Part 1: Playing with Both Hands (Exercise 1 & 2)
Welcome to an exciting step in your piano journey! In this lesson, we focus on developing the skill of playing with both hands while reading sheet music. This ability is invaluable – it not only speeds up the process of learning new songs but also empowers you to write your own music and share it with others.
Day 1: Getting Familiar with the Notes
- Begin with the Basics: Download the PDF file to get a visual guide of the notes.
(The downloadable Module One Workbook is available in the ‘Start Here‘ lesson, under the Materials tab.) - Written Guidance: Before you start playing, read the ‘Detailed Breakdown of Exercises’ available in the Materials tab. This will give you a clear understanding of what to expect and how to approach the exercises.
- Video Practice: Play along with the lesson video. This helps you understand how the notes align with the music.
- Sheet Music Practice: Now, turn to practicing with just the sheet music. Try to recall what you learned from the video.
- Audio Download: Grab the MP3 file available in the Materials tab.
- Play Along: Use the MP3 as your backing track and play along. This will enhance your timing and musicality.
Day 2: Solidifying Your Skills
- Focused Sheet Music Practice: Revisit the sheet music. This time, keep your eyes on it as you play to reinforce your reading skills.
- Rhythm Alignment: Play again with the MP3. Focus on maintaining a steady rhythm and syncing with the track.
By the end of Day 2, you’ll have a stronger grasp of playing with both hands while sight-reading. Remember, patience and repetition are key – don’t rush the process. Enjoy each step of learning and celebrate your progress!
Detailed Breakdown of Exercises Exercise 1:
- Starting with the Right Hand: In the video, I begin by practicing with the right hand, focusing on hitting the correct A notes. At this stage, don't worry about counting; just find the right note.
- Left Hand Practice: Then, I repeat the process with the left hand.
- Both Hands Together: After that, I play the exercise with both hands, this time counting aloud (1-2-3-4) to maintain the rhythm.
- Common Mistake #1: Watch out for the mistake I demonstrate: tense fingers pointing away from the keys. Remember, keep your hands relaxed.
- Common Mistake #2: Another error to avoid is rushing through easy notes and then stopping abruptly. Maintain a slow, even tempo to give yourself time to think about what comes next. Playing evenly is as crucial as hitting the right notes, if not more so.
Exercise 2:
- Directly to Both Hands: Since this exercise uses the same two notes as Exercise 1, I play with both hands right away.
- Speed Challenge: I then challenge myself to speed up the exercise. Feel free to do this with every exercise. Find a pace that is neither too slow (boring) nor too fast (overwhelming), but exciting and engaging.
Playing with the Backing Track: Let's make music from day one! This first backing track helps you understand the importance of keeping a steady rhythm to stay in sync with the rhythm section. For now, the piano part is included in the track, so you can play along with me. As we progress, the piano will be absent, leaving it up to you to complete the piano section. But don't worry, by the time we reach that point, I'm confident you'll be ready to take on that role with ease!
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