For those people who have no desire to become polished pianists, but just want to play for their own amusement and amazement and maybe entertain their family and friends, there is no faster or easier way to reach that goal than to learn three basic chords and then match them with a simple melody you pick out by ear.

There are tons of songs that are like that – they only use 2 or 3 or 4 chords, and the melody (tune of the song) is simple so that most anyone can pick it out on the piano just through trial and error.

For example, I have a doctor friend who likes to sit down at the piano he inherited from his parents when he gets home from the hospital or office and spends about a half-hour plunking on the keyboard, picking out tunes he has heard. He says that enables him to unwind and relax after a day of thinking about medical issues. By the time dinner is ready, he is able to sit down with the family and talk about normal stuff without thinking about patients and drugs and treatments.

Watch this 10-minute video where I demonstrate how easy this is to do on a familiar song:

(Please don’t misunderstand – I have been a piano teacher all my life and I am not in favor or shortcuts that damage long-term progress on the piano. This method does NOT apply to kids or to adults who want to become good piano players – they should take piano lessons – it is for those adults that just want to play for fun and have no desire to become really good.)

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To watch this video on YouTube please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-qHKvnP_bY