Need a "Cool" song for 10yo Piano Student

[ii7-V7]

My son has been taking Piano lessons for three years. He's not bad. But his teacher has yet to move beyond "Oh, Susanna," etc. He's getting bored. I feel like I could keep him interested if I could get him to play something that he liked.

This poses a couple of issues. First, I'm not a piano player. I can figure a few things out, but I'm no Chopin. Second, as a ten year old he doesn't have a huge list of songs that he likes. He listens to pop radio and likes video game songs. I asked him what he wanted to learn and he said "The Zelda Theme from Breath of the Wild." I looked it up. It's wicked complicated. Far beyond either of us. I know that he likes the song Video Killed the Radio Star...I couldn't find a simple enough version that I thought I'd be able to teach him.

I know with guitar and bass there are some simple tunes that everyone learns (Smoke on the Water, etc.). Are there any equivalents for piano? Any recommendations for a song that I can learn and can teach him? Any help is better than where we are right now.

 

[Gorn]

How about some Dave Brubeck.

 

[bolophonic]

I think this song is really cool.

 

[zbigniew]

My nine year old likes to play the theme to Star Wars in a simple arrangement

 

[ii7-V7]

How about some Dave Brubeck.

I could probably pick up Take Five on the Piano, but not the boy.

 

[ii7-V7]

My nine year old likes to play the theme to Star Wars in a simple arrangement

My son loves Star Wars. Is there a book out there with simple arrangements?

 

[Alkali Ike]

 

[zbigniew]

My son loves Star Wars. Is there a book out there with simple arrangements?

Oh! He actually got a photocopy from his teacher, there should be a book availble somewhere.

 

[bolophonic]

I inherited the piano that I took lessons on when I was 10, and there in the bench was all the sheet music, tucked away for 30 odd years like a time capsule. I recently looked through it and there was nothing cool. It's no wonder I never stuck with it. I basically went from Mozart to "Put On Your Heartlight" and then gave up and pined for rock and roll until I bought a bass when I was 15 and hooked it up somehow to a record player to jam out to Billy Idol.

Also: sorry about the awful song I posted, but I really do like it.

 

[Alkali Ike]

When encouraging youth to learn music, there is no bad song if they exert effort to learn to to play it. They’ll figure out good from bad as they progress.

 

[Tom Lane]

Linus and Lucy? Harmonically pretty simple, cool groove in the left hand, catchy melody in the right.

 

[Tom Bomb]

Why don't you write one together Start from a chat about the sounds he likes, favorite notes and chords, and take it from there. He's bound to love it if you make it fun.

I was just listening to Let 'em In,

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Might work - t's a fun, melodic tune. Doesn't seem too difficult but there's lots of musicality, good song-craft, and enough complexity to make it challenging and interesting

 

[FilterFunk]

Bernie Worrell demonstrates Funkadelic's "One Nation Under A Groove":

 

[ii7-V7]

Lot's of good advice here. Thanks everyone!

 

[ptg]

Linus and Lucy? Harmonically pretty simple, cool groove in the left hand, catchy melody in the right.

This is deceptively hard to play. I have played with some pretty good musicians who have trouble with the syncopation of the left hand as it is no easy task. Just sayin' (and I love the song!)

 

[Tom Lane]

This is deceptively hard to play. I have played with some pretty good musicians who have trouble with the syncopation of the left hand as it is no easy task. Just sayin' (and I love the song!)

Perfect! It'll give the kid a challenge!

 

[Fishheadjoe]

Dream On Aerosmith. Youtube has some folks that'll show him how to play it and it's a cool song!
Fishheadjoe

 

[ptg]

Perfect! It'll give the kid a challenge!

Lol!

 

[MJ5150]

Layla.

-Mike

 

[knumbskull]

The intro riff from Imagine is nice.

When i was a kid i figured out the riff from Jump by Van Halen on piano, which is fun... wish i could remember it!