Since I Met You Baby: E-Z Play Today

This is a standards-adjacent piece that students recognize and enjoy, anchoring their practice in real American songwriting traditions rather than educational arrangements. The two-page length makes it ideal for building repertoire without overwhelming students, and the melody sits naturally under the hands while leaving room for interpretive choices about voicing and rhythm.

Warm and conversational, with the easy confidence of a song that knows exactly what it wants to be. The melody floats over a grounded harmonic foundation, creating the sense of someone reflecting on a meaningful encounter with genuine affection rather than sentimentality.

Piano students at the intermediate level who are ready for repertoire beyond method books but not yet tackling complex classical forms. This works equally well for ensemble pianists who need readable, musically substantial accompaniment material.

• Plant the left hand groove early in rehearsal. This song breathes with its rhythm section feel, so locking the bass line and chord movement before adding the melody line pays dividends.
• Experiment with swing eighths versus straight eighths to find the groove that fits your arrangement and ensemble. The feel changes the entire character of the piece.
• Shape the melody with gentle dynamics rather than forcing expression through tempo changes. Let the phrases breathe naturally where they want to.

Pair this with other standards from the same era to create a focused unit on American songwriting traditions, or use it as a solo piece in a jazz or popular music concert. Two pages means students can prepare it quickly, making it valuable for filling gaps in rehearsal calendars or featuring in informal recitals.

• Reading melody and accompaniment relationships in popular song forms
• Stylistic interpretation of rock and blues influenced material
• Hand independence in balancing groove and melody
• Phrasing across longer melodic lines