Recommended practice pieces for beginner keyboard players

White LoversKuwata Keisuke

Keisuke Kuwata – Shiroi Koibitotachi (Full ver.)

Don’t you want to try singing while playing the keyboard? It’s a solo song by the famed Southern All Stars vocalist, Keisuke Kuwata, released in 2001.

It was featured in a Coca-Cola commercial and became a hot topic.

The lyrics, which depict a heartrending love, will squeeze your chest tight.

Let this song be your gateway into the world of singing with accompaniment!

threadNakajima Miyuki

[Masaki Suda & Nana Komatsu] Film “Ito” Music Video (Miyuki Nakajima’s “Ito” Full Version)

The song Ito, which serves as the theme for the 2020 film Ito starring Masaki Suda and Nana Komatsu, is one of Miyuki Nakajima’s signature tracks, originally released in 1998.

It’s a timeless piano ballad beloved by many.

Ito is in a key with two flats and uses many white keys, making the chords easy to play—perfect for practice.

And if you can add some ad-lib style phrases between the vocal lines, it will color the piece even more beautifully.

For keyboard beginners, I recommend mastering the chord accompaniment first, and once you’re a bit more comfortable, start practicing the phrases!

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Hamada Takuya

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Angel and DemonSEKAI NO OWARI

The End of the World / Angels and Demons

A great recommendation for keyboardists who want to start learning chords is SEKAI NO OWARI’s “Tenshi to Akuma” (Angel and Devil).

Released in 2010, it was chosen as the theme song for the TV drama “Reinōryokusha Odagiri Kyōko no Uso” starring Satomi Ishihara, and it reached No.

8 on the Oricon singles chart.

While it doesn’t have particularly flashy phrases, that actually makes it perfect for practicing chord playing to support the song.

“Tenshi to Akuma” is in a key with two flats, so it uses many white keys, making the chords easy to press and ideal for practice.

It’s a relatively easy piece to play!

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Hamada Takuya

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HEROMr.Children

Mr.Children「HERO」［(an imitation)blood orange］Tour2013 Live

How about taking on a grand, message-driven song? This track by Mr.Children—a rock band that has long been at the forefront of the Japanese music scene—was released in 2002.

It’s a classic, with Sakurai’s clear, soaring vocals piercing the heart.

If you want to play a Mr.Children song, starting with a slow ballad like this is recommended.

Be careful not to rush your finger movements.

cherry blossomMoriyama Naotaro

Naotaro Moriyama – Sakura (Solo)

Many of you may have sung this at your graduation ceremony.

It’s one of singer-songwriter Naotaro Moriyama’s signature songs, released as his second single in 2003.

Moriyama’s rich vocals pair beautifully with the piano tones, making it a perfect classic for spring.

Since the tempo is on the slower side, be mindful to articulate each note clearly.

Tearful KissSazan Ōrusutāzu

Tears Kiss (cover) Southern All Stars

It was used as the theme song for the drama “Zutto Anata ga Suki Datta” and became a big hit.

It’s one of Southern All Stars’ signature songs, released as a single in 1992.

It sold over a million copies.

Songs that familiar are the kind you want to try playing, aren’t they?

FlowerORANGE RANGE

ORANGE RANGE – Flowers

It’s a moving ballad that sings of overflowing love for someone special.

It’s a song by ORANGE RANGE, a mixture rock band from Okinawa Prefecture, released in 2004 as their eighth single.

It was chosen as the theme song for the film “Be with You.” As you play it, think about who that person is for you.