Music Lessons - Introduction to Piano/Keyboard
Lesson 4
This lesson you will learn the bass clef sign (symbol) and bass staff, bass spaces A C E G, notation to read and play right hand and left hand separately, transposition, A major five finger position, continuation of week 3 right hand moving up the keyboard exercise, E major scale contrary motion, arpeggio exercises, chromatic exercises, E major exercise with key signature, creative work, and theory work.
Bass Clef and Bass Staff
The Bass Clef (or F Clef) sign (or symbol) signifies that the notes are below middle C. The two dots are each side of the F line (4th line F, the first F lower than Middle C).
Below is the Bass Staff:-
Bass Clef and Bass Staff
The Bass Clef (or F Clef) sign (or symbol) signifies that the notes are below middle C. The two dots are each side of the F line (4th line F, the first F lower than Middle C).
Below is the Bass Staff:-
Some low sounding instruments such as the trombone, tuba and double bass, and also the piano and keyboard (lower notes) use the bass clef.
Bass Spaces
The names of the four spaces in the bass staff from the lowest space are A C E G. One way of learning them, is to say ALOUD 'A', whisper 'B', say ALOUD 'C', whisper 'D', say ALOUD 'E', whisper 'F', and say ALOUD 'G'.
Draw a bass staff, and write the letter names of the spaces ten times.
Notation to Read & Play Right Hand & Left Hand Separately
Exercise 1
Bass Spaces
The names of the four spaces in the bass staff from the lowest space are A C E G. One way of learning them, is to say ALOUD 'A', whisper 'B', say ALOUD 'C', whisper 'D', say ALOUD 'E', whisper 'F', and say ALOUD 'G'.
Draw a bass staff, and write the letter names of the spaces ten times.
Notation to Read & Play Right Hand & Left Hand Separately
Exercise 1
Practice the above exercise. I have omitted a starting finger number under the first note. However, this is a good thing for you to work out. Scan along the whole exercise and look for the lowest note. You will see that there is one note that appears several times and it is the lowest note. A further look and you will see that the exercise has two notes higher than the lowest note, and the intervals are steps (or seconds). Therefore you will need three adjacent fingers. You could use finger numbers 1 2 3, or 2 3 4, or 3 4 5. It is good practice to play the exercise using the three different finger groups. The fingers considered to be the most suitable would probably be 1 2 3.
See if you can find the A major chord with your left hand (the notes are A, C sharp, E) near the middle of the keyboard, and play this chord on the first beat of each bar) as you play the above exercise.
Now find this same chord one octave lower on your keyboard and play the exercise again. Have a listen to exercise 1a 1a with the left hand first played higher, then exercise 1b with the left hand played lower. Which sounds better?
Exercise 2
See if you can find the A major chord with your left hand (the notes are A, C sharp, E) near the middle of the keyboard, and play this chord on the first beat of each bar) as you play the above exercise.
Now find this same chord one octave lower on your keyboard and play the exercise again. Have a listen to exercise 1a 1a with the left hand first played higher, then exercise 1b with the left hand played lower. Which sounds better?
Exercise 2
Practice the above exercise, then listen to it.
Exercise 3
Exercise 3
Practise the above exercise with your left hand. The first note has a finger number under it. Now listen to it.
Exercise 4
Exercise 4
Practise the above exercise with your left hand, then listen to it.
Transposition
Transposition means to play music in other keys.
Transposition
Transposition means to play music in other keys.
To transpose the above exercise from the week 2 lesson, up to A, place your right hand thumb on A, and play the above exercise in the new key of A major.
Listen to Exercise 4a below, to hear how this would sound.
Now play the A major chord with the left hand (A C# E) in whichever position you desire. (exercise 4b) (on the middle position) or (then play the lower position - exercise 4c). Now play both hands together.
Listen to the left hand in the middle position of the keyboard (exercise 4d), then left hand down one octave lower (exercise 4e).
A Major Five Finger Position
On the keyboard, the A Major Five Finger Position is as hereunder:
White key, white key, black key, white key, white key.
A B C sharp D E
Continuation of Week 3 'Right Hand Moving up the Keyboard' Exercise
Listen to Exercise 4a below, to hear how this would sound.
Now play the A major chord with the left hand (A C# E) in whichever position you desire. (exercise 4b) (on the middle position) or (then play the lower position - exercise 4c). Now play both hands together.
Listen to the left hand in the middle position of the keyboard (exercise 4d), then left hand down one octave lower (exercise 4e).
A Major Five Finger Position
On the keyboard, the A Major Five Finger Position is as hereunder:
White key, white key, black key, white key, white key.
A B C sharp D E
Continuation of Week 3 'Right Hand Moving up the Keyboard' Exercise
With the exercise in week 3 headlined above, you played the first eight notes of the exercise with 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 fingering. Now play the first six notes only with the same fingering i.e. 1 2 3 1 2 3. See if you can find the last two notes of the E Major scale with your 4th and 5th fingers. One of these notes was not played in the above exercise.
E Major Scale (you find the last two notes) 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5. Play this scale right hand, one octave ascending and descending.
When you have found and played the E Major scale with your right hand, play the same scale an octave lower with your left hand, using left hand fingering 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1. This scale will look like this, as hereunder when written on the bass staff.
E Major Scale (you find the last two notes) 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5. Play this scale right hand, one octave ascending and descending.
When you have found and played the E Major scale with your right hand, play the same scale an octave lower with your left hand, using left hand fingering 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1. This scale will look like this, as hereunder when written on the bass staff.
Now start on A (the first A above Middle C) and find the scale of A Major with the right hand one octave ascending and descending with 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 fingering. Get your clues from the week 3 'Right Hand Moving up the Keyboard' Exercise, and find the last two notes of the A Major scale the same way as you did with the E Major scale above.
Exercise 6.
When you can play the A Major scale with your right hand, try your left hand one octave lower ascending and descending, with left hand fingering 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1. Exercise 6.
Now play the A Major scale with your left hand starting on A (in the first space of the bass staff).
Exercise 7.
E Major Scale Contrary Motion
Place the thumbs of your right and left hand on Middle E. Play Middle E with both thumbs, then as you play the E Major scale ascending with your right hand, simultaneously play the E Major scale descending with your left hand. After playing the scale for one octave return to the starting note. This is mirror playing because the same finger numbers of each hand are playing at the same time. You may also notice that you are playing white keys and black keys in each hand at the same time.
Exercise 8.
Arpeggio Exercises
Arpeggio means playing the notes of a chord one at a time. In the exercises on this page it is okay to play the exercises hands separately only. Play both hands together if you like a further challenge.
Exercise 6.
When you can play the A Major scale with your right hand, try your left hand one octave lower ascending and descending, with left hand fingering 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1. Exercise 6.
Now play the A Major scale with your left hand starting on A (in the first space of the bass staff).
Exercise 7.
E Major Scale Contrary Motion
Place the thumbs of your right and left hand on Middle E. Play Middle E with both thumbs, then as you play the E Major scale ascending with your right hand, simultaneously play the E Major scale descending with your left hand. After playing the scale for one octave return to the starting note. This is mirror playing because the same finger numbers of each hand are playing at the same time. You may also notice that you are playing white keys and black keys in each hand at the same time.
Exercise 8.
Arpeggio Exercises
Arpeggio means playing the notes of a chord one at a time. In the exercises on this page it is okay to play the exercises hands separately only. Play both hands together if you like a further challenge.
In exercise 9 above both thumbs play E together. Practise right hand notes ascending and descending until you are satisfied you are familiar with the exercise.
Practise left hand descending then ascending.
Practise both hands together.
Practise both hands in similar motion from E ascending together, and then descending together.
Exercise 10.
Practise playing blocked chords hands separately then together.
Go down a step and try the same practice on D major, then play blocked chords.
Go up to A major doing the same practice on A major, then play blocked chords.
Chromatic Exercises
Chromatic Exercise 1 - Left Hand
Practise left hand descending then ascending.
Practise both hands together.
Practise both hands in similar motion from E ascending together, and then descending together.
Exercise 10.
Practise playing blocked chords hands separately then together.
Go down a step and try the same practice on D major, then play blocked chords.
Go up to A major doing the same practice on A major, then play blocked chords.
Chromatic Exercises
Chromatic Exercise 1 - Left Hand
Above is a chromatic exercise for your left hand. Keep your fingers very close to the keys, and practise the exercise ascending and descending, four times. Which line or space of the bass staff is the starting note (the lowest note) on?
Listen to the exercise.
Chromatic Exercise 2 - Right Hand
Listen to the exercise.
Chromatic Exercise 2 - Right Hand
Above is a chromatic exercise for your right hand. Practise the exercise ascending and descending, four times. Which line or space of the treble staff is the starting note (the lowest note) on?
Listen to the exercise.
Chromatic Exercise 3 - Left Hand
Listen to the exercise.
Chromatic Exercise 3 - Left Hand
Above is the same chromatic exercise as the right hand, but now for the left hand, one octave lower. Practise the exercise ascending and descending, four times., Which line or space of the bass staff is the starting note (the lowest note) on?
Listen to the exercise.
E Major Exercise - with Key Signature
Listen to the exercise.
E Major Exercise - with Key Signature
Above is the key signature for E Major. If you look at the inside square section of each sharp you will be able to work out the letter names of the sharps. From the left the letter names of the sharps are F C G D . Please let me know if you don't understand this.
Practise the above exercise. This exercise is in the key of E Major. Any F,C,G or D must be played as a sharp, no matter where it is on the keyboard.
Listen to the exercise.
Creative Work
In the keys of E major and A major, create a tune in each key, using the first five notes of the scale. You are therefore in the five-finger position for these scales, and using all your fingers.
In the keys of E major and A major, create a tune in each key, using the complete scale of eight notes. On one of the tunes, end on the upper keynote. As it is a little more difficult using eight notes to create a tune, it is okay just to create the tune on five notes only, i.e. ignore this paragraph.
Below is a tune I created, using the eight notes.
Theory Work
Draw a bass staff, and using crotchets, write the musical alphabet once. After you have done this, play each note with the third finger of your left hand in the correct place on the keyboard.
Below is my example.
Aural Work
Put your right hand in the A Major Five Finger Position. Play A, hold it down for approximately two seconds, listen very carefully and sing "la" to it on the second half of its duration. Then play and sing the succeeding notes similarly ascending to E. Do the same descending.
Do the same as above, this time singing Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, Fa, Mi, Re, Do.
Do the same as the above two actions, holding each key down for about one second and singing exactly with your playing.
Do the same again, playing A, C sharp, E, with finger numbers 1, 3 and 5 of your right hand, then descending, singing Do, Mi, So, Mi, Do.
Lastly, play the arpeggio of A major, using finger numbers 1 2 3 5 of your right hand, ascending and descending, singing Do, Mi, So, Do, So, Mi, Do. The keys for this exercise are A, C sharp, E A, E, C sharp, A.
If you find these exercises, particularly the final exercise, too high to sing, sing them one octave lower.
Listen to the exercise.
Creative Work
In the keys of E major and A major, create a tune in each key, using the first five notes of the scale. You are therefore in the five-finger position for these scales, and using all your fingers.
In the keys of E major and A major, create a tune in each key, using the complete scale of eight notes. On one of the tunes, end on the upper keynote. As it is a little more difficult using eight notes to create a tune, it is okay just to create the tune on five notes only, i.e. ignore this paragraph.
Below is a tune I created, using the eight notes.
Theory Work
Draw a bass staff, and using crotchets, write the musical alphabet once. After you have done this, play each note with the third finger of your left hand in the correct place on the keyboard.
Below is my example.
Aural Work
Put your right hand in the A Major Five Finger Position. Play A, hold it down for approximately two seconds, listen very carefully and sing "la" to it on the second half of its duration. Then play and sing the succeeding notes similarly ascending to E. Do the same descending.
Do the same as above, this time singing Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, Fa, Mi, Re, Do.
Do the same as the above two actions, holding each key down for about one second and singing exactly with your playing.
Do the same again, playing A, C sharp, E, with finger numbers 1, 3 and 5 of your right hand, then descending, singing Do, Mi, So, Mi, Do.
Lastly, play the arpeggio of A major, using finger numbers 1 2 3 5 of your right hand, ascending and descending, singing Do, Mi, So, Do, So, Mi, Do. The keys for this exercise are A, C sharp, E A, E, C sharp, A.
If you find these exercises, particularly the final exercise, too high to sing, sing them one octave lower.
That is all for this lesson. Don't forget to complete the quiz. I look forward to communicating with you next lesson.