Guides
Notes for learning Chopin
Which note did Chopin write?Decisions we made where Chopin's editions give different notes.The nocturnes, ranked by difficultyAll 21, easiest first, each hand rated on its own.Which Chopin nocturne to learn firstOp. 32 No. 1 first. Op. 9 No. 2 waits on leaps of a tenth.The easiest Chopin piece in every genreThe Waltz in A minor is a 3. Nothing else is rated below 4.Chopin for intermediate and returning adultsFrom the E minor prelude to the Fantaisie-Impromptu.Every Chopin piece by difficultyPublished levels beside ours, from the Waltz in A minor at 3 to the Barcarolle at 8.Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2: the chords, bar by barEvery chord in E♭ major with its roman numeral, all 34 bars.Prelude in E minor, Op. 28 No. 4: chords and analysisTwenty-five bars, one melody note at a time, and a left hand that slides down by half steps.Nocturne Op. 9 No. 1: opening chords and form85 bars · 6/4 · Larghetto · Level 5 of 8Nocturne Op. 15 No. 2: opening chords and form62 bars · 2/4 · Larghetto · Level 6 of 8Nocturne Op. 27 No. 1: opening chords and form101 bars · 4/4 · Larghetto · Level 6 of 8Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2: opening chords and form77 bars · 6/8 · Lento sostenuto · Level 6 of 8Nocturne Op. 32 No. 1: opening chords and form65 bars · 4/4 · Andante sostenuto · Level 4 of 8Nocturne Op. 48 No. 1: opening chords and form77 bars · 4/4 · Lento · Level 7 of 8Nocturne Op. 55 No. 1: opening chords and form101 bars · 4/4 · Andante · Level 5 of 8Waltz Op. 64 No. 2: opening chords and form192 bars · 3/4 · Tempo giusto · Level 5 of 8Fantaisie-Impromptu Op. 66: opening chords and form138 bars · 4/4 · Allegro agitato · Level 7 of 8Chopin's left-hand patterns, ranked by stretchFive patterns, widest first, from a two-octave arpeggio to chords that slide by half step.How to memorize a Chopin nocturne, harmony firstSection letters, then the chords, then the left hand.Best piano learning resources for intermediate playersAdult Piano Adventures Book 2 at $24.99, tonebase at $359 a year, lessons at $87 an hour.Best resources for learning ChopinHenle at €27.50, the National Edition at $29.95, lessons, recordings and Walker's biography.Best edition of the Chopin nocturnesHenle HN 185 at €27.50, then Paderewski, the National Edition, and Peters.Simplified Chopin editions, comparedKilhamn keeps the most. Chopin Left Hand leaves the right hand alone.Best music theory apps and books for classical pianistsmusictheory.net is free, Tenuto is $4.99, and the chord names are in the E minor prelude.Best piano apps for intermediate adultsflowkey from $99.99 a year, Piano Marvel's free plan, forScore at $24.99.