This holiday season, you can easily create a memorable experience for all by gathering around the piano (either in-person or online) and playing some well-known Christmas songs to help bring everyone together in the holiday spirit.
The festive season will soon be here and whether you are looking to entertain your guests or you have a piano recital coming up, it is time you started learning how to play different songs on the piano.
The 15 songs discussed below are excellent choices that you can include in your repertoire. You will discover that most of the Christmas songs here are rather easy to learn, but if you do get stuck, you can ask your piano tutor for help.
Here are 15 Christmas songs to play on the piano
1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
One of the easiest Christmas songs that you can learn to play on the piano is “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” It is fairly easy to learn because it consists of a verse then chorus then verse then chorus. It is also a wonderful song to encourage family members or guests to sing along.
2. It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
You should really take the time to learn how to play this song since it is quite open and rubato. You can try to play it in several different ways using different tempos. You can even try out a totally different swing/up-tempo version.
3. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Frank Sinatra did manage to capture this glorious melody back in the 1940’s. Once you start playing this simple Christmas piano song, you will become accustomed to playing 7ths, octaves, and other intervals that require you to jump and stretch your fingers.
4. Silent Night
This amazing Christmas tune is a classic that only uses the white keys on the piano. It is great for practicing using a foot and pedal considering that it is an a legato song. For instance, you can practice picking up the foot on those long phrases.
5. Jingle Bells
If you are looking for the most famous Christmas songs of all times, it would have to be “Jingle Bells.” When you are playing this very famous tune, you should try thinking about the actual jingle bells to ensure that your rhythm stays in time or you could simply practice the song with a metronome.
6. 12 Days of Christmas
While this song might seem like a complicated song because of its many verses, you can easily nail it if you put in the practice since it has just 3 main chords.
7. Do You Hear What I Hear?
If you would like an amazing song to practice call and response with, you should definitely go for “Do You Hear What I Hear?” In the song, the left hand actually echoes what the right hand is doing during the rhythmic patterns and melody.
8. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
If you want a choice of song that consists of just a few notes and is easy to learn, you should choose “Jolly Old St. Nicholas.” You can even try changing the dynamics to make the song even more interesting.
9. Deck The Halls
“Deck The Halls” is an easy piano song you can easily memorize. It starts off with a very catchy hook and then repeats it thrice. “Deck The Halls” is yet another amazing song that you can sing along to with family members or a group of guests.
10. Away in a Manger
If you want a song that’s easy enough to play on a piano, you should consider choosing “Away in a Manger” since it uses just 8 notes using only the right hand. You can try pushing yourself by playing it using only your left hand.
11. Let it Snow
If you are in the mood for a popular jazz Christmas tune, you should go for “Let it Snow.” The song is great for practicing held half notes in the bass and 8th notes in the treble clef.
12. Walking in a Winter Wonderland
You should not be intimidated by this Christmas tune. To memorize it, all you have to do is start by learning the melody and subsequently adding in the chords using your left hand. With enough syncopation practice, you will be playing the song flawlessly in no time at all.
13. The First Noel
This is a truly amazing holiday song you can use to practice holding notes in the bass with the melody in your right hand. You should try to practice balancing the two out together.
14. Frosty the Snowman
If you are looking for the perfect holiday song for children than “Frosty the Snowman” would have to be it. To really nail down the melody, you should practice one phrase at a time. Once you master the song, you can have some fun by singing along as you play.
15. Hark the Herald, Angels Sing
“Hark the Herald, Angels Sing” is a lovely Mendelssohn Christmas Carol great for practicing technique and phrasing. Once you master the song, you should consider trying to sing along with it or even adding a simple instrument such as a trumpet, clarinet, flute, or recorder in the mix.
If you would like to learn how to play Christmas songs on the piano, you will find the 15 songs discussed here being excellent choices. If you would like to learn how to play these Christmas songs on the piano, be sure to Contact Us today!
Comment Below: What’s you favorite Christmas song to play on ANY instrument?
