ClassPiano

Now I See

Regan Starr — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:40 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music Since the left hand just has block chords in measure 9-23, you can focus on the right hand rhythm. Measure 24-27 should start softly and then get louder and louder. You want these measures to build up […]

What If You Couldn’t Fail?

Regan Starr — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:00:36 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in the key of G-major with a medium-slow tempo. You should use the sustain pedal throughout to make the notes smooth and flowing. Make sure the left hand doesn’t cover up the right […]

That Never Gets Old

Regan Starr — Sat, 04 May 2013 18:15:04 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in B-flat Major with two flats in the key signature. After a short intro, the verse begins at measure 6, which contains a lot of syncopated chords. The chorus begins at measure 22. […]

The Story Of Our Lives

Regan Starr — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:30:03 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I wrote this song a few years ago when I was in college. I’ve added a few changes since then to make it more interesting. The song starts in C-major and and then changes to D-major […]

Some People

Regan Starr — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 17:00:27 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a jazz tune in the key of D-minor. There’s one flat in the key signature and the eighth notes should be swung. The intro has a low bass line that descends underneath syncopated right […]

Port And Starboard

Regan Starr — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:00:28 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music The left hand has simple chords for measure 1-17, so focus more on the right hand. Notice how sometimes the left hand chord falls on the same beat as a right hand note, and other times the […]

Rivalry

Regan Starr — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:00:54 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music The opening section consists of a single note bass line and an arpeggiated melody. The left hand is very simple, but the right hand has a lot of movement. Reset the sustain pedal about every two […]

Roses Upon The Stage

Regan Starr — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:00:50 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I actually wrote this song a few years ago when I was a student in college. I’ve made a few changes since then to try and improve the song. For the intro, the left hand has […]

Tell Me

Regan Starr — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:00:34 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music After the arpeggio intro, the left hand switches to treble clef at measure 9. The right hand has a grace note at the beginning of measure 13. This note should be played immediately before the F#. […]

Barnyard Blues

Regan Starr — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 17:00:51 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song uses a standard 12-bar blues progression in the key of C-major. The quick grace notes help give it a “down on the farm” flavor. The main section starts at measure 5 and is fairly […]

Keep In Touch

Regan Starr — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:00:24 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in 3/4. The intro is played in a high register with the left hand in treble clef and the right hand with lots of ledger lines. The left hand changes to bass clef […]

Knock Knock

Regan Starr — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:00:08 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music The song starts with a solo melody line that is answered with a short bass riff. Things get going at measure 10 with some harmony and a steady beat in the left hand. The bass riff […]

From Words To Worlds

Regan Starr — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:30:04 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music This song has some unique chord progressions that I’ve never tried before. Sometimes shuffling chords around, or throwing in unrelated chords, can lead to new compositional ideas. The form of this song is AABA, so once you […]

One Thing Leads To Another

Regan Starr — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:00:16 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in the key of G-major, with one sharp in the key signature. The beginning should be played softly using the sustain pedal. A simple melody is introduced at measure 10 and then harmonized […]

The Way Back

Regan Starr — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:00:44 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in the key of B-flat with a moderately slow tempo. I came up with the music for measures 5-8 a few months ago, but I was having trouble figuring out what to write […]

Shadow Of A Doubt

Regan Starr — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 16:04:08 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in the key of G-minor with two flats in the key signature: Bb and Eb. Make sure you pay attention to all of the clef changes in the left hand. For example, the […]

Act One

Regan Starr — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:00:43 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I was in the mood for writing a fast song with a busy right hand part. This is in the key of A-major and has three sharps in the key signature. There are a bunch of […]

Lead You Home

Regan Starr — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 18:00:19 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music The opening measures have a lot of fast sixteenth notes and this is probably the most difficult section in this song. I recommend slowing this part way down to figure out exactly how the hands work […]

Soda Shop

Regan Starr — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:00:10 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I tried to write this song with a 50′s rock feel. The left hand has a classic bass line at measure 25 and you should really hammer this out. The right hand melody is played in […]

Keep It To Myself

Regan Starr — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 18:30:46 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is an easygoing tune with a simple melody. The eighth notes are played unevenly because of the “Swing” style. Since the intro tag is played twice, you can play the second one much softer so […]

Sidewalk Cafe

Regan Starr — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:00:44 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music This song is in 3/4 and has a bit of a waltz feel to it. It makes me think of a street scene in Paris. The left hand should emphasize the downbeat of each measure, and then […]

Let’s Pretend

Regan Starr — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:00:50 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music The main melody is introduced at the beginning with some simple chords. Make sure the left hand doesn’t cover up the melody. The melody is repeated in measures 10-17 with a more complex accompaniment. Pay attention […]

Get What You Deserve

Regan Starr — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 18:00:05 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in the key of G-minor and has two flats in the key signature. Remember those flats throughout the piece, but also watch out for all the accidentals. By the way, this song is […]

Figure This Out

Regan Starr — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:00:13 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music The intro looks a little complicated, but it’s really just the same right hand melody repeated over changing left hand notes. The only change in the right hand is in measures 7-8 and 15-16. Now look at […]

Moonlight On The Snow

Regan Starr — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:00:25 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song introduces a simple melody and descending bass line, then gradually increases in complexity. The most difficult section is probably measure 81-96. The right hand is played in 3rds. Take some time to decide the […]

Something To Believe

Regan Starr — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 18:00:07 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song should be played with a heavy swing. That means, instead of playing the eighth notes evenly, you make the strong beats longer and the weak beats shorter. That might be a little confusing, but […]

Another Uncertain Night

Regan Starr — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 18:00:49 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music The key to learning this song is to make your left hand very smooth and steady. The right hand melody is fairly simple, so focus on an even left hand. At the same time, don’t let […]

Too Much And Too Soon

Regan Starr — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 18:00:13 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in 6/8 time, which gives it a triplet feel. Remember that there are 6 beats in each measure and every eighth note is one beat. Use the sustain pedal at measure 41 to […]

Something Amazing

Regan Starr — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 18:00:55 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music In measures 1-8, the right hand is actually playing in octaves and filling in with chord tones at the same time. This is a common technique in piano, but it can be difficult if your hand […]

Say Yes

Regan Starr — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:00:40 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a combination of two songs. I tried to take the best elements of both and put them together. It’s a simple, relaxing song in G major. Things get a little more challenging at measure […]

Blast From The Past

Regan Starr — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 18:00:40 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is a combination of a few different rock/blues ideas that I’ve had in my head lately. I put in a “call and response” section at measure 37. I imagine the backup singers echoing the […]

Names In The Stone

Regan Starr — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:00:17 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music This song uses a very common chord progression called the Circle of Fifths in places like measure 1-8 and measure 9-16. Since the right hand has a single note melody starting at measure 9, focus on a […]

Someday

Regan Starr — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:00:28 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I wrote this song back in 2008. Originally, it had lyrics that I would sing as I played an accompaniment. It was difficult to combine everything into one piano part, but I hope you like what […]

Flip The Switch

Regan Starr — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:00:36 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is actually a combination of two songs. I realized that I had written two separate pieces in a similar tempo and style, but neither one was that great. I took the best parts of both […]

Won’t Go Away

Regan Starr — Sun, 25 Nov 2012 18:00:16 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the sheet music This song uses a lot of repeated right hand patterns played over a left hand chord progression. Measure 21-27 is a good example. Each measure of the right hand starts with a chord played twice, and then […]

Finally

Regan Starr — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:00:11 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I was going to make this song a “vocal” piece, with a main right hand melody, but then I got a few more ideas and it quickly turned into an “instrumental” piece. Hopefully your left hand […]

Smoke Screen

Regan Starr — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:00:23 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a latin-jazz tune in E minor. I’m not very familiar with latin-jazz, so consider this song an educated guess. It uses common chord progressions like a descending bass (m. 1) and the circle of […]

Either Way

Regan Starr — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:00:25 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in triple meter and has a time signature of 3/4. I’m pretty sure I could have written it in 6/8 as well, but 3/4 feels a little simpler to me. I don’t write […]

A Losing Game

Regan Starr — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:00:35 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a sad, slow song in B minor. I actually wrote this song reverse. By that I mean, the very first idea I came up with was measure 43-47. I kept coming up with new […]

Ready When You Are

Regan Starr — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:00:01 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I’m not entirely sure what genre this fits into. It kind of has a “World Music” feel to it. There are a lot of syncopated rhythms, which might look really complex at first. If you’re having […]

That Kind Of Girl

Regan Starr — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 17:00:56 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a rock song in the key of G-major. However, there are no F-sharps in this song, so I left the key signature empty. When I was writing this, I wanted to come up with […]

A Thousand Lives

Regan Starr — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 17:00:01 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is one of the first songs I wrote when I started at Indiana University back in the fall of 2007. I actually wrote this on an acoustic guitar, but it translates well to the piano. […]

White Whale

Regan Starr — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 16:00:13 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This may seem difficult at first, but it’s really not that hard (except maybe the ending.) It’s a fast, driving song in D-minor. The articulations (accents, staccatos, etc.) help give the piece it’s character. As always, […]

It’s Worth Doing Right

Regan Starr — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:00:40 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is a mix of Gospel and Blues with a little Country thrown in. I’m not quite sure what it is, but I like it. It’s got a heavy swing feel and it’s in the […]

Indescribable

Regan Starr — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:00:01 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I wrote this song when I was 14 and it’s one of my earliest original songs. I would play the acoustic guitar and sing some cheesy lyrics. I think the chorus went something like… The way […]

Liar Liar

Regan Starr — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:00:20 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a fast, jumpy song with a bunch of interesting rhythms. The right hand changes frequently between treble and bass clef, so watch out. The song is sort of in G-major, except it doesn’t have […]

Yes Ma’am

Regan Starr — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 16:00:08 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This is a straight-feel blues tune with a moderate tempo. It’s in the key of C-major and the eighth notes are not swung. Most of this song follows a 12-bar blues form, like measures 5-16, but […]

First Time For Everything

Regan Starr — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:00:33 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music A lot of my music is in 4/4 time. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I thought I’d write something in 3/4 time to change things up. This song is in the key of G-Major and […]

Back To School

Regan Starr — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 15:00:25 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music I felt like writing a nice, light jazz tune for the start of the fall semester. This song is in the key of C-major with a key change to D-major at measure 63. The form of […]

Make It Alright

Regan Starr — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:00:23 +0000

(The video player has a ‘Full screen’ button to make it bigger) Click here for the free sheet music This song is in the key of E-flat major with three flats in the key signature: Bb, Eb, and Ab. The main melody is introduced in measure 8 with a single note bass line in the […]