey there! While pop might not be a favourite topic for the classical crowd, sometimes I teach pop music because a) the student likes it, or b) pop is great for learning chords.

In fact, I'm finding more and more that teaching improv early on is beneficial-- overall, the pianist is more confident, even when making mistakes, because they can just improvise their way out of anything.

What are your favourite pop pieces to play? If you like, feel free to link us to some videos.

"Tiny Dancer" - Elton John
"Madman Across the Water" - Elton John
"21" - Adele (The entire folio)
"Tapestry" - Carol King (The Entire folio)

That's a great start.

And yes I play pop!
And Jazz.

The Kinks - Apeman
John Lennon - Imagine
The Beatles - Let it be
Pink Floyd - Wish you were here
Blink 182 - Adam's song
Dark Dark Dark - Daydreaming

I can't play any of these completely yet, but I can play bits here and there.

I find pop is more difficult to play, and less predictable than classical (or at least the classics I`ve played). Currently working on "Hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm" by the Crash Test Dummies which you have to hear to believe. The singer is sooo bad, he`s good. He must have wrote the song; nobody would pay him to sing it . . .

The music is very good indeed. I had to weave the backing into the melody line. The words are a bit strange, but - who`s singing `em? Not me . . .

"Do you play pop music?" No. There's too much other wonderful classical music to learn.

Did I actually just hear you say that?

I'd be interested to find out what pop music is more difficult than the classical music I play. Really. I'm not fossilized yet so I'm always open to new ideas.

Even more of a problem for me was the second clause - about it being "less predictable" - which frankly is a laughable pronouncement.

That's right. Classical is the only good music.

I play pop only when I'm jamming with friends who don't like classical.

Frankly, pop takes no effort to play, and, apart from a few exceptions, is entirely predictable in its harmony, which means that you only need to know a few chords. That's also why I can accompany pop songs on the guitar but can't play classical guitar.......

LOL.

Anyways, yes. Pop music is fun, hilariously easy, and gets the girls. That's a triple-kill combo with great reward at little expense.

Oooh. Don't say that. Joel you're going to start an argument here. Someone will accuse you of being a classical snob. Just because you don't like other kinds of music doesn't mean the other stuff isn't good music. It just means you (and I) don't like the other stuff.

*Sigh* That was Joel's point, dear Um...it was an assertive and, naturally, presumptive satire based on the assumptions one makes of people who hold positions such as yours (not that this itself isn't an unfair objection...*sigh* ). Um...to say pop offers nothing is short-sighted, to generally dislike it is fair enough; but to think there is nothing surprising in pop is just very much a signal of ignorance. *Some* pop music is very rhapsodic with few repeating sections, some with none at all...indeed, minimalist Classical music could be made to, by being Classical, assert that Classical music is repetitive; um...let us not fall into synecdoche when we speak of pop.
Xxx

I, for one, would never do such a thing, regardless of how I feel about people who think that only what they like is "good".

(But I'm still blue in the face from the last time we all had this discussion.. )

I enjoy listening to 'pop' music, but I don't play it much, and then, only in the privacy of my own studio, and I certainly wouldn't teach it. If I can't do it, how could I presume to teach it? Most classical musicians who attempt to play pop end up sounding like classical musicians who are attempting to play pop.

Now, teaching improv is another thing altogether. Kudos to those who facilitate improvisational skills!

You first need to categorize what do you call pop music. For instance, Radiohead is a band that has the reputation of being the favorite of many young concert pianists. Vadym Chevchenco ( I don't know how to spell his name properly), last year's Cliburn gold medalist, said in an interview that given the chance to play with Radiohead on studio on the day of the finals, he would surely drop out of the competition!! Although I don't believe that statement, this shows how much he likes them.
It really is quality music, one of the band members even uses Ondes Martenot on stage. Are they considered pop for you, OP?

I often start arranging a pop song and then get bored halfway through
I do think learning to play pop songs by ear is an important part of training. That plus sight reading are very good skills for accompanists. And many students find it fun. I have noticed that people who don't play pop by ear at all during their early training get very nervous about it later and feel like they can't ever learn. Totally agree with you about the confidence issue.
Some of the pop songs I like to play are "Say" by John Mayer, "Siempre me quedará" by Bebé, "Trouble" and "Ode to a Sailor" by Rachael Sage, "River" by Joni Mitchell. (These are all under copyright so I cannot post videos.)

I was making fun of those snobs who really do hate newer artists. I wonder why there's such a lack of respect there. I've actually seen one person call an artist "idiot" and then deny the existence of art in their genre.

To me, the issue is how I personally respond to the music. I may not like it, but, at the same time respect the act of creation.

I'm not sure pop music is worse than classical, but 99% of classical music never gets played anymore because it's not worth listening to.

For me, the performers (which for recorded music includes the technicians) are what make pop music really shine; it isn't the music itself. Which is why singers are more famous than composers (of pop).