Here’s a helpful list of songs that can be played using only the black keys on the piano. From almost the very first lesson, I like to have students working on picking out songs by ear. This will be a great list to keep on hand!
Black Key Songs
Share and enjoy!
I once saw a musicologist on TV who said that all spirituals could be played on the black keys, as they are based on penatonic scales as sung by the Africans who came to the West on slave ships. John Newton, having been a slave-trader, no doubt heard this kind of melodic pattern and put words to it to create “Amazing Grace.” I just showed this to some students tonight, although we couldn’t come up with a very long list of spirituals. Those we did think of certainly fit the pentatonic pattern.
Wow, that’s fascinating, Sally! I’d love to have the list of spirituals you came up with. Thanks for sharing this info!