How To Play 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen (Beginner Piano Lesson)

Since its first recording in 1984, there have been over 100 recordings made of Hallelujah- a beautiful song written and made famous by Leonard Cohen. A notorious perfectionist, he is said to have originally written 80 verses. My favorite explanation of this song's meaning comes from Cohen himself, which is that many kinds of hallelujahs do exist, and all the perfect and broken hallelujahs have equal value.

In the video, we'll show you how to play Hallelujah using a lead sheet. A lead sheet contains treble clef notation, chord names and lyrics, and we have one available for you to download for free! You'll learn two different ways to approach the song. In one, you'll play the notated melody and use the chord names to create your own left hand part, and the other is to forget about that notated melody altogether and create an accompaniment for the song using chords in both hands. This is a very useful skill for playing as an accompanist for yourself or another singer, or in a band setting.

Hallelujah!

Download the free lead sheet here:

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ABOUT LISA:
Lisa Witt has been teaching piano for +20 years and in that time has helped hundreds of thousands of students learn to play the songs they love. Lisa received classical piano training through the Royal Conservatory of Music, but she has since embraced popular music and playing by ear in order to accompany herself and others. She is a songwriter and recording artist. Lisa’s contagious enthusiasm will have you excited to practice and return to the keys for your next lesson. Her teaching style focuses on you, making lessons encouraging and fun.

#hallelujah #pianolessons #pianote #pianotutorial #leonardcohen

[PianoteOfficial]

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[daviddavenport]

This will be the first song I learn. 77 and never played piano. Working on left hand now. It really gets my arm tired. Thanks for the inspiration!

[reubenpilli]

From reading through all the nice comments below, I learnt that this beautiful lady is from Vancouver! No wonder she is such a pleasant personality! She is CANADIAN.


Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for sharing your time and talent - A just retired man from Mississauga, Ontario, with the single minded goal of learning to play the piano, even if it is going to kill me in the process :)

[Rosa-lcun]

3:45 simple way😊
5:12 advanced way😅
6:25 amazing way 🎉🎉🎉
8:20 perfect solo ❤❤❤

[valhallafanmail]

I play five instruments and I sing and have played solo and in bands all my life. I never learned to read music. The way you put this video together speaks to me as a musician and is wonderfully explained in an intuitive manner. I love it, thank you!

[kahunawife]

Lifelong (50+) year guitar player who always desired to play piano, just never had the opportunity. I just bought a full size keyboard and am determined it’s never to late to learn. You have an AMAZING gift of teaching and I have already learned so much! You and your videos are fun, engaging and easy to follow. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so generous with your talent!

[thoughtsatteatime]

Got my first ever keyboard yesterday, aged 56. This is the first song I’m attempting. Loving this tutorial, already got my left hand rolling! Thank you so much 😊

[psychomonk]

as a selftaught pianist, i found a goldmine with that channel

[surfman]

Ive been playing guitar for 30 years and have started playing Piano, I just received a piano that was my grandmothers, Its bringing joy to our home and my 6 year old son is learning with me. Your lessons are great. Thank you.

[MrHichammohsen]

Watched this many times.
For a fresh beginner this would be hard to understand, but for someone who watched at least 10 videos on the basics of piano this is GOLD!
Thank you for everything.

[carmanhinton]

I always wondered how people took a fairly basic song and made it sound so good. I am about to get a Keyboard and start learning. This has given me motivation. Thank you so much.

[HealingNews]

Just going through these songs renews my spirit. I am breaking in a great 88 key midi controller enjoying sound benefits of perfectly tuned great world class 9' grands - next best thing to Heaven - and your simple straight forward style is perfect coaching after mostly working with other keyboardists for 50 years - back on it right now! Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

[cfrankwolfe]

At 72 I am finally learning the piano and this one lesson has everything I have been looking for. It shows so many ways to build on a song from a lead sheet. I will use these techniques on other songs now. Great lesson!

[abelngaleu]

I could literally sit here and listen to you play piano for the rest of my life no need for food or water! This is life 😍😭

[jimjsellshomes]

I used to play synthesizers in the 80's. My last gig was 1985 and my keyboards have been collecting dust since then. I'm retiring from my day job in a month and I want to get back into music but I've found I have lost my skills and my ear. This was very helpful for me to get re-acquainted with a few things. Thank you. I'll be following you.

[melrynp]

I'm a music teacher who works Pro-Bono with children. I love the inverted accompaniment chords in this song. Sounds quite amazing and easy to play. I will teach my children this style of accompaniment and they can use it to play on other songs as well. Thank you so much.

[artistlisapowers]

I've played limited piano since childhood, but never could read notes and therefore I've struggled with learning new songs. I was able to pick this up in one evening, thanks to how you broke it down into easy steps. It sounds like a song!

[merleroupe]

😊 My name is Joseph vida with a t and I started playing Polo when I was a boy but what I mean to say I started playing piano when I was 72 and I'm 75 now. I did play Polo. But now I gain great joy in playing the piano. I can come in and no matter what my mood is or what the problems of the day might be, I have very few problems, thank God, I can sit down at the piano and play whatever God gives me. I play all music that just comes to me. Mostly in the key of c sharp because it's easy for my old fat tire. Fingers to reach those keys. But this song that this young lady is teaching is just such a reaching song deep in my heart. And she's very pleasant. So I pray that I'll be able to learn it. And for all of you out there that are enjoying the piano. Hello. My father was a musician and a singer back in the 40s. I loved the way he could come in and sit down and play and sing and just take us away in the music. It was good for him. That's all. Be happy God Jesus?

[aloha]

I also agree that this channel is gold mine of incredible good tips on music theory that you can apply directly without having to have had 10 years of piano lessons.

[박진우-spd]

I have been working as a piano accompanist in the church for 20 years, maybe. i always think my skill is not enough to give my church brother happiness and emotion.
I got a strong motivation watching this video. especially the player's joyful face on while playing and lessening make me happy too and be impressed to be a good accompanist,
and i realized that the really good accompanist is a joyful accompanist. thanks for this video, it helps me a lot of on the many ways~