Keyboard/Piano Lessons for

Beginners
Learning the names of the notes

Please note that this illustration does not show the 88 keys found on
acoustic pianos.

The black keys are located between the white keys. They are grouped in
sets of two and three. For instance, C-sharp and D-sharp make up a group of
two black keys while F-sharp, G-sharp and A-sharp make up a group of
three. This two-and three-group black note sequence is consistent up and
down the keyboard. The black keys are called sharp keys because they're
slightly higher (sharper) than the white key that precedes it. For instance,
the black key C-sharp is slightly higher in sound and pitch than the white key
C. When playing in flat key signatures, the black keys are also called flat
keys. 

The note called middle C is located approximately in the middle of the

keyboard. Actually, it's a little left of the middle-slightly left of the
manufacturer's brand name on the fallboard. If you count up from the
lowest note on a keyboard instrument that has 88 keys, middle C will be the
40thnote up from the bottom.

 
 Applying Your Fingers to the Keys

Looking at your right hand, let's assign numbers to each of your fingers. 

1. thump
2. index finger
3. middle finger
4. forefinger (ring finger)
5. smallest finger

Two-finger exercise

This first series of exercises will use only your first two fingers: your thump
(1) and your index finger (2).

Place your thumb on middle C, press down on the key, and release it.
Repeat this action a number of times. Place your index finger on the D key
and do the same. Play D a number of times. Using your thumb to play middle
C and your index finger to play D, alternate playing both notes in the
following sequence: C, D, C, D, C.. Try to play the two notes evenly with the
same measured time for each note. Keep playing this simple two-finger
exercise until it feels comfortable and sounds good.

Three finger exercises

Now let's add your third (middle) finger to the exercise. Place your third
finger over the E key (key 3) and press and release it a few times. With your
thumb positioned above middle C, your second finger above D, and your
third finger above E, play the following sequence of notes: C, E, D, E, C, E,
D, E, C, E, D, E... Another way of thinking and playing this exercise is to use
the corresponding number of your fingering sequence: 1, 3, 2, 3, 1, 3, 2, 3,
1, 3, 2, 3....
 example 1:

It's important to note that the middle C on your keyboard corresponds to the
written quarter note C, located on one ledger line below the staff. This note
is the first written note.

Now play reading the music. Your fingers and hand stay in the same
position, so you don't have to look down at them. Instead, keep your eyes on
the music. Keep repeating this exercise until it feels good and sounds good.

Using the same three fingers, place your thumb above the D key, index
finger above the E key, and your middle finger above the F key. Play the
following sequence of notes: D, F, E, F, D, F, E, F, D.... The corresponding
numbers of your fingering sequence is exactly the same as 1, 3, 2, 3, 1, 3, 2,
3...

example 2:

 
 Beginner Keyboard/Piano
Lessons  Part 2
Noting the Symbols

Before we continue with the exercises, let's take a close look at all the
symbols used in Part 1.

First, we see a treble clef sitting on the far left of the staff. 

The treble clef is also called the G clef because the curl wraps around and
stops at the G line on the staff. This clef tells you that the letter names of
the lines and spaces on the staff are: E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E and F. Next, we
see the first note D, which is a quarter note 

and whose value is one quarter beat in the measure. As you can see, the
quarter note is shaped like a filled-in circle with a stem attached to it. The
following F, E and F are also quarter notes. So, we have four quarter notes
(D, F, E, F) in the first measure. 

Immediately following the fourth quarter note in the first measure is a bar
line. The bar line separates the measures on the staff and keeps the four
quarter notes together in one measure. The next measure (measure 2) is an
exact repetition of measure 1: same notes, same keys, same fingering, and
same number of beats in the measure. The same is true in measure 3 - a
direct repetition of measures 1 and 2. Again, please notice the bar lines
separating each measure.

In measure 4 we see only one quarter note followed by a quarter rest 

 (the curved zigzag line) and a half rest 

(the small rectangular block that sits on the middle line of the staff). A
quarter rest equals a quarter beat, and a half rest equals two beats. The
combined value of one quarter note, one quarter rest, and one half rest
gives us four beats in measure 4. The first beat has sound, which is the
quarter note D. The second beat is silent, represented by the quarter rest.
And the third and fourth beats are silent, represented by the half rest. The
symbol we see at the very end of the staff is called a double bar line. 

Beginner Keyboard/Piano
Lessons Part 3
 

Moving up the Keyboard

Let's continue with the exercises using the same sequence starting on
different notes. Just like in Part 1 of the beginner Keyboard/Piano Lessons.
As you can see in example 3, the fingering is exactly the same as example
1 and example 2. The only differences are the pitches and letter names of
the notes. You're simply moving your fist three fingers up the keyboard and
playing the same sequence. Play example 3 starting with your thumb
playing the E key, followed by your middle finger playing the G key, and
your index finger playing the F key.

example 3

Remember: As you play the exercises, try to play the quarter notes evenly,
since they all have the same equal value. 

If you get lost during the course of playing these exercises, refer to example
2. This illustration shows you where the letter names of the notes on the
staff are relative to the piano keys. For instance, the first note in example
4 is F which is four notes above middle C on your piano. Play example
4 starting with your thumb playing the F key, followed by your middle finger
playing the A key etc.

example 4

Looks like there's something new in example 5. 

example 5
Immediately following the treble clef are two fours, one on top of the other.
This is a time signature. The top number four tells you there are four beats
per measure, and the bottom number four represents the quarter note,
telling you the quarter note gets the beat. Examples 1, 2, 3 and 4 are also
in 4/4 time. This time start the sequence on the A key.

example 6

Something new has been added in example 6. The word moderato in the

upper left-hand corner indicates the rate of speed at which the exercise
should be played. Moderato is an Italian word that means 'moderately' - not
too fast and not too slow. This is the tempo (rate of speed) at which the
music is to be played.

The first note in example 7 is B.

example 7

There is a change in the placement and direction of he quarter note stems

in example 5,6 and 7. In the previous exercises, all of the quarter note
stems are placed on the right side of the notes and go upward. When notes
are on the middle line of the staff (B) and higher, note stems are placed on
the left side of the note and go downward. Directly below the 4/4 time
signature is the symbol mf. This symbol stands for the Italian term mezzo
forte, which in English means 'medium loud'. example 7 should be played at
a moderate tempo and played medium loud.

Example 8 introduces another musical symbol called the repeat sign. 

It is located immediately to the right of the 4/4 time signature and again at
the end of measure 4. As you can see, a repeat sign is a double bar line with
two small circles in the A and C spaces of the staff. There is also written
text telling you to repeat three times at the end of measure 4. This tells you
that after you have played the exercise once, you are to repeat the entire
exercise twice. In doing so, you will have played the exercise a total of
three times.

example 8

Be sure to give the quarter rest and the half rest in measure 4 their full
values totaling three beat of silence - one beat for the quarter rest, two
beats for the half ret. It might help to count one, two, three, four for each
beat per measure. For instance in measures 1, 2 and 3, as you're playing the
quarter notes C, E, D, E say on, two, three, four. When you get to measure
4, count one for the C note, two for the quarter rest, and three four for the
half rest. 

 
 Keyboard and Piano Lessons
Part 5
Adding the Fourth and Fifth Fingers

Now lets add fingers 4 and 5 to the exercises. Place your fifth finger above
the G key , your fourth finger above the F key, your third finger above the E
key and your second finger above the D key. Play example 9 starting with
your 4th finger on the F key.

example 9

A new symbol has been added in example 9: the dynamic marking mp. This
symbol means mezzo piano, which translated from Italian to English means
'medium soft'.

At this point, you might be wondering why musical terms and symbols are in
Italian. It started with the Italian Operatic composers Puccini, Rossini and
Verdi, who wrote dynamic and tempo markings in countries in Europe
adopted the Italian symbols, which eventually became the universal
standard.

Be sure to acknowledge the repeat sign in example 9, at the end of measure

8, go directly back to the beginning of the piece (measure1) and play the
exercise again. Don't stop the even flow of beats when going from the end of
measure 8 back to measure 1.
 For the next exercise, place your fifth finger above the G key, your fourth
finger above the F key, your third finger above the E key, your second finger
above the D and your thumb above the C key (middle C). This exercise is
designed to strengthen your fourth and fifth fingers, which are normally the
weakest fingers in the right hand. 

Play example 10 starting with your thumb on middle C.

example 10

Play example 10 frequently. In doing so, you will strengthen your fourth and
fifth fingers.

The following are a few things to keep in mind when playing the examples
on this page:

1. Start playing the exercises slowly. Once you have played the exercise
correctly, then increase your tempo to moderato.

2. If you get confused with your fingering, refer to examples 1 and 2

in the keyboard lessons part 1.

3. Your hand and fingers should never be flat when playing the keyboard.
Be sure to keep your right hand arched and your fingers curved when
playing these exercises.

4. Play the quarter notes evenly, giving them the same equal value (one
beat).
5. Be sure to give the quarter and half rests their full values.

6. Enjoy playing the exercises and feel good about learning how to play
the piano.

7. Free Keyboard and Piano

Lessons Part 4
8. Half and Whole Notes

9. Before we continue on with the exercises, let's take a look at notes

and their relative values. You are already familiar with quarter notes,
having played them in the previous exercises. As you know, a quarter
note equals one beat. You also know that four quarter notes equal
four beats. 

10. You are also familiar with the quarter rest, which  equals two
beat of silence. A half note looks like a white quarter note and equals
two beats of sound. 

11.  half note

12. The sound of a half note is sustained, or held, for two beats. 

13.  

14. Whole notes look like half notes without stems.

 15.  whole note

16. They are held for a full four beats. Whole rests look like upside-
down half rests and receive four counts of silence. 

ntermediate
Keyboard/Piano Lessons Part
2
Practicing Techniques When Playing with Both Hands

By now, you should have a good feel for playing bass lines using the left
hand. Are you ready to put both the left and right hands together?

Before you start playing a piano piece written for both hands, keep the
following practice techniques in mind:

1. Start with only playing the right-hand part. Keep playing the right-
hand part until you have perfected it and, if possible, have memorized
it. 

2. Once you have accomplished that, move on to the left had. Now play
only the left-hand part and keep playing it until you have perfected it.

3. Try your best to play either the right-or left hand part automatically,
without having to think about what you are playing; try to play the
part instinctively. This will make it a lot easier when putting both
hands together and playing both parts simultaneously.

4. Do not try to play the whole piece at once. Instead, take it one
measure at a time. Once you have perfected measure 1, add the
 second measure. Before going on to the third measure, repeat
measures 1 and 2 until they flow together without any hesitation or
pauses. Keep adding measures, one at a time, until you have played
them all.

5. Take your time; do not rush into the exercise.

6. Start playing it slowly. Once you are comfortable with the parts,
increase the tempo. 

7. If you choose to use pedals, keep in mind that when using the sustain
pedal, a common practice is to press it down at the beginning of each
measure and release it at the end of each measure. This pedaling
technique will prevent the blurring of chords, harmonies and melodies
from measure to measure. For practicing purposes, you might want to
use the soft pedal. If you have one on your piano, experiment with the
sostenuto pedal. The use of pedals is determined by your subjective
ear and aesthetic taste.

Now play example 4a

example 4a

Let's take a closer look at example 4a. As you can see, this is the first
exercise that uses two staffs - one for the right hand (treble clef) and one
for the left hand (bass clef). A bracket ties the  two staffs together.

In measure 1 and 2, the right hand plays whole notes while the left hand
plays quarter equals four quarter notes. Likewise, the four quarter notes
equal the whole note. In the third measure, the half note E, played by the
right played by the left hand. The same note values occur with the second
 half note F, played by the right hand, and the two quarter notes A and B,
played by the left hand.

As indicated by the time signature, example 4a is in 4/4 time. The first beat
in measure 1 has two notes: the whole note in the right hand and the
quarter note in the left hand. Both of  these notes are to be played at
exactly the same time. In the first beat of the second measure, the F note
in the right hand and the F note in the left hand are to be played at exactly
the same time. Incidentally, the distance between the F note in the left
hand and the F note in the right hand is an octave. In the first beat of the
third measure, the E note in the right hand and middle C in the left hand
are to be played at the same time. In the third beat of this same measure,
the F note in the right hand and the A note in the left hand are to be played
at the time. Finally, in the first beat of the last measure, the exercise is
concluded with the right hand playing the whole note E and the left hand
playing the whole note middle C.

When playing the piano using both hands and reading the corresponding
music, a vertical and horizontal sound experience occurs simultaneously.
The vertical sound occurs when two notes are played at the same time. For
instance in example 4a, measure 1, the right hand plays the E while the left
hand plays the middle C below it. Looking at the written music, you see the
vertical relationship of the E above the middle C. Once this vertical sound
occurs, the horizontal sound takes place with the descending bas notes of
the left hand. Your eyes are reading the music both vertically and
horizontally at the same time.

The Thumb Goes Under the Fingers

There are eight white keys from middle C down to the C key an octave
lower. When playing descending bass lines with your left hand that span an
octave, you can run out of fingers. For instance, after playing the A with
your third finger in example 5a, how do you play five more notes? By putting
your thumb under your third finger. If F is your lowest note and middle C is
your highest note, then you do not have to alter the fingering. However, if
you have to play all eight notes from middle C down to the C located an
octave lower, then your thumb is going to go under your middle finger.
 example 5a

As the fingering indicates, after playing the third quarter note in the first
measure with your third finger, the next note  is to be played with the first
finger of your left hand. The way to do this is to move your thumb under
your third finger immediately after playing the A note. In doing so, you will
be repositioning the fingers of your left hand to be able to play all of the
notes down to the low C without running out of fingers. Play example 5a
slowly and keep repeating it until you are comfortable with this new
fingering technique. In playing the repeat, you will be leaping an octave
from the last note C (played with your fifth finger) up to the first note
middle C (played with your thumb).

Leaping over the Thumb

When playing ascending bass notes with the left hand, you have to leap your
finger over the thumb to avoid running out of fingers. As indicated in the
next exercise example 6a, in the third measure after playing the G note
with your thumb, move your middle finger over your thumb to play the A
note. The last two ascending notes are played with your second finger
playing the B note and your thumb playing middle C.

Example 6a will help you to learn to play both descending and ascending
bass notes, moving the thumb under your fingers on the way down and
moving your middle finger over the thumb on the way up.

Play example 6a slowly and keep repeating it until you get comfortable with
the descending and ascending fingering.
 example 6a

Intermediate Keyboard
Lessons
 Part 1
Playing Octaves with the Left Hand

By now, you are familiar with the term octave, which is a derivative of the
Latin word octava, which means 'eight'. 

In order to play an octave, you have  to open up and stretch your left hand.
The low note is played with your fifth finger, an d the high note is played
with your thumb.

Place your fifth finger on the low C key and your thumb on middle C and
play example 1a.

example 1a
 Play example 1a often so you can get accustomed to stretching the fingers
on your left hand and getting the feel of playing octaves.

Eighth notes

In the next example, you're going to play eighth notes. Eighth notes are a
subdivision of quarter notes. In other words, two eighth notes equal one
quarter note. As you can see in measures 2, 4, 7 and 9 in example 2a, there
are two eighth notes for the third and fourth beats of each measure. In
measure 2, the third beat is comprised of the two eighth notes E and D, and
the eighth notes C and B make up the fourth beat. Your goal is to play the
eighth notes evenly within the third and fourth beats of the measure. As you
can see from the fingering in example 2a, your thumb will be playing more
than one key; it will play the A, G, F and E keys. You will discover that the
thumb on your left hand will be very active when playing bass lines.

example 2a

In example 3a you are going to play a series of eighth notes in every

measure except the last measure, which has a whole note. With the steady
flow of eighth notes, this exercise is designed to help you play the eighth
notes evenly. Start playing this exercise slowly. When you have worked out
the placement of notes on the keyboard and the  corresponding fingering,
increase your speed to the designated allegro tempo.

example 3a

Intermediate
Keyboard/Piano Lessons Part
2
Practicing Techniques When Playing with Both Hands

By now, you should have a good feel for playing bass lines using the left
hand. Are you ready to put both the left and right hands together?

Before you start playing a piano piece written for both hands, keep the
following practice techniques in mind:
1. Start with only playing the right-hand part. Keep playing the right-
hand part until you have perfected it and, if possible, have memorized
it. 

2. Once you have accomplished that, move on to the left had. Now play
only the left-hand part and keep playing it until you have perfected it.

3. Try your best to play either the right-or left hand part automatically,
without having to think about what you are playing; try to play the
part instinctively. This will make it a lot easier when putting both
hands together and playing both parts simultaneously.

4. Do not try to play the whole piece at once. Instead, take it one
measure at a time. Once you have perfected measure 1, add the
second measure. Before going on to the third measure, repeat
measures 1 and 2 until they flow together without any hesitation or
pauses. Keep adding measures, one at a time, until you have played
them all.

5. Take your time; do not rush into the exercise.

6. Start playing it slowly. Once you are comfortable with the parts,
increase the tempo. 

7. If you choose to use pedals, keep in mind that when using the sustain
pedal, a common practice is to press it down at the beginning of each
measure and release it at the end of each measure. This pedaling
technique will prevent the blurring of chords, harmonies and melodies
from measure to measure. For practicing purposes, you might want to
use the soft pedal. If you have one on your piano, experiment with the
sostenuto pedal. The use of pedals is determined by your subjective
ear and aesthetic taste.

Now play example 4a

 example 4a

Let's take a closer look at example 4a. As you can see, this is the first
exercise that uses two staffs - one for the right hand (treble clef) and one
for the left hand (bass clef). A bracket ties the  two staffs together.

In measure 1 and 2, the right hand plays whole notes while the left hand
plays quarter equals four quarter notes. Likewise, the four quarter notes
equal the whole note. In the third measure, the half note E, played by the
right played by the left hand. The same note values occur with the second
half note F, played by the right hand, and the two quarter notes A and B,
played by the left hand.

As indicated by the time signature, example 4a is in 4/4 time. The first beat
in measure 1 has two notes: the whole note in the right hand and the
quarter note in the left hand. Both of  these notes are to be played at
exactly the same time. In the first beat of the second measure, the F note
in the right hand and the F note in the left hand are to be played at exactly
the same time. Incidentally, the distance between the F note in the left
hand and the F note in the right hand is an octave. In the first beat of the
third measure, the E note in the right hand and middle C in the left hand
are to be played at the same time. In the third beat of this same measure,
the F note in the right hand and the A note in the left hand are to be played
at the time. Finally, in the first beat of the last measure, the exercise is
concluded with the right hand playing the whole note E and the left hand
playing the whole note middle C.

When playing the piano using both hands and reading the corresponding
music, a vertical and horizontal sound experience occurs simultaneously.
The vertical sound occurs when two notes are played at the same time. For
instance in example 4a, measure 1, the right hand plays the E while the left
hand plays the middle C below it. Looking at the written music, you see the
vertical relationship of the E above the middle C. Once this vertical sound
occurs, the horizontal sound takes place with the descending bas notes of
the left hand. Your eyes are reading the music both vertically and
horizontally at the same time.

The Thumb Goes Under the Fingers

There are eight white keys from middle C down to the C key an octave
lower. When playing descending bass lines with your left hand that span an
octave, you can run out of fingers. For instance, after playing the A with
your third finger in example 5a, how do you play five more notes? By putting
your thumb under your third finger. If F is your lowest note and middle C is
your highest note, then you do not have to alter the fingering. However, if
you have to play all eight notes from middle C down to the C located an
octave lower, then your thumb is going to go under your middle finger.

example 5a

As the fingering indicates, after playing the third quarter note in the first
measure with your third finger, the next note  is to be played with the first
finger of your left hand. The way to do this is to move your thumb under
your third finger immediately after playing the A note. In doing so, you will
be repositioning the fingers of your left hand to be able to play all of the
notes down to the low C without running out of fingers. Play example 5a
slowly and keep repeating it until you are comfortable with this new
fingering technique. In playing the repeat, you will be leaping an octave
from the last note C (played with your fifth finger) up to the first note
middle C (played with your thumb).

Leaping over the Thumb

When playing ascending bass notes with the left hand, you have to leap your
finger over the thumb to avoid running out of fingers. As indicated in the
next exercise example 6a, in the third measure after playing the G note
with your thumb, move your middle finger over your thumb to play the A
note. The last two ascending notes are played with your second finger
playing the B note and your thumb playing middle C.

Example 6a will help you to learn to play both descending and ascending
bass notes, moving the thumb under your fingers on the way down and
moving your middle finger over the thumb on the way up.

Play example 6a slowly and keep repeating it until you get comfortable with
the descending and ascending fingering.

example 6a

Intermediate
Keyboard/Piano Lessons Part
3
Getting to know the Sharp Key Signatures

C Major
All of the exercises and piano pieces you have played so far have one thing
in common: They are all in the key of C major or A minor. And that is,
because the key of C major and its relative minor, A minor, have no sharps
or flats-you only play the white keys. The vast majority of sharps and flats
are located on the black keys on the keyboard.

The key of A minor is C major's relative minor because it uses the same key
signature, which has no sharps or flats. Notes that have no sharps or flats
are also called naturals; they are natural-not sharp or flat. So all the notes
in the C-major scale and the A-minor scale are natural. Key signatures tell
you what the notes are in a specific scale and what the corresponding keys
are on the keyboard. Having played the exercises before, you are already
familiar with the key of C major. The consecutive sequence of eight notes
from middle C up an octave to the C on the third space of the treble staff is
called a scale. Let's take a look at the C-major scale.

example 7a

As you can see in example 7a, the notes in the C-major scale are C, D, E, F,
G, A, B and C. Scales go u[, scales go down, and scales in a specific key are
the same in all octaves. The notes in scales are numbered from one to
eight. 

1. C is the root; also called the tonic

2. D is the supertonic

3. E is the mediant

4. F is the subdominant

5. G is the dominant

6. A is the submediant
 7. B is the leading tone

8. C is the octave

All of these scale degrees have an intervallic relationship with the root C. An
interval is the distance between any two pitches or notes. For instance, the
intervallic distance between C and D is a second, between C and E is a third,
between C and F is a fourth, and so on.

Practice the C-major scale in example 7a with your right hand. Notice that
the thumb goes under the middle finger on the third beat in measure 1 and
the middle finger goes over the thumb on the fourth beat in measure 3.
Repeat this exercise several times. 

In the next exercise you are going to play the C-major scale with your left
hand. Notice that the middle finger goes over the thumb on the first beat in
measure 2 and that the thumb goes under the middle finger on the second
beat in measure 3. Repeat example 8a several times.

example 8a

Intermediate
Keyboard/Piano Lessons Part
4
In example 9a you are going to play the C-major scale covering two octaves,
from middle C to the C two ledger lines above the treble staff. As indicated
 in the fingering, when you see 1 after 3 and 4, the thumb goes under the
middle finger going up the scale. And going down the scale, when you see 3
and 4 after 1, the middle finger goes over the thumb.

example 9a

Moving to the left hand, play the C scale covering two octaves in the bass.
Before you do, notice that in the fingering on the way up the scale, the
middle finger goes over the thumb in measure 2, the fourth finger goes over
the thumb in measure 3 and the middle finger goes over the thumb in
measure 4. On the way down the scale, the thumb goes under the middle
finger in measure 5 and under the fourth finger and third finger in measure
6. The first note is two octaves below middle C.

example 10a

Next you're going to play the C-major scale at the distance of two octaves.
Notice that example 11a is a combination of example 9a and 10a.
 example 11a

As you can see in the next exercise, the fingering for the left hand and the
right hand is exactly the same as the fingering in example 11a. In example
12a play the A-minor scale at a distance of two octaves between both
hands.

example 12a