Titanium (David Guetta ft. Sia)

Titanium was released by David Guetta in late 2011 with vocals by Sia Furler, and reached the top ten in over twenty countries. The arrangement on the Trinity Grade 1 list (by Chris Hussey) keeps the instantly-recognisable harmonic loop — a four-chord pattern that drives the entire song — while reducing the texture to something a first-grader can play with confidence.

Technically the piece tests two skills the more traditional pieces on the list don't quite reach: a sustained block-chord pulse in the left hand, and a right-hand line that needs to project clearly above it. The key is E♭ major (three flats), which is unusual at this level and rewards a student who has done their scale practice. Hand position stays close to a five-finger frame, but the harmonic feel of E♭ is a meaningful step forward.

Two pitfalls. First, the four-chord loop tempts a flat dynamic plan — students play it the same volume from start to finish, and the piece loses its arc. Find the chorus inside the arrangement and lift toward it. Second, the left-hand chords often clatter; aim for a wrist-soft chordal touch rather than a finger-stiff stab.

The original recording is commercial; for an editorial reference, examine the harmonic loop (E♭ – B♭/D – Cm – A♭) as a clean four-chord progression and notice how the melodic phrases re-paint the same harmony three or four times before resolving.