Can You Learn Video Game Music on Piano?

If you’re a gamer, or simply someone who enjoys contemporary media, you may have wondered if you can learn your favorite video game soundtracks on the piano or on a keyboard. The good news is that you can learn any number of soundtracks and tunes on YouTube, by purchasing books, or by playing them by ear - keep reading to learn more.

And if you would like to take piano lessons in Freehold or enroll in organ lessons in NJ, please get in touch!

Can You Learn Video Game Music on Piano?

Yes, you can learn video game music on the piano or on an electric keyboard. Most video game music isn’t even that difficult; you may need to learn a few chords and practice a melody line, but even beginners or early intermediate pianists can learn this music.

Truthfully, to play a “filled-out” version of most popular soundtracks, you will need to be at an intermediate level. You’ll be able to easily learn these tunes if you have a solid grasp of chords, intervals at the keyboard, and can already sound out a melody by ear.

But if you’re a beginner, you can still give it a shot - there are lots of simplified versions of game soundtracks available online and in video tutorials.

What Video Game Soundtracks Can Be Learned on Piano?

Before we dive in, if you would like to buy piano arrangements of popular video game scores, use my affiliate link to Sheet Music Plus, from which I will receive a small commission: John’s affiliate link.

The Legend of Zelda

Listen to the beginning of this soundtrack - it’s composed with descending parallel fourths played in one hand. After the introductory fourths, a broken chord pattern emerges in the accompaniment (broken fifths). Over that broken fifths pattern comes a modal tune that you could learn fairly easily in the right hand.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play the rhythmic element to the music, unless you can play percussion and piano at the same time. But if you have a friend who plays drums, you can play this soundtrack as a duet.

Sogno di Volare ("The Dream of Flight") - Civilization VI

Civilization is famous in the music world for being the first game soundtrack to win a Grammy - no small feat. Civilization’s most popular track is “Baba Fetu” from Civilization 4, but you probably won’t be able to properly communicate this choral tune on the piano.

Instead, try Sogno di Volare. It’s structured more like a traditional SATB choral piece, and you will be able to work out the chord progressions on the piano. From there, you simply need to work in the driving orchestra motif - the main melody is the soprano line in the choral music, which is often adapted for students in violin lessons. There are even a few piano licks written into the original score.

Final Fantasy X - To Zanarkand

We had to include this tune - after all, it has an introduction written specifically for piano. It falls into the category of late intermediate or early advanced piano music, but it can be re-engineered for less experienced pianists.

You will need to have a solid grasp of arpeggio accompaniment movement in the left hand, and be able to play parallel intervals smoothly in the right hand. 

There are Many Video Game Soundtracks to Choose From

There are so many other great soundtracks you can try: Medal of Honor by Michael Giochino, Shadow of the Colossus, World of Warcraft, Mario Brothers, and so forth. They don’t all translate equally well to the piano, but it can be a great practice exercise for pianists to discern the chords by ear, put them on the keys, and figure out how to organize the voicing so that they sound nice on the piano.

Does Video Game Music Count as Real Music?

Yes, video game music absolutely counts as “real” music. This question might sound ridiculous, but it comes up often! Video games are perhaps the world’s leading form of media at the moment, they attract the very best composers, and the soundtracks alone earn millions of views and streams on YouTube and Spotify.

Video game soundtracks are often relatively simple, harmonically speaking. They aren’t written to be musically complicated, but they are written to create a mood and tell a story. That makes them a great tool for young musicians learning about theory, instrumentation, and how those disciplines influence the music you listen to on a daily basis.

If you’d like to start using video game music in your private piano or organ lessons, please let me know! My music lessons in Freehold can be flexible, and I enjoy using music that my students think is interesting (this would be in addition to any lesson materials necessary for your improvement). If you’d like to get started with a complimentary trial lesson, please get in touch.