"Jingle Bells" Piano: Etiquette

Series Summary

The piano is easily one of the most recognizable musical instruments in the world. Since the early 18th century, musicians have used the piano to compose a myriad of musical compositions. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Haydn all created sublime masterpieces for the piano. Creating music on the piano is a challenging and rewarding endeavor, given the incredible octave range of the piano and dynamic adjustment.

"Jingle Bells" is one of the most well-known songs for the holiday season, and playing "Jingle Bells" on the piano is easier than you might think. In fact, it is a great song for children to learn on the piano. In this free video series, a music theory graduate will teach you how to play "Jingle Bells" on the piano with step-by-step lessons. You'll learn how to play verse and chorus parts for both the right hand and left hand, as well as how to use the sustaining pedal and add flair with arpeggios. With these music lessons and piano tips, you'll be able to put on a great "Jingle Bells" performance.

Video Transcript

"Let's say you want to play piano at a party, "Jingle Bells" for instance. Well, the first thing you want to do is not seem like you don't know what you are doing. Be kind of respectful of the piano and the keyboard, you don't want to go in there and start banging on the keys. You want to be very delicate and just seem like you are actually a piano player. At the same time you don't want to go in there and create expectations for yourself. Obviously, if everyone knows you are a piano player they are going to expect something more than just "Jingle Bells." So if you go in there kind of smooth and just say "yeah, I play a little piano," especially around the holidays, it would be perfect for you to play "Jingle Bells" and kind of catch them off guard, like, "wow, this guy can really play." So, the next section we are going to cover position, fingers, and notes and we will get you on your way to playing "Jingle Bells" pretty good."