Beginner Piano Songs
Found a Peanut
Beginner piano songs for young kids are even better when the tune is familiar, and the words are fun or even silly!
Some kids thrive on "silly"
"Found a Peanut" is just that kind of song!
Please scroll down the page for the PDF links to Found a Peanut.
This video has Found a Peanut lyrics almost the same as mine (you know how it is with "folk tunes"...):
Begin with the chords... and singing
When I teach this song, I usually start with the student on the CHORDS, not the melody, some weeks before actually showing them the music.
That way, they can focus on the EASY stuff, for they know how to make chords.
I play and sing the melody, and show them how to make the chords in the right places. This might differ from student to student - sometimes it's hard to "feel" where chords should go.
The added benefit of this approach is that they get to hear the melody over and over before trying it out.
Skips make everything harder
Just because the notes are set in the Middle C position doesn't mean this song will be easy at first. There are too many skips ("thirds" and also "fourths" and "fifths", as they are known in music theory).
As they work on the melody, you might try having them proceed VERY SLOWLY, as if a land mine awaits "missteps."
Even if you have prepared their ears for the melody by working with the chords first, they likely will not "hear" the melody, playing so slowly. That's fine.
Tell them it's the job of their EYES, not their ears, to find the notes right now.
An easy approach for early beginners
Here's an easy-to-read version of this easy piano sheet music:
Please scroll down the page for the download links.
You might get tired of this song!
You may find - believe it or not - that the song becomes TEDIOUS to you after a few verses.
However, there is a certain age group among your students which will find these lyrics HILARIOUS.
These kids will want to do the entire song NOW. For a change of pace, just switch places and let your student play the chords while you play the melody.
Try starting with slow, simple triads
They can start with easy triads, one chord every two measures (since it is a VERY FAST 3-beat song, written so beginners won't be intimidated by eighth notes).
Try playing the chords like this:
If your student is older or has some background transposing, ask them what the chords would be if you moved the melody up to the key of D?
See if they can figure it out BY EAR - then discuss the theory behind the chords - how the I and V chords (One and Five chords) "love" to go together, and that when the melody has a different key "home", the chords change along with it.
So now the triads will be:
Try the key of G also, another easy one.
Unless you have had them doing pentascales for a little bit, the I and V chords in the keys of E & F might be frustrating!
Sing as they transpose
Keep the Found a Peanut lyrics moving ahead as you move the key center!
If you find yourself fumbling with the melody as it transposes, just sing. Your voice will be plenty loud to go along with your student's chords.
Then, make the chords MORE FUN.
Show them a waltz pattern: left hand single bass note, and right hand two triads.
Waltz or "oom-pah-pah" pattern
Quiz your students about the melody notes: what's the difference in the slurs versus the ties?
Can they figure it out by just looking, and singing?
Again, when I teach this song, I usually start with the student on the CHORDS, not the melody, some weeks before actually showing them the music.
There is plenty to learn here, for the beginner piano student!
The links for the piano downloads:
Download Found a Peanut for your beginner students
Download beginner piano sheet music with made-easy notes
Dianna:
Your website is a light in the darkness. THANK YOU for all you do in helping to spread the love of music. It matters!
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Interested in songs from the Bible for your students or church? Check out my other website, SingTheBibleStory.com!
All the first-year material I give my beginner students.
Piano keyboard sheets, scales, chords, note-reading exercises, and over 256 pages of music!
This beautiful song book for piano & voice "Esther, For Such a Time as This", available as a digital download, tells the riveting story of the time when Jews in ancient Persia faced a foe named Haman, and how a brave young queen risked her life to save her people.
A good choice for a singing story-teller, an operatic group, a short theater production, or a class of children!
This book is also available from Amazon as a paperback.
This book is available as a digital download from this site. Visit this page to see some free examples from the book.
It is also available from Amazon as a paperback!
This is the perfect easy start for little pianists.
And when they start reading white-key notes on the staff, this is a fun easy resource to say each week, "Choose a new black-key song at home this week and figure it out to show me next lesson!" They will be spending more time at the piano.
A perfect read aloud storybook
for little boys or girls.
The Adventures of Tonsta highlight the travels of a very young boy with a good heart, who goes about helping folk in trouble.
With a red cap on his head and a sack of tools slung over his shoulder, Tonsta seems to meet people in distress wherever he goes.
Lots of trolls in this book - including one who gives him a Christmas gift!
Rod:
What an amazing site. Thank you for your labor of love. Made a very small donation. Cheers
Joy: I bought your Halloween Songs, wrote teacher accompaniment for some, and performed with 17 of my students in costume at an assisted living facility. It was a "win-win" situation.
The kids and residents loved it and the parents were very pleased with the service aspect of their children's performance as well.
Thank you for sharing these lovely pieces that introduce the minor key in a very simple and interesting way to early elementary students.
About the Author
Hi, I'm Dana! (Say that like "Anna".) I'm the owner of Music-for-Music-Teachers.com, and a newer site, SingTheBibleStory.com.
Like some of you, I've been playing the piano since early childhood, and have added a few other instruments along the way, plus an interest in arranging and composing music.
You can find out more about me and the reason for this website at my About Me page.
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Down By the Salley Gardens is a pretty song from the British Isles with poetry by William Butler Yeats. Download piano, vocal, & lead sheets for your students!