Music Lessons - Introduction to Piano/Keyboard
Lesson 5
Lesson 5
Welcome everyone to lesson five. In this lesson you will learn the following:
Further to the lesson 3 right hand moving up the keyboard exercise, structure of the major scale, the C major five finger position, creative work in C major, middle C,middle D - treble, contrary motion exercises in middle C position, reading in D major right Hand, with key signature, notation to read and play right hand and left hand separately, creative work, writing your own keyboard, and theory review.
Wherever I mention to play notes, this is the same meaning as to play keys.
Lesson 3 Right Hand Moving up the Keyboard Exercise
Further to the lesson 3 right hand moving up the keyboard exercise, structure of the major scale, the C major five finger position, creative work in C major, middle C,middle D - treble, contrary motion exercises in middle C position, reading in D major right Hand, with key signature, notation to read and play right hand and left hand separately, creative work, writing your own keyboard, and theory review.
Wherever I mention to play notes, this is the same meaning as to play keys.
Lesson 3 Right Hand Moving up the Keyboard Exercise
The lesson 3 Right Hand Moving up the Keyboard Exercise, included the following:-
The exercise commenced with the right hand thumb playing Middle E.
and 2nd finger " F sharp.
3rd " " G sharp.
thumb " A.
2nd " " B.
3rd " " C sharp.
thumb " D.
2nd " " E.
3rd " " F sharp.
thumb " G.
2nd " " A.
3rd " " B.
To keep continuing up the keyboard, the next three notes would be C D E, then F G A and B flat C D for right hand finger numbers 1 2 3 on the first two groups, then 4 1 2 on the third group because the third group commences with a black key B flat. A flat means you play the very next key to the left.
Find the scale of D major the same way as you found E major and A major. Remember you had to change one key. So it is D E F sharp G A B C sharp D, with right hand fingering 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, for the scale of D major.
In this lesson's quiz I will be asking you to tick a box for the notes of the scale of G major. Because I stopped in the above keyboard at B, it is only fair that I help you now. The first three notes would be G A B, and the next three C D E (as per the fourth line in the first paragraph of this section). There's two more notes to go to make up eight notes in the scale of G major for one octave, and the next two notes (as per the fourth line in the first paragraph of this section) are F G. One of these two notes has to be altered to make the scale of G major sound right. We need the lower keynote G and the upper keynote G in a one-octave scale. I have almost given you the answer. I am sure you will find the eight notes on your keyboard, even if you used one finger of your right hand, and listened for the Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do sounds.
Structure of the Major Scale
Every major scale is constructed the same way as hereunder.
Whole tone, whole tone, half tone, whole tone, whole tone, whole tone, half tone.
Simplified = W W H W W W H
Or two wholes and a half, three wholes and a half.
Remember playing the whole tone scale in week two? You played it starting on E and ending on C, ascending and descending with all five fingers of each hand. If two more keys (D & E) were added, it would have covered one octave.
Find and play the whole tone scale with the third finger of your right hand starting on Middle C, and ending on the C one octave higher. Which line or space in the treble staff is this C (the higher C) on? You should have six whole tone intervals. An interval is the distance between two keys. A whole tone is one key to the next key with one key between. In other words C to D is a whole tone because there is one black key (called C sharp or D flat) between them. One key can be called different names (i.e. sharp, flat, double sharp, double flat, depending which scale you are using). However I don't want to delve into this at this stage, maybe in an intermediate or advanced piano/keyboard course.
The exercise commenced with the right hand thumb playing Middle E.
and 2nd finger " F sharp.
3rd " " G sharp.
thumb " A.
2nd " " B.
3rd " " C sharp.
thumb " D.
2nd " " E.
3rd " " F sharp.
thumb " G.
2nd " " A.
3rd " " B.
To keep continuing up the keyboard, the next three notes would be C D E, then F G A and B flat C D for right hand finger numbers 1 2 3 on the first two groups, then 4 1 2 on the third group because the third group commences with a black key B flat. A flat means you play the very next key to the left.
Find the scale of D major the same way as you found E major and A major. Remember you had to change one key. So it is D E F sharp G A B C sharp D, with right hand fingering 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, for the scale of D major.
In this lesson's quiz I will be asking you to tick a box for the notes of the scale of G major. Because I stopped in the above keyboard at B, it is only fair that I help you now. The first three notes would be G A B, and the next three C D E (as per the fourth line in the first paragraph of this section). There's two more notes to go to make up eight notes in the scale of G major for one octave, and the next two notes (as per the fourth line in the first paragraph of this section) are F G. One of these two notes has to be altered to make the scale of G major sound right. We need the lower keynote G and the upper keynote G in a one-octave scale. I have almost given you the answer. I am sure you will find the eight notes on your keyboard, even if you used one finger of your right hand, and listened for the Do, Re, Mi, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do sounds.
Structure of the Major Scale
Every major scale is constructed the same way as hereunder.
Whole tone, whole tone, half tone, whole tone, whole tone, whole tone, half tone.
Simplified = W W H W W W H
Or two wholes and a half, three wholes and a half.
Remember playing the whole tone scale in week two? You played it starting on E and ending on C, ascending and descending with all five fingers of each hand. If two more keys (D & E) were added, it would have covered one octave.
Find and play the whole tone scale with the third finger of your right hand starting on Middle C, and ending on the C one octave higher. Which line or space in the treble staff is this C (the higher C) on? You should have six whole tone intervals. An interval is the distance between two keys. A whole tone is one key to the next key with one key between. In other words C to D is a whole tone because there is one black key (called C sharp or D flat) between them. One key can be called different names (i.e. sharp, flat, double sharp, double flat, depending which scale you are using). However I don't want to delve into this at this stage, maybe in an intermediate or advanced piano/keyboard course.
Above is the whole tone scale starting on Middle C and ending on the C one octave higher. Also you could use the pedal for extra effect.
Now you have found a whole tone scale starting on Middle C and ending on the C one octave higher. A half tone is from one key to the very next key on the keyboard (i.e. C to C sharp or D flat).
Before exploring the keyboard for the C major scale, please get out your manuscript book and write this down:
W W H W W W H
Write all this a second time, and write the letter C (the key note or first note of the scale), before the first W and in a new row.
For example:
W W H W W W H
C
C to D is a whole tone, so write D between the first two W letters, because C to D is a whole tone. See hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D
Now find the key a whole tone up from D. See hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D E
As you can now see, it is E, so write E after the second W, but in the same row as C and D.
The next key is an interval of half a tone higher than E. This is F because it is the very next key higher than E on the keyboard.
We now have as hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D E F
Write F below and after H because E to F is the interval (the distance) of half a tone on the keyboard. There are three more whole tones and one half tone to make the C major scale complete. This is easy, as there is a three black key group, and each black key will be the in between key of each whole tone interval. The answer is as hereunder:
G (F to G is a whole tone)
A (G to A is a whole tone)
B (A to B is a whole tone)
C (B to C is a half tone)
The C major scale is now complete. See hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D E F G A B C
Any major scale may be found using this method. There are twelve major scales. To see why, count from any key going up, on the keyboard, and play and count each key. You should count twelve keys before the same letter as the key you started on one octave higher.
The C Major Five Finger Position
The C major five-finger position is C D E F G, because these are the first five notes of the scale of C major.
Creative Work in C Major
Place your right hand in the C major five-finger position, and create a melody using all five fingers. My suggestion is to start on the keynote, work your way up, then descend ending on the keynote. However, you may create a melody without using my suggestion. For instance, you might commence the melody on E or G, because these are notes of the C major tonic (key note) triad (chord). A triad is three notes built on one of the degrees (notes) of the major scale.l The notes of a triad in root position (with the root, in this case 'C' as the lowest note of the chord) are in thirds (or skips) e.g. C skip D, E skip F, G i.e. C E G.
Now you have found a whole tone scale starting on Middle C and ending on the C one octave higher. A half tone is from one key to the very next key on the keyboard (i.e. C to C sharp or D flat).
Before exploring the keyboard for the C major scale, please get out your manuscript book and write this down:
W W H W W W H
Write all this a second time, and write the letter C (the key note or first note of the scale), before the first W and in a new row.
For example:
W W H W W W H
C
C to D is a whole tone, so write D between the first two W letters, because C to D is a whole tone. See hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D
Now find the key a whole tone up from D. See hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D E
As you can now see, it is E, so write E after the second W, but in the same row as C and D.
The next key is an interval of half a tone higher than E. This is F because it is the very next key higher than E on the keyboard.
We now have as hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D E F
Write F below and after H because E to F is the interval (the distance) of half a tone on the keyboard. There are three more whole tones and one half tone to make the C major scale complete. This is easy, as there is a three black key group, and each black key will be the in between key of each whole tone interval. The answer is as hereunder:
G (F to G is a whole tone)
A (G to A is a whole tone)
B (A to B is a whole tone)
C (B to C is a half tone)
The C major scale is now complete. See hereunder:
W W H W W W H
C D E F G A B C
Any major scale may be found using this method. There are twelve major scales. To see why, count from any key going up, on the keyboard, and play and count each key. You should count twelve keys before the same letter as the key you started on one octave higher.
The C Major Five Finger Position
The C major five-finger position is C D E F G, because these are the first five notes of the scale of C major.
Creative Work in C Major
Place your right hand in the C major five-finger position, and create a melody using all five fingers. My suggestion is to start on the keynote, work your way up, then descend ending on the keynote. However, you may create a melody without using my suggestion. For instance, you might commence the melody on E or G, because these are notes of the C major tonic (key note) triad (chord). A triad is three notes built on one of the degrees (notes) of the major scale.l The notes of a triad in root position (with the root, in this case 'C' as the lowest note of the chord) are in thirds (or skips) e.g. C skip D, E skip F, G i.e. C E G.
The above is my creation of a short piece in C Major.
Middle C
Middle C is placed on a short line called a ledger line. This ledger line is the first ledger line below the treble staff.
Middle C
Middle C is placed on a short line called a ledger line. This ledger line is the first ledger line below the treble staff.
Middle C is also placed on a ledger line, the first ledger line above the bass staff.
Refer to the picture below, of the 27 crotchet notes back in lesson 1, and you will see the Middle C in the treble and Middle C in the bass.
Now let's have another look at the grand staff, with the Middle C in the treble and Middle C in the bass, which are both the same key on the keyboard.
You will notice there is a wide space between the treble and bass staves. There are two reasons this space is here.
It is sometimes more convenient for the right hand to play notes below Middle C and the left hand to play notes above Middle C. The wide space allows ledger lines to be written under the treble staff or above the bass staff. For example if the right hand had to play the following highlighted note:
We would have this:
In the above picture, where you see the words 'or same key', this is an instance where the left hand may be required to play the E above Middle C.
It is also easier to read the music with the wide space between the treble and bass staves.
Middle D - Treble
It is sometimes more convenient for the right hand to play notes below Middle C and the left hand to play notes above Middle C. The wide space allows ledger lines to be written under the treble staff or above the bass staff. For example if the right hand had to play the following highlighted note:
We would have this:
In the above picture, where you see the words 'or same key', this is an instance where the left hand may be required to play the E above Middle C.
It is also easier to read the music with the wide space between the treble and bass staves.
Middle D - Treble
Middle D is just under the first line of the treble staff and above Middle C. This may help to remember this note. Middle D is just unDer the first line of the treble staff and above Middle C.
Contrary Motion Exercises in Middle C Position
Put both right hand and left hand thumbs on Middle C, and play Middle C, then do some mirror playing (contrary motion, in this case) with both hands simultaneously using fingers 1 2 3 2 1.
Contrary Motion Exercises in Middle C Position
Put both right hand and left hand thumbs on Middle C, and play Middle C, then do some mirror playing (contrary motion, in this case) with both hands simultaneously using fingers 1 2 3 2 1.
See above exercise
It is interesting because there are only three notes B, C and D that are in this area. The A in the bass and E in the treble are not here, even though half of their heads are in this area.They are on the bass and treble staff respectively.
Now play this exercise:
It is interesting because there are only three notes B, C and D that are in this area. The A in the bass and E in the treble are not here, even though half of their heads are in this area.They are on the bass and treble staff respectively.
Now play this exercise:
Listen to the exercise
How did you do? When you play the first note with your right hand thumb, put your left hand thumb over B, so you will have two of you left hand fingers (1 & 2) over B. Play the music from left to right, so the fourth note you play is Middle C with the left hand thumb. This time place your right hand thumb over D, so you will have two of your right hand fingers (1 & 2) over D.
Play both thumbs on Middle C, and play the contrary motion (i.e. mirror playing) exercise, this time include all five fingers of each hand.
Listen to the exercise.
The notes you played are as hereunder:
How did you do? When you play the first note with your right hand thumb, put your left hand thumb over B, so you will have two of you left hand fingers (1 & 2) over B. Play the music from left to right, so the fourth note you play is Middle C with the left hand thumb. This time place your right hand thumb over D, so you will have two of your right hand fingers (1 & 2) over D.
Play both thumbs on Middle C, and play the contrary motion (i.e. mirror playing) exercise, this time include all five fingers of each hand.
Listen to the exercise.
The notes you played are as hereunder:
Look at the notes played by the 5th fingers (the little fingers) in each hand. They played the letter of the notes that name the treble and bass staff i.e. G (Treble or G clef), and F (Bass or F clef).
Earlier in this lesson we found the scale of C major.
Play the scale of C Major in contrary motion. Start with both thumbs on Middle C, and the fingering for each hand is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, then play back to Middle C.
Listen to the scale.
This is how the scale of C Major contrary motion looks, with crotchet notes on the grand staff.
Earlier in this lesson we found the scale of C major.
Play the scale of C Major in contrary motion. Start with both thumbs on Middle C, and the fingering for each hand is 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, then play back to Middle C.
Listen to the scale.
This is how the scale of C Major contrary motion looks, with crotchet notes on the grand staff.
If you folded the above grand staff along the Middle C line (the ledger line), the notes on each staff would mirror each other. The stems would not.
Reading in D Major Right Hand, with Key Signature
Reading in D Major Right Hand, with Key Signature
(1) First look at the key signature F & C sharp. Every F and every C, no matter where they are on the keyboard, have to be played as sharps.
(2) Look at the span of the notes. Three i.e. D E F sharp.
(3) Plan your fingering. Three fingers required on three neighboring notes; could be 1 2 3, 2 3 4, or 3 4 5. Try it on all three combinations, keeping your correct position.
This is a good finger exercise. Insert the finger number in your music under the first note only. Do not put a finger number under every note. I was remiss in not inserting a starting finger number, but why not make you work it out. I would much prefer to have students becoming independent.
As you read and play this exercise, process it, i.e. say 'D' play this note, say 'up a step E' play E, say 'down a step D' play D, and continue on processing as you read and play each note.
After you are satisfied with the way you play this exercise, play it again with an accompaniment using the D major chord left hand.
Listen to the above exercise.
Notation To Read & Play Right Hand and Left Hand Separately
(2) Look at the span of the notes. Three i.e. D E F sharp.
(3) Plan your fingering. Three fingers required on three neighboring notes; could be 1 2 3, 2 3 4, or 3 4 5. Try it on all three combinations, keeping your correct position.
This is a good finger exercise. Insert the finger number in your music under the first note only. Do not put a finger number under every note. I was remiss in not inserting a starting finger number, but why not make you work it out. I would much prefer to have students becoming independent.
As you read and play this exercise, process it, i.e. say 'D' play this note, say 'up a step E' play E, say 'down a step D' play D, and continue on processing as you read and play each note.
After you are satisfied with the way you play this exercise, play it again with an accompaniment using the D major chord left hand.
Listen to the above exercise.
Notation To Read & Play Right Hand and Left Hand Separately
Practise the above exercise.
Play the same exercise with the E Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Transpose this exercise up to A Major with the A Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Transpose this exercise up to C Major with the C Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Transpose this exercise up to G Major with the G Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Play the same exercise with the E Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Transpose this exercise up to A Major with the A Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Transpose this exercise up to C Major with the C Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Transpose this exercise up to G Major with the G Major Chord accompaniment in the left hand. Listen to the exercise.
Practise the above exercise.
Listen to the exercise.
Creative Work
In the key of E Major, create one or more melodies that fit well with the bass on the following exercise.
Listen to the exercise
Writing Your Own Keyboard
Sometimes you may find it handy to be able to quickly draw a mini keyboard. This is a handy way to do it:-
Step 1 - Draw ten rectangles in a single row.
Step 2 - Fill in with a dark pencil a two black key group, then a three black key group, followed by another two black key group. Just to check that it's correct, starting from the left, make sure you have a CDE group of white keys near the two black key group, then an FGAB group of white keys near the three black key group, than another CDE group of white keys near the final two black key group.
Theory Review
This week's quiz is mainly on understanding whole tones and half tones, the structure of the whole tone scale and the major scale, and naming the notes of the treble and bass staves. Have your keyboard, or a picture of a keyboard handy while you complete the quiz.
My tip for you is to know that G is on the bottom line of the bass staff, and if you go up in skips through the musical alphabet, you have the names of all the lines (including the ledger line that middle C is on) of the grand staff i.e. 11 in all.
So there are five lines of the bass staff:- G B D F A
Then the ledger line middle C is on C
And the five lines of the treble staff E G B D F
A is in the first space (one step above bottom line G) of the bass staff.
So the spaces of the grand staff are:-
Bass Staff: - A C E G Middle area B D
Treble Staff F A C E
Another way of remembering the skips is saying the following:-
'Jibbidy F and A C E'. There is a tutor book out with this title, and it is highly regarded by many music teachers.
Listen to the exercise.
Creative Work
In the key of E Major, create one or more melodies that fit well with the bass on the following exercise.
Listen to the exercise
Writing Your Own Keyboard
Sometimes you may find it handy to be able to quickly draw a mini keyboard. This is a handy way to do it:-
Step 1 - Draw ten rectangles in a single row.
Step 2 - Fill in with a dark pencil a two black key group, then a three black key group, followed by another two black key group. Just to check that it's correct, starting from the left, make sure you have a CDE group of white keys near the two black key group, then an FGAB group of white keys near the three black key group, than another CDE group of white keys near the final two black key group.
Theory Review
This week's quiz is mainly on understanding whole tones and half tones, the structure of the whole tone scale and the major scale, and naming the notes of the treble and bass staves. Have your keyboard, or a picture of a keyboard handy while you complete the quiz.
My tip for you is to know that G is on the bottom line of the bass staff, and if you go up in skips through the musical alphabet, you have the names of all the lines (including the ledger line that middle C is on) of the grand staff i.e. 11 in all.
So there are five lines of the bass staff:- G B D F A
Then the ledger line middle C is on C
And the five lines of the treble staff E G B D F
A is in the first space (one step above bottom line G) of the bass staff.
So the spaces of the grand staff are:-
Bass Staff: - A C E G Middle area B D
Treble Staff F A C E
Another way of remembering the skips is saying the following:-
'Jibbidy F and A C E'. There is a tutor book out with this title, and it is highly regarded by many music teachers.
Good luck with the quiz; see you next lesson!