How to Play Piano by Ear (Even If You’ve Never Tried Before)

Most pianists are taught to rely on sheet music, but what if you could sit down and just play what you hear?

Playing by ear is one of the most freeing and impressive skills you can develop at the piano. It unlocks your creativity, deepens your understanding of music, and makes learning new songs way faster. And no, it’s not just for people with “natural talent.” It’s a skill you can learn step by step.

On my True Piano Mastery blog, I’ve laid out a practical roadmap to get you started. I break down how to play piano by ear in 6 simple steps, based on real-life experience and designed especially for self-taught players.

Here’s a sneak peek at the first two steps:

Step 1: Choose the Right Music

Before you even touch the keys, it’s crucial to pick the right piece. Start with something simple and clear, like a pop song or a strong melody from a movie soundtrack. You want music that’s relatively easy to hear and break down, so you can improve from there.

Step 2: Find the Melody

Once you’ve chosen your song (say, Love Story by Indila), focus on picking out the melody, the part you’d naturally hum or sing along with. Play the audio a few times, then try to reproduce it with your right hand, one note at a time.

Based on the melody alone, you can often figure out the key signature too (check out the full post for extra guidance), which will help you improvise on the music later on.

These first two steps are simple, but powerful. They help you train your ears in a way that builds real musical independence.

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