Piano Lessons-Free Piano Lessons

1. Piano Finger Exercises:  Gaining control of the fingers.  Page 6 is an important exercise, we are holding notes with one finger and at the same time playing notes with different fingers.  Be very careful while practicing and be sure you are holding the notes throughout the measure.  Practice slow and precise.  The hand is actually split into 2 parts.  When playing classical music, sometimes the composer writes the music where there is 2 to 4 different ideas being played at the same time.  One good example is Bach with his 4 part harmony.  The right hand and the left hand is split into 2 parts, which gives us the 4 different ideas being played at the same
time.  Practice at least 2 staves a day until you can practice the complete page.
     Today, with our beautiful pianos, we can play a tone very low or high on the piano and hold that tone with a pedal, while moving back to the center of the piano and continue playing, all the while playing very legato.  Bach did not have a piano with the sustaining pedal, so the music was played close together and for variety played several ideas at the same time.   He was a master at this idea. 

     
    2. Rhythms:  Playing C chord in the left hand.  While practicing this page listen carefully while you are playing the chords and make sure each finger plays its note at the same time.  A lazy or weak finger will play after the beat.  Strong fingers will put the key down first and it will sound as if each key is played individually.  The only way is to listen and be sure all of the tones are played together.

     Continue practicing your compositions "Three Part Harmony."