[Beginner] Start Here: Classic Practice Pieces Recommended for Adult Piano Beginners
For beginner pianists, choosing practice pieces can be a real source of anxiety.
This is especially true if you’re starting to learn on your own as an adult—you may often wonder what pieces to choose to keep practice enjoyable and progressing smoothly.
When learning piano independently, there are two main approaches: focusing intensively on a limited selection of pieces, or practicing a balanced set of pieces that include a variety of technical elements while learning the basics of piano technique and music reading from the ground up.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended practice pieces for those who prefer the latter approach and also want to build a solid foundation.
We’ve selected a wide range of pieces, from classical to popular, so feel free to start with whichever ones spark your interest.
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[Beginner] Start with these practice pieces! Classic exercises recommended for adult piano beginners (21–30)
Polka from Album for ChildrenLouis Heinrich Köhler
Are you looking for a piece that will make you feel buoyant and joyful at a recital? This is a piece from the piano collection Kinder Album, Op.
210—a set of 30 works compiled in the 19th century for educational purposes.
Its lively polka rhythm conjures images of twirling around a ballroom.
It’s also ideal for learning to vary tone color—playing briskly with staccato and elegantly with legato.
With a brightness that brings smiles to listeners’ faces, it’s a recommended choice for children who want to develop expressive power and shine on stage at their recital.
When the Saints Go Marching Inkokujin reika
Originally performed as an African American spiritual and also known as a jazz number, When the Saints Go Marching In has been adopted as a sports cheer song and is frequently used as background music on TV and in commercials.
Because its melodic range is narrow and its repeated phrases are easy to remember, beginner-level piano method books often include gentle arrangements of it.
You only need five notes to play the melody! Practicing while singing will also help you connect note names with the keyboard.
[Beginner] Start here for your first practice pieces! Classic practice songs recommended for adult piano beginners (31–40)
Harpsichord Pieces and Fingering, No. 1 (Suite No. 2), TambourinRameau
A work by the French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau, a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, who represents the Baroque era.
In Rameau’s time, the piano had not yet been invented.
Therefore, this piece is an etude for the harpsichord (also known as the clavecin), the predecessor of the piano.
If you want to improve your trills and ornamentation, or if you’d like to take on Baroque-era repertoire, definitely give it a try!
A Whole New WorldAlan Menken
Among the many works by composer Alan Menken, who created numerous scores for Disney films, the classic “A Whole New World” is especially popular and is frequently performed at weddings and other events.
It’s a romantic piece that evokes the image of Aladdin and Jasmine soaring through the night sky.
You might think it’s difficult because of its grand feel, but in fact the chorus melody stays within a single octave, making it quite approachable even for beginner pianists! To start, why not practice with an arrangement where the left hand plays only chords or a bass line, so you can focus on the melody?
French Suite No. 2, BWV 813: GigueJ.S.Bach
Enveloped in a light, dance-like rhythm, this piece serves as the brilliant finale to the French Suite No.
2.
Its lively 3/8 meter and contrapuntal structure are exquisitely interwoven, creating a beautiful musical dialogue through the interplay between the right and left hands.
Composed around 1722, the work is also included in the music notebook compiled for his wife, Anna Magdalena, conveying the warmth of music-making in the home.
While the key of C minor lends depth and tension, the characteristic vitality of a dance is never lost.
It is recommended for those wishing to take on Baroque music or experience the beauty of counterpoint.
Though it presents technical challenges, it also demands musical expressiveness, making it a compelling work that offers the joy of performing as well as the pleasure of listening.
French Suite No. 1, BWV 812: Minuet IIJ.S.Bach
Among the French Suites, this dance is especially approachable and perfect as an introduction to Baroque music.
Composed around 1722, it is also included in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, making it a warm, home-oriented piece.
It has an elegant yet introspective atmosphere, with Bach’s characteristic counterpoint woven throughout, but the technical demands are kept moderate, making it comfortable to play.
It is usually performed together with Minuet I, and its gentle yet profound expressiveness resonates quietly with listeners.
It’s a recommended piece for those who want to try Baroque music or hone their expressive skills.
French Suite No. 6, BWV 817: SarabandeJ.S.Bach
This is a gem of a movement that infuses the strict form of a French dance with Bach’s characteristic spiritual depth.
Composed around 1722–1725, the piece is built on a stately triple-meter dance of Spanish origin, and its serene, introspective world is shaped by delicate ornamentation and flowing harmonic progressions.
Because it proceeds at a relaxed tempo, it is accessible even to those approaching Baroque music for the first time, allowing players to develop fundamentals while refining tone and expressive nuance.
Rather than dazzling technique, richly emotional expression is prized, making it an excellent choice for those who wish to practice with patience and care.