Black Soda Blues

Cameron Lee Simpson

ModernObscurerhapsodyF majorModerato4/4~3 min
H3
Henle (estimated)
RCM 3ABRSM 3

About this piece

Black Soda Blues is an obscure mid-century style blues pastiche for solo piano. It features standard 12-bar blues progressions adapted for a classical keyboard format.

Teacher notes

Focus on the nuance of the blue notes and maintaining a relaxed, swinging feel in the left hand.

Technical focus

left-hand-independencearticulationvoicing

Mood

melancholicintimate

Listen & watch

No video available for this piece.

Your status

Not in your repertoire

Sign in to track this piece

Free sheet music on IMSLP

Pieces similar to Black Soda Blues

Comparable difficulty and character — good candidates for what to learn next.

Browse all Henle level 3 pieces (Late beginner) →

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Black Soda Blues by Cameron Lee Simpson?

Black Soda Blues is rated Henle level 3 of 9 — late beginner repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 4–5. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 3.

What level do I need to play Black Soda Blues?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 3 — meaning you can already play level 2–3 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Black Soda Blues?

A typical performance of Black Soda Blues lasts about 3 minutes.

Where can I get free sheet music for Black Soda Blues?

Black Soda Blues is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.

What pieces are similar to Black Soda Blues?

Pieces at a comparable difficulty and character include Brier Street Blues by Cameron Lee Simpson, Blue Mood! by Cameron Lee Simpson, Breakfast At The Bayou by Cameron Lee Simpson — see the full similar-pieces list on this page.