Play Songs By Ear On The Piano (No Score, No Chord Charts)

How can you play by ear if you don't have perfect pitch, you don't have sheet music, you don't even have a chord chart?! Read below:

It IS possible! Developing your ear is a skill that takes time to learn, but because it's a skill that means you CAN learn it.

I have been working on it for pretty much my whole life, and in that time I've picked up a few tips that can make the process faster and easier.

We're going to use the song "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran as our example song today. I don't have the music, I don't have a chord chart. I just have my ear.

So let's go!

Here are all the tips with the relevant timecodes:

- Tip #1 - Figure out what key the song is in - 0:21

- Tip #2 - Figure out the chord progression - 2:01

- Tip #3 - Be patient - 3:30

- Tip #4 - If you won't want to sing - 4:08

Knowing how to play chords (and some popular chord progression) will make a HUGE difference with this skill. You can learn all about them for FREE with our Chord Hacks series:

You can also start learning piano today with 4 FREE lessons for absolute beginners:

Ready to level up your playing? Get personal coaching tips and structured lessons: enjoy your free 7-day trial to Pianote!

Follow us:

Follow Lisa:

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.

[PianoteOfficial]

Ready to level up your playing? Get personal coaching tips and structured lessons: enjoy your free 7-day trial to Pianote!

[inevitabley]

I've been taking piano lessons for 7 years (can't play by ear at all), and I have come across people who can play so many songs by ear. That's why I decided to look this up and learn how to play songs by ear if anyone requests. Thank you for the help! This makes me want to try it even more now, if only it weren't so late. This helped me some, and I thank you for that!

[emiliobaez]

who is this person. she's amazing with transitioning between instruction and human example

[ronadelle]

I play in church on Sundays and I am gradually learning to play by ear. And the process is so enjoyable from finding the key to its chord progression. It sparks joy in my heart.

This has been very helpful. Totally a fan of yours.

[PianoteOfficial]

Here are the timecodes for all the tips!
Tip #1 - Figure out what key the song is in - 0:21
Tip #2 - Figure out the chord progression - 2:01
Tip #3 - Be patient - 3:30
Tip #4 - If you won't want to sing - 4:08

[graciellaangelanebres]

Her process of playing piano by ear is just the same as mine! All smiles here. I just can relate to her.

[timjohnson]

whoever is reading this, I hope something great happens to you today

[TechTins_Projects]

You can find the key by just humming the note that seems to fit the whole song. That is normally the key. You will know if it is correct key by playing random key notes along with song and if they sound okay then you definitely found the key. Then write down the chords for that key. Sing song on start chord wait until is sounds wrong then try any of the chords from the found key until find one that fits. If none of them fit I then try them all again as 7ths, then all again with sus2, sus4s, flat 5s etc. Takes time at first but gets easier very quickly.

[quocanhus]

Play by ear was always a mystery for me until I watch this. Great video!

[celesteabdon]

This was so helpful. And you sing like an angel! 💜

[ancientcrescent]

I've been taking piano lessons for almost 2 years and I can play some songs by ear but am trying to improve and refine this skill. And thanks for the lessons. You're such an amazing person! From the Philippines:)

[kriss]

YOU ARE AN AMAZING PIANO
BLESS YOU <3

[biancaantoniabudai]

You have such a wonderful voice!😍❤️ I loved the lesson by the way😍

[TateMorrison-cntr]

Thank you so much for this! It is SO hard to find piano videos with this much value. Thank you.

[kolaiSon]

Ive done an experiment i watched this girl every day for a month and now i can play almost every song i hear. Thanks so much!

[makkotler]

An entire play by ear course in a concise edition lifted to different level at the end.

[ProntoPiano]

Thanks for the video! now I can play by ear better than I was before.

[RanjeetKumar-hcts]

Hi, I admire the way you teach . I am playing piano since two years same as you are teaching. From india

[praveent]

hi i am praveen and i am from india your vedios are wonderfull and the way you demonstrate things are is good. I am blind and its really helpfull for me.

[davidgogonea]

hi from romania, i like your happy style...you are full of energy, keep going like this, bravo!!!