How to Play "Can't Help Falling in Love" on Piano

Posted by Yoke Wong on 2/11/2014 to Piano Improvisation

Here is the video with three wonderful versions of this hit song by Elvis Presley. Each version adds improvisational techniques that we can employ to our own skill level. Briefly, the three versions can be described as follows:

  1. Left hand chords WITH right hand melody. The left hand chords are playing INVERSIONS, an important technique.
  2. Left hand chords using a more intricate rhythmic approach WITH right hand embellished melody. The chords continue with inversions in this version too.
  3. Left hand arpeggio chordal style - (here we need to talk about 'time signatures' and 'counting'...MOST "Western Music" is in time signatures that are either duple, {groups of 2's or 4's} OR triple, {groups of 3's or 6's} in our counting patterns) - we MUST notice the arpeggios are most easily counted in groups of 6 notes. The right hand melody here is also more embellished and improvised.

I explain the chord progression and the use of chordal inversions in detail in the Play Piano with Fake Book course. And I show you step by step how to play this beautiful love song.

The history of the song is interesting too...the melody comes from an old French love song from 1784! Featured in Presley's 1961 movie "Blue Hawaii", it peaked at #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the easy listening charts for 6 weeks! Many artists have recorded it over the years. Feel free to share your favorite love songs with others.

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13 Comments

john zamkhomang
Date: 2/12/2014
Glad to hear frm you after a long time. Am back home in manipur teaching music in a higher secondary school.wish i could play your video on my blackberry playbook. Any way thanks for remembering me. God bless you and your family.
Ruthie Goff Miller
Date: 2/12/2014
I love receiving and the videos. This video there was no sound. Perhaps you can check it out and send it to the above video email. Discontinue the yahoo.com to many problems. Going to google. thanks you play beautifully and gracefully. Have purchased some of your courses when they were on sale. And I love the books. I am learning to play. I love learning. thanks.
John
Date: 2/12/2014
Hi Ruthie, please check your speaker and make sure it works. You can also watch the video from YouTube.com. Thanks.
jeffery gilmore
Date: 2/12/2014
hi! thank you miss wong for put this song on . and showing it how it is done . sincerely , Jeffery Gilmore
Goh kong Beng
Date: 2/13/2014
Dear Miss Yoke, I am 80 years old . Have decided to keep my brain busy. Besides other options like golf, chess , Majong etc I have decided to focus on learning to play Piano, during which I often find myself enjoying general well being. I accessed many websites , and have come to the conclusion, I can benefit most choosing. You. My basic knowledge on piano playing is very shallow: 1) keyboard arrangement 2) positions of my R and L fingers on CDEFGAB 3) play some children's nursery rhymes 4) a little knowledge on changing of finger positions I find playing the notes with my right fingers can be achieved with constant practice. I realize that it is the chords which adds life to the note I am playing. Do you have any CD or VCD TEACHING THE MOST BASIC ON CHORDS PLAYING Please treat me as a total beginnier. TELL ME IN WHAT WAY WILL I BE ABLE TO RECEIVE LESSONS FROM YOU? Best regards and Happy New year gregory Goh
Date: 2/13/2014
When I saw your examples on the piano, iI realize that I can use the same method you use on the key-board until I get my Piano , thank you . You blend in the Treble iwhich is the right hand into the bass, in the Song played, and I liked that . However I am going to try it from now on.
Date: 2/13/2014
When I saw your examples on the piano, iI realize that I can use the same method you use on the key-board until I get my Piano , thank you . You blend in the Treble iwhich is the right hand into the bass, in the Song played, and I liked that . However I am going to try it from now on.
Pamela walker
Date: 2/13/2014
When I saw your examples on the piano, iI realize that I can use the same method you use on the key-board until I get my Piano , thank you . You blend in the Treble iwhich is the right hand into the bass, in the Song played, and I liked that . However I am going to try it from now on.
A Sham
Date: 2/14/2014
What a timely video, Yoke..thank you veru much for sharing..I love it!! Happy Valentine Day to ALL and everyone can start playing for your loved ones!
Jack Cerveny
Date: 2/15/2014
The last chord version is what Iam interested in of that ELvis tune
Enett Thompson
Date: 2/16/2014
Hello Happy Valentine I would like to have a book that teaches you how to arrange chord. Enett
mabel marilyn
Date: 2/17/2014
it's awesome!! Can you teach me more about this ? Do e-mail
Godfrey
Date: 2/21/2014
Please pianomother your lessons has been a blessing to me specially I leave in Africa I need some videos for beginners on how to play rhythms and how to play any song in Church please if you can send it to my box I will be so grateful thanks ma.

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