Piano Guidance
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What is the most familiar song?

The Top 50 most iconic songs of all time Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana. Imagine - John Lennon. One - U2. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen. Hey Jude - The Beatles. Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan. I Can't Get No Satisfaction - Rolling Stones. More items...

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The 50 most iconic songs of all time* have been revealed

*According to science.

Science has the definitive word on quite a lot of things, but given that it’s is so open to interpretation and taste, music is certainly not one of them. Despite that, a computer scientist in the University of London has sought to apply a formula to what determines the greatest songs of all time and, in his highly-scientific experiment, he’s come up with a definitive list of the top 50. According to the Daily Mail, Dr Mick Grierson examined a whole host of songs that appeared in ‘greatest songs of all-time’ lists in newspapers, on music stations like VH1 and in iconic music publications such as Q, NME and Rolling Stone. Indie, Disco, Anthems and Rock, they're all in there. Commissioned by car manufacturer Fiat, who wanted to identify a song they could use to promote the FIAT 500, he also used analytical software in an attempt to put a finger on what exactly made those tunes iconic. Calling all DERRY GIRLS fans! Don't forget to check out our exclusive chat with Lisa McGee right here! That involved taking into account factors such as beats per minute, chord variety, lyrical content and eh, timbral variety and sonic variance before arriving at the list you can see below.

We're certainly not going to argue with number one.

Turns out science doesn’t have a bad taste in music after all.

The Top 50 most iconic songs of all time

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana Imagine - John Lennon One - U2 Billie Jean - Michael Jackson Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen Hey Jude - The Beatles Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan I Can't Get No Satisfaction - Rolling Stones God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols Sweet Child O'Mine - Guns N' Roses London Calling - The Clash Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks Hotel California - The Eagles Your Song - Elton John Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin The Twist - Chubby Checker Live Forever - Oasis I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston Life On Mars? - David Bowie Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley Over The Rainbow - Judy Garland What's Goin' On - Marvin Gaye Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen Be My Baby - The Ronettes Creep - Radiohead Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel Respect - Aretha Franklin Family Affair - Sly And The Family Stone Dancing Queen - ABBA Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix Yesterday - The Beatles Jonny B Good - Chuck Berry No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley Every Breath You Take - The Police A Day In The Life - The Beatles Stand By Me - Ben E King Papa's Got A Brand New Bag - James Brown Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones What'd I Say - Ray Charles Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits God Only Knows - The Beach Boys You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - The Righteous Brothers My Generation - The Who Dancing In The Street - Martha Reeves and the Vandellas When Doves Cry - Prince A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke River Deep Mountain High - Ike and Tina Turner Best Of My Love - The Emotions

Is it better for keyboard to be flat or angled?
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What level piano piece is Clair de lune?

'Clair de lune' is just one of those extra-special piano pieces that we all want to learn how to play. Its stunning, lilting melody is one that sticks in the brain as soon as you hear it. It's an intermediate/advanced-level piece and has its fair share of challenges.

'Clair de lune' is just one of those extra-special piano pieces that we all want to learn how to play. Its stunning, lilting melody is one that sticks in the brain as soon as you hear it. It's an intermediate/advanced-level piece and has its fair share of challenges. And whilst the piece as a whole may be out of reach for the beginner, the famous opening melody is certainly accessible to any level of pianist. Celebrated French pianist, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, breaks this piece down phrase-by-phrase in his video lesson, revealing the work's hidden meaning and provides practical advice for navigating its textures and moods. Bavouzet pulls apart the work's many challenges, both technical and musical. From fingering and mechanics to analysing layers and harmonies, his lesson proves that, in his words, "the more you know about the music, the more you find it extraordinary.”

Enjoy his full, 35-minute lesson on the piece below.

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A special thanks to tonebase for supplying us with this lesson! The platform offers hundreds of lessons, courses, and interviews with renowned pedagogues and GRAMMY award-winning pianists. Tonebase have given us the chance to provide you with a 14-day free trial & a 30% discount on all plans. To get the 30% discount, click here and use the code 'PIANIST-MAG-30' at the checkout.

Bavouzet appeared on the cover of Pianist 101. Get your copy here.

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