Your child has been taking virtual music lessons or learning to play an instrument with an instructor in person. However, you may have noticed that their general enthusiasm for playing hasn’t been what it used to be. If you’ve got a child at home who, for whatever reasons, is feeling less interested in their instrument, we suggest helping your child find the right songs that are not only fun to learn but will help them be more motivated to practice their instrument. Here are a few fun selections your child can try out based on what instrument they play.
Fun pieces for the piano
Hoagy Carmichael – Heart and Soul
How could we not include this song? Chances are when you’ve reached for the keys on your piano, you’ve intuitively played this song. “Heart and Soul” is an easy song that’s great for the beginner piano player as it requires the use of both hands to play rhythm and melody.
Wizard of Oz – Somewhere Over the Rainbow
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a beautiful piece for any level piano player. Even private piano teachers love this! The more skilled your child is, the more they can add to the song. With this piece, you can draw out the long legato parts. You can play this song in any key too.
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
Here’s our pick for the classic rock fans. If your child is unfamiliar with Queen, this song will be a fun piece for them to practice slow and fast tempos. The more skilled player will be able to practice the use of dynamics with this song too. Don’t let this song be intimidating! Your child can make this as easy or hard as their skill level requires.
Fun pieces for the guitar
Guns and Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
This one is for the classic rock fans. If your child isn’t at a level where they can play as well as Slash, just have them skip the solo. Or choose to try the solo out as a picking exercise. This song is relatively simple, using only four chords: D-C-G for verses and A-C-D for the chorus. You can speed this song up or slow it down if preferred.
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
We’d be surprised to hear if your guitar player has accidentally stumbled on the opening chord riff. This is a fun, upbeat song for any guitar player to learn and is relatively easy to play with just three-chord harmony, D-C-G.
Train – Hey Soul Sister
This song is a more modern favorite. It’s upbeat, fun energy, and easy to sing along to, all while being just four simple chords to learn. Practice this song for keeping rhythm and staying on the beat. This song can also be played on the ukulele.
Fun pieces for the drums
The Beatles – Come Together
If you’re a fan of The Beatles, it’s most likely your child is a fan too. “Come Together” is an excellent piece for drummers to practice with – no matter their age. You can make it as easy as your child needs. It’s a classic piece that every drummer should play at least once in their life.
The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
“Seven Nation Army” is a top favorite among drummers and is well known as the drums are a outstanding sound in this song. The verses are heavy on the kick (bass) drum and floor tom, while the chorus uses a lot of crash cymbals. This is a great song to practice for learning dynamics and energy while drumming.
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
“Billie Jean” is a classic Michael Jackson song featured on his album, ‘Thriller.’ The drum is forthright in sound but not overbearing. This is a great song to practice to help your drummer stay on the beat while keeping up with the high energy this song offers. (This one also sounds fantastic on the violin!)
Ready to start practicing?
If your child isn’t interested in any of the songs we’ve suggested, that’s okay! He or she can choose to work with their instructor to help find a handful of songs that will help your child get better with their instrument. If you don’t have a music teacher, consider hiring one of our tutors at Lessons In Your Home. All of our instructors are professional musicians and gifted instructors. You can be sure that our piano instructors will inspire your child to play the piano more. Our online music lessons are taught by local music teachers who plan their lessons to suit your child. Contact us today to learn more.
