I Used to Play Piano: 80s and 90s Hits: Piano Book

These arrangements capture what made these songs beloved without oversimplifying the experience of playing them. Matz's choices preserve the memorable hooks and harmonic colors of the original recordings while keeping the technical demands genuine but achievable for rusty hands, which means adults get to feel competent and satisfied in the same practice session.

Playing these arrangements brings back the pleasure of recognizing music as it unfolds under your fingers. Each piece has enough harmonic interest and dynamic color to feel substantial, yet the writing stays grounded in what's actually playable at this stage of returning to the instrument. There's real joy in rediscovering both the songs and your own ability to play them.

Adults picking up piano again after weeks, months, or years away. You already know these songs from radio, film, and television, so the melodies feel familiar even as you navigate reading the music again. This collection assumes you have basic reading skills and experience with piano technique but gives you material genuinely worth the effort of relearning.

• Pay attention to the dynamic markings and pedal indications. They're essential to recreating the recorded versions and often make the difference between a serviceable reading and a genuinely musical performance.
• Listen to the original recordings alongside your practice. These arrangements are designed to work in dialogue with what you remember hearing, so reconnecting with the source material will clarify phrasing and tempo.
• Work through the pieces in order. The book sequences them intentionally to build confidence, so moving progressively through the collection will reinforce developing techniques.

Use this collection as the core repertoire for a casual recital or informal gathering with other returning pianists. You might also pair individual pieces with the I Used to Play Piano: Refresher Course to create a natural progression from technical review to performance application, letting students see the practical payoff of their daily work.

• Reading and executing dynamic and tempo markings in a pop music context
• Pedaling for color and sustain without muddiness
• Balancing melody with accompaniment textures
• Playing with stylistic awareness and sensitivity to phrase structure
• Building confidence through repertoire that engages both ear and eye