# Recommend some basic piano sheet music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 4, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527 "2014-02-04T22:36:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/1 "2014-02-04T22:36:21Z")
After a few decades of hibernation, I’m resolved to pick up my (very rudimentary) piano skills again. I breezed through the first six or seven lesson books at an accelerated pace back when I was younger (I already knew how to read music and had been horsing around on my sister’s books for years), but I stopped after a year because I hatedhatedhatedhated my teacher. But I still kept it up on my own into college, and would try to find piano pieces from the (mostly) classical repertoire that were within my skill level and didn’t have terrifying key signatures. Satie & basic Debussy were faves, some Beethoven, but I learned Joplin too, and other recognizable bits (“Terms of Endearment” theme, “Linus & Lucy”, etc.). I don’t have any of that music anymore, so I need to start from scratch. I already bought a Piano Exercises for Dummies book so I can work on my scales, fingering, etc. I know that’s important and a priority (especially since I’m twice as old as I was back then). But I also want to slowly start eking out some tunes, too. And this means pieces that were written specifically for piano. I’m not much into popular tune compilation books, since the arrangements usually suck–though if you know a Great American Songbook collection that might be worth exploring, I’d be interested in that, too. But mostly, classical or ragtime or early jazz suggestions–something that will be a challenge but also well-suited for my (admittedly slow) speed. Thanks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/2 "2014-02-04T22:40:53Z")
I don’t have a suggestion off the top of my head, but I’m curious about your skill level. If you can play ragtime, Debussy, some Beethoven, etc., sounds to me like you’re at _least_ intermediate, not “very rudimentary”! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/3 "2014-02-04T23:25:53Z")
[Classic Piano Rags](http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Piano-Rags-Complete-Original/dp/0486204693/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391556202&sr=8-1&keywords=classic+piano+rags), Rudi Blesh, Dover, 1973 Contains works by Scott Joplin, James Scott, Joseph Lamb, Artie Matthews, Charles Hunter, and a few others. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/4 "2014-02-05T02:31:44Z")
[Sheetmusicplus.com](http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/welcome) has all sorts of piano sheet music in many styles. Maybe you can try searching there for easy piano sheet music. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/5 "2014-02-05T07:55:48Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Satie & basic Debussy were faves, some Beethoven, but I learned Joplin too, and other recognizable bits (“Terms of Endearment” theme, “Linus & Lucy”, etc.). > > I don’t have any of that music anymore, so I need to start from scratch. I would start with getting songbooks with Satie, Debussy, Beethoven, Joplin, Linus & Lucy, and other songs you used to play. ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/6 "2014-02-05T09:40:23Z")
> **[GRIN - Goldberg Variations](https://www.grin.com/document/197040)** > > Goldberg Variations. MuseScore edition by Werner Schweer - Musik / Sonstiges - Fachbuch 2012 - ebook 0,- € - GRIN It’s a creative commons licensed free download. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/7 "2014-02-05T12:11:54Z")
If you’re looking for free sheet music, [imslp.org](http://imslp.org) has quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/8 "2014-02-05T19:37:43Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > I don’t have a suggestion off the top of my head, but I’m curious about your skill level. If you can play ragtime, Debussy, some Beethoven, etc., sounds to me like you’re at _least_ intermediate, not “very rudimentary”! Well, keep in mind that these are cherry-picked pieces, the easiest of the easy. Most of their canon I’m not even remotely equipped to handle. So maybe pre-intermediate. 😉 Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Like GreenElf suggested, I will revisit some of the numbers I’d already learned, but I did want to explore some new pieces, too. With the websites, I’m hoping that the actual music is visible, not just the title of the work. Often, I’ll hear something that sounds doable, only to see the key signature is way out of my league, :eek: so that plays an important part in my decision-making. This is a great start so far. Thanks! 🙂 Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/9 "2014-02-05T20:42:38Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > With the websites, I’m hoping that the actual music is visible, not just the title of the work. Often, I’ll hear something that sounds doable, only to see the key signature is way out of my league, :eek: so that plays an important part in my decision-making. I happen to have a copy of the Rudi Blesh book. Much of it is B-flat, F, C, and G. There are a few that go down to E-flat, A-flat, and a couple in D-flat. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/10 "2014-02-05T21:02:14Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > I happen to have a copy of the Rudi Blesh book. Much of it is B-flat, F, C, and G. There are a few that go down to E-flat, A-flat, and a couple in D-flat. Excellent! Of course, the challenge with ragtime is the syncopation and the speed, but they are great fun so I’m going to head to Amazon now (and maybe purhcase a Satie as well). 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-basic-piano-sheet-music/680527/11 "2014-02-05T22:29:37Z")
My first forays into “real” piano music were the simpler two-part inventions by Bach. They’re pleasingly straightforward, none of that sixteenths with the right hand and triplets with the left crap that Debussy does.