How to play piano by ear: the 3 ways

I have always found it to be fascinating that some talented musicians can replicate what they hear on a piano instantly. They may have never heard the song before, not seen the score sheet of the song previously, and certainly not have practiced playing that specific song on the piano before, but they can replicate the exact melody the first time they hear it. I went on to explore this phenomenon of playing piano by ear, and found out that there are actually three alternatives for an average Joe like me to pick up the skill immediately.

Option 1 – Learn to recognize chords

I found a method online that teaches people how to recognize the sound of piano chords and identify its patterns in a song. Basically, a song comprises of a couple of piano chords. Some chords, like the C Major, are more commonly used than others. Upon a few tries, I concluded that learning to play piano by ear via chord recognition demands for a strong foundation in musical theory. Realistically, it is also not possible for a complete newbie to pick up this skill quickly.

Option 2 – Lots of practices

The second method to learn how to play piano by ear was to practice tirelessly. In order for me to become an expert at playing the piano by ear, I need to not only practice my listening by concentrating on the tunes played over and over again, but I will have to fiddle around with the piano a lot more. This method could certainly get me to my goal of playing the piano by ear in a few months, but after awhile I begin to grow exhausted at the amount of effort required for this. Make no mistake, this is a good and honest way to learn the skill of playing piano by ear, but a good amount of time needs to be invested first of all. With that in mind, I begin to explore for other alternatives.

Option 3 – Buying a reliable product

In my final search, I went back on the internet and searched more specifically for methods that other people have used to great success with regards to playing the piano by ear. I stumbled upon a few products and tried them out. To my surprise, some of them had great graphics and sales pitch, but the product itself is not useful. Thankfully, my efforts paid off and I found a good product that systemized the complete learning process, it even comes with a promise of a full refund if you are not happy with the product!

In my quest to find the best “how to play piano by ear” method, I realize that while there are indeed free methods on the internet, they do not justify the trade-offs, such as the huge amount of time needed. Given the choice again, I would still rather make a small monetary investment for a credible system that guarantees the current success which I am enjoying.