Road to Piano Man
Billy Joel · Grade 5
Piano Man was written and recorded by Billy Joel and released in November 1973 as the title track of his second album. Joel has said the characters in the song are composite figures drawn from people he met while playing the bar circuit in Los Angeles in 1972, when his recording career had stalled. The piano part's defining feature is its 3/4 waltz rhythm — a broken-chord bass pattern that runs throughout the song and gives it its rolling, nostalgic feel. Phillip Keveren's "Classical Piano" arrangement develops this pattern while adding the harmonic richness that the song deserves when treated as a piano piece.
About this plan
The primary skill Piano Man draws on is broken chords: a waltz bass pattern (root on beat 1, chord spread on beats 2 and 3) that runs throughout the entire piece without stopping. The plan builds this in 3/4 from Grade 1 upward, using waltz pieces specifically chosen because they use the same pattern. Melody over accompaniment and steady pulse are the supporting skills.
Skills you'll build
Estimated time: 10–14 weeks at 20–30 min/day
Books you'll need
The plan
A 4-piece path to playing Piano Man. Register free to unlock it.
A short, gentle waltz — the first step in building the 3/4 broken-chord pattern that Piano Man uses throughout. The LH waltz bass enters here at its simplest.
A singing melody over a continuous left-hand pattern. This is where broken chords advances across a longer, more demanding piece, and melody over accompaniment is added as a simultaneous skill.
One of Chopin's most accessible waltzes — a more demanding 3/4 piece with the waltz bass pattern throughout and pedalling introduced. The direct technical precursor to the Piano Man Keveren arrangement.
See the full plan — guidance notes, recordings, and progress tracking.
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The destination. Your library covers the waltz broken-chord pattern, melody over accompaniment, and steady 3/4 pulse after completing the three pieces above.
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