Learning new piano songs takes patience and effort, but it doesn't always need to take a long time. While it's good to challenge yourself, sometimes a smaller project is exactly what you need to give yourself a motivational boost and a sense of satisfaction. If working on a song over the course of many days or weeks feels daunting right now, we've got you covered with some short and easy recommendations that you can learn in one sitting.

The list covers folk music, sea shanties, classical, and more. Naturally, each piece is available to learn with the flowkey app.

10. The Muffin Man

Great for beginners

"The Muffin Man" is a fun and easy song to play and sing along to. Since it's only eight measures long, with straightforward notes and rhythms, you can easily learn it in one sitting — even as a beginner. Start by learning the right-hand melody, and add the left-hand accompaniment when you feel comfortable. The song is in F major, so watch out for the B-flats (B♭) in the left hand!

9. Frère Jacques

Cheerful folk music

Another familiar eight-bar tune, this cheerful French folk song about "Brother Jack" is also a great choice for learning in one sitting. It's in the key of C major, so you don't have to worry about sharps or flats.

One great aspect of this song is that the left hand doesn't just play the accompaniment. At the end of the song, when you sing "ding ding dong," the left hand plays a piece of the melody too!

8. Drunken Sailor

All aboard

Even more so than "Frère Jacques", the melody of this sea shanty is passed between the right and left hands. It features a few chords, so be prepared to play two notes at once with your left hand. Remember that a sea shanty is a work song, so you can play it with a bit of vigor!

7. Tetris

The sound of childhood

If you've ever played the game Tetris before, this is a tune that you know very well. The main melody is just 8 measures long, and if you already know what it sounds like, learning it will be a breeze! If you want to learn this theme in one sitting, we recommend using the beginner version on the flowkey app.

Practice the right-hand melody first, paying attention to the dotted and syncopated rhythms. Once you feel comfortable with the notes and rhythms, you can add the left-hand accompaniment.

6. Jacques Offenbach - Barcarole

A four-note piece

A barcarole is a boat song, so be sure to lean into the 3/4 time signature and give this tune a rocking feeling. The melody has only four different notes, making it a great choice if you're relatively new to note reading. Remember that you can stick with just learning the melody if you're not ready to play hands-together yet!

5. Erik Satie - What the Little Tulip Princess Said

Classical for beginners

Although written for beginners, Erik Satie still managed to bring his signature quirkiness to this piece — just read the lyrics! There are no sharps or flats to worry about, and the rhythms are very straightforward. If you're looking for something short and sweet but not too cliché, this is the song for you!

4. Bella Ciao

The sound of freedom

Translating to "Goodbye, beautiful," this song is a traditional Italian tune about dying for freedom. It's fittingly written in a minor key – E minor – so watch out for a few sharps here and there! Once you're comfortable with the notes and rhythms, try to capture the somber feeling of this song as you play.

3. Hedwig's Theme

A trip to Hogwarts

This mysterious theme instantly conjures up images of the magical world of Harry Potter. While the full piece goes on for a while, you can easily impress your Potter-loving friends by playing the main melody, which is only 16 measures long! The left-hand accompaniment is quite simple, so the only thing you need to be aware of is the sharps and flats throughout the tune.

2. Bedřich Smetana - The Moldau

A gorgeous, flowing piece

Originally an orchestral piece, "The Moldau" is another name for the Vltava River in the Czech Republic. It's a gorgeous, flowing piece that also sounds lovely on the piano. As you'll hear, there are a lot of moving notes so it's better suited for intermediate players. If you decide to take it on, challenge yourself to play the phrases smoothly and evenly.

1. Danny Boy

Great for two-hand practice

This beautiful tune is a great choice for more experienced note readers because it's a bit longer than the previous songs on this list. While the accompaniment is still quite simple, it features a few chords, so be prepared to play two notes at once with your left hand sometimes!

Keep learning with the flowkey app

All of the pieces covered in this article — and many more quick-to-learn pieces — are available to learn on the flowkey app. flowkey makes learning new songs fun and easy, supporting your piano-learning journey with a collection of drills and in-depth tutorials created by professional musicians. Download the flowkey app today to start learning.