As Elton John once sang, (while playing the piano), “Sad songs say so much.” Which is one of the reasons they are so fun to play, especially when you have the right accessories.

However, when you’re a beginner, it’s a little tougher to find music you can play with emotion without sounding like a sorrowful alley cat. That’s why we’re providing you with a few of our favourite sad piano music pieces.

Danny Boy

“Danny Boy” is the perfect choice when performing sad piano music. Typically known as an Irish ballad whose lyrics were written by Frederic Weatherly. It’s usually set to the tune “Londonderry Air”.

The piece lasts for one minute and 39 seconds but is long enough to have any listener feel nostalgic and sad. While you should have some experience playing piano before you attempt to perform Danny Boy, it’s a great piece for beginners to learn to play.

All of Me by John Legend

John Legend is a living legend, which is how he actually acquired his stage name since his birth name is really John Roger Stephens. However, his talent is so great that a poet named J. Ivy decided to call him, John Legend. The name stuck.

All of Me is a beautiful piece of music perfect for beginners. It was written for his wife Chrissy Teigen and was such a successful song that it quickly became the third best-selling song in the US and the UK in 2014. It also reached the top ten in numerous other countries.

Not only are the words gorgeous, but it’s an easy and beautiful piece to play on the piano. Best of all, you should be able to learn how to play “All of Me” in one day.

Let It Be by The Beatles

Everyone should be able to sing along to “Let It Be” but even without the lyrics, this piece is beautiful when played alone on the piano. It’s also an easy piece to learn when you’re just starting out.

It was written by Paul McCartney about his mother, Mary who had passed away when he was just 14 years old. He wrote it 10 years after her death when she came to him in a dream at a time when he was feeling anxious so it’s the perfect choice when looking for sad piano music to play.

No Sad Piano Music List Is Complete Without Amazing Grace

“Amazing Grace” is a hauntingly beautiful piece of music that was written by John Newton who was a British slave trader who gave it up to become a pastor. He later helped end the slave trade in Britain.

John Newton wrote “Amazing Grace” in 1773 for a New Year’s Day service but it was William Walker who added the current and familiar hymnal.

Since it provides four slightly different hand positions, it’s a perfect piece for any beginner to develop their keyboard and finger awareness.

How to Learn to Play Piano Without a Teacher

Not everyone wants to learn how to play the piano by getting a teacher. Perhaps you don’t have the time to book a lesson or you’re just someone who likes to learn on their own.

The ONE Smart Piano provides a self-motivated and fun approach that gets beginners practicing more regularly, it’s more than just an additional tool to learn piano. So sign up now to get free piano lessons sent straight to your inbox.