Learn to Play Piano From Scratch- Part 2

We are continuing learning from "Adult Piano Adventures" method by Nancy and Randall Faber. Quick review of music intervals

Knowing intervals makes it easier to spot them in music score. p. 34 Warm Up with 2nds is a simple tune to recognize ascending/descending movement of seconds. 

p. 35 "Catch a Falling Star"  reviewing the notes and all the music signs. Introduction to "The Tie"

p. 35 "Catch a Falling Star" Learn how to play it. Play along with the instructor

Open the Treble Clef exercise file and try to play it keeping your eyes only on your music score (not on your fingers). If it's too easy, try to play it again faster

Play along the Treble Clef exercise in a fast tempo (only if you can easily play it slowly)

Working on developing a skill of reading the notes in Bass Clef . Understand ascending/descending "skips" and "steps" . Download this exercise in Resources for this lecture

Continue working on eye-hand coordination. Play Bass Clef exercise slowly and fast

Learn to recognize the notes fast in both, Treble and Bass clef. Know how to figure out the notes even if you forgot one.

Try to keep your eyes on the music score when you are sight-reading. Play it slowly first, and try faster if you feel comfortable

p. 38 "Midnight Ride" mapping process. Learn how to notice every sign in music and know the meaning of it.

Learn how to play " Midnight Ride" slowly. Practice it slowly for some time until you feel confident

After you practice "Midnight Ride" in a slow tempo, it's time to try it fast, so it sounds "urgent"

Learn how to count the measures fast to find the measure you are looking for.

Learn about a new music sign: Octave higher and octave lower

Learn how to recognize 8ve higher/lower signs in the music score and how to use it in piano playing

Learn how to play the melodies with the sign "8ve Higher" and "15ma higher"

Try to "sight-read" p. 41 in the book independently

What we learned so far: more note-reading, the tie, legato, sight-reading, 8ve higher/lower signs

C Pentascale is one of the easiest but very useful finger exercises. It is a good habit to always start practicing with  finger warm ups

Learn how to play "Chant of the Monk: on p. 42. "Mapping" and play-along

Artistry makes us really "feel" the music. "Phrasing" is a one of the artistic concepts that "brings music to life". Here is the explanation how to phrase in music.

Learn how to play both hands simultaneously. Train your eyes to see the notes and all music signs in both, Treble and Bass clef. Follow along

Understand your music score. Follow along step by step

Observe and follow along how to play it on the keyboard

You can transpose any musical piece. Let's try to transpose "Chant of the Monks" from C pentascale to G pentascale.

Learn new piece on pp. 44-45. "Mapping": Legato, Tie, Dynamics, Pedal and more

Follow step by step how to play "Shining Stars". Remember to use pedal as well

Learn how to get started playing "Roman Trumpets" on pp. 46-47. Note reading, Accents, Pedal, Octave lower signs

Follow along to learn how to play "Roman"Trumpets" on pp. 46-47 in the book

Demonstration of when to use pedal in "Roman Trumpets" piece

Find all 5th intervals in "Roman Trumpets" (Hint: there are 14 of them)

Complete the theory exercise on p. 49 following example on the video

Congratulations of working through another chapter of your piano learning. So much have been accomplished! you learned about Legato, Phrasing, Transposition, more note-reading. You added three more pieces to the list of piano pieces you can play. Are you ready for more?

Review the Third intervals. Learn how to spot and play "thirds" in your score really fast.

Starting your practice with C and G pentascales is a good way to work on your fingers strength. Play along from slow to fast tempo. Review t he concept of "Transposition"

p. 50: Short exercise for Right hand on how to play thirds with different fingers, both notes together or separately (broken or blocked) while following the marked dynamics.

Similar exercise for the left hand. Follow along every step

Every new piece starts with scanning through all the signs in the score. Learn about the lowest C on the piano

It is common to start practicing not from the beginning but from the "trickiest" section. Follow along how to play m.16 all the way to the end.

Start from the beginning and slowly follow along. Give time to practice it.

After practicing this piece slowly, try to play it in a faster tempo like in this video.

Pedal sign is shown starting from measure 15. Remember to use it while following all other music signs

Phrasing in music is part of artistry. It is what creates "a story" behind the notes. Remember to "breathe" between the phrases. Observe how it's done in this video

Introduction to the quarter rest, one SILENT count

Mozart is one of the legendary composers of the 18th century. Learn four fun facts to remember about this composer.

As always, start with "mapping process"

Play along slowly. Observe every note and finger playing correctly. Take some time to practice it slowly

Try playing this piece faster, like in this video. Make sure to keep the steady beat. Try to play along

Learn about Dvorak, the Bohemian composer and his "New World Symphony"

pp. 54-55: mapping the new piece "the New World Symphony Theme". Review the use of the tie vs legato. Introduction of D.C. al Fine- learn the meaning of it

Follow step by step how to play this piece. Take some time to work on it.

After practicing slowly, try playing "New World Symphony Theme" faster, like it's shown in this video.

Summary of new material learned in this section

Starting a new chapter. Let's always start with fingers warm ups. C and G pentascales

Learn how to read the C chord and how to play it

Short and easy description on how to utilize your torso to get the full sound of the chord

5th intervals are part of the chords. Review how to recognize them in your music score easily

Start by finding all C chords and 5th intervals in the score. It will help to recognize and play them easily

Let's go through every sign in the score, so we understand how composer wants us to play this piece: dynamics, time signature, pedal etc.

Let's get started together. Play along slowly, stop and repeat until it feels easy

Let's play "Jingle Bells" in a fast tempo

Rest is sign for silence. Review quarter, half and whole rests

Reading the score means knowing the notes and the rhythm. Practice rhythmic patterns together

As always, let's start with "mapping" process to make sure we understand the meaning of every sign in the score

Follow along to play this piece slowly. Play and count out loud to check on playing the rhythm correctly

Play along the "Royal Procession" with all dynamics, pedal and in a real "performance" tempo

How to play musical patterns, aka "Sequence"

Short and simple rhythm exercise to practice playing sequences in RH and LH

Your easy but creative assignment is to compose a few measures of your own tune. Try to write it down. It may be only for RH or for both hands. Let your creativity soar!

Sharing thoughts about note reading. Start with C and G pentascale warm ups. Now playing with chords

The more we drill the note reading, the easier and more natural it will become

Reading through the note names first

Follow along to clap the rhythm

Melodic practice for the LH

Read the notes in Bass Clef and clap the rhythm

Follow along and try practicing at your own pace

Notes and rhythm

Simple tune to practice reading the notes in LH

Mechanics of playing Staccato

"Mapping" process

Practice slowly and gradually increase the tempo

"Mapping" process. Introducing internal repeat signs

Lets practice it in a slow tempo first and gradually increase the tempo to make it sound like a dance.

"Mapping" process. Understand every sign that tells us what and how to play