Timeless piano-riffs are those that just ‘ring’. That sound brilliant and get stuck in your mind the very moment you hear 'em. Good old, true Pop-Piano music: music that is driven by one of those masterly crafted riffs, played on our beloved instrument. This is one of ‘em. And guess what I’m gonna show you today? How it’s built (out of chords and patterns of course!) and how to play it.
Coen
I Stand Alone - Robert Glasper ft. Common.
I don't think you'd really have to be 'into' hiphop to appreciate both the inspiring lyrics and the out-of-this-world, coolness-oozing piano riff that carries the track by this awesome pianist. Let me take you by the hand here and introduce you to the amazing Robert Glasper.
Love The Way You Lie - Eminem ft. Rihanna
Concept learning. That is what this lesson is all about and that is exactly what I love about- and what for me defines Pop-Piano vs. conventional piano-learning.
Clocks - Coldplay
Some tunes just have that quality of instantly becoming a true Pop-Piano classic. Driven by one of those killer Piano-riffs (you guessed it, created and played all by- and with Pop-Piano techniques), that are so signature for this awesome band, one might call this song the summum of Pop-Piano music.
I see fire - Ed Sheeran
Guitar-riffs on piano truly can sound wonderful sometimes. This is yet another example of copying some phrases played on another instrument (yes, you guessed it: guitar), adding some 'piano flavored techniques' (and some of my own sweet and sour taste) to it and creating a unique but awesome piano part.
I Want You Back - The Jackson 5
Ok guys, we've seen quite some nice songs pass the tutorial bridge, sure. We've also had our fair share of fine grooves that -when played IN the groove- made you wanna dance like there is no tomorrow. But this one...
Boogie, soul and funky old school swing at it's finest. It's truly one of those classics that have founded and inspired a whole generation of songs to follow in it's path and beyond. Awesome music.
Pompeii - Bastille
Old cities have always intrigued me. As have old songs. Don't you feel that music was just a tad better back in the day?
No?
Then I'm left with only these two suggestions:
Rather be - Clean Bandit ft Jess Glynne.
Where would you rather be? Jess Glynne, the super-talented guest vocalist for this mega-hit by Clean Bandit sings to us there’s no place she’d rather be and frankly so there is for me :). Perfectly happy actually. However, that question might get you (as it got me) thinking about setting some goals for yourself. Preferably piano oriented if I may hand you a suggestion ;). Where would you rather be in regard to your level of playing?
What an extensive, much-to-be-learnt from lesson this turned out to be. A super cool song to start with, of course. Killer track. When I flipped on the camera to film this one I knew it would become quite the tough lesson to learn, but that it would become such a gem of a tutorial … (which is not to brag btw. ‘cause that’s not completely my doing here, just a LOT of different Pop-Piano techniques, -tips, -tricks and -know-how’s come together in this song).
Team - Lorde
The mega-popular first single of this alternative teenage hit machine has truly left it’s mark in all of the western world’s musical memory, putting Lorde firmly on the charts.
Although Royals’ has also been requested quite a few times, since the song is mainly vocal-oriented -and y’all know it’s quite lame to copy vocal lines on a piano-, I decided to go for this super-nice example of using a few easy triads and inversions from the slightly more advanced key of F#, play ‘em on a cool synthesizer (piano works perfectly fine too, as you’ll hear) in super-easy pattern and shine-follow-up: her second hit ‘Team’.
Demons – Imagine Dragons
A simple pattern over our oh so beloved four-chord progression creates this atmospheric keyboard part.
