learn to play the - mr. notemanmrnoteman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/piano-module.pdf · why...

Learn to Play the

PianoPiano

Learn all the notes on the

piano! Play right hand

melodies, and left hand

chords!

Copyright © 2013 mrnoteman.com

Why learn to play the piano?The piano is one of the most common musical instruments in the world. Pianos andkeyboards can be found in homes, churches, orchestras, schools, and public places. Aknowledge of the piano provides an incredible basis for understanding music and musictheory. Learning to play melodies and chords for favorite songs can be wonderfullysatisfying. Once you have learned how to correlate written music with the various keys onthe piano, you are on your way to a lifetime of musical expression and enjoyment.

About the pianoThe piano was invented in the 1700's by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy, as animprovement on the harpsichord, an instrument which could not be playedlouder or softer. The pianoforte, which in Italian means “soft-loud,” gave theperformer the ability to change volume by changing the force with which hestruck the keys. The modern piano has a total of 88 keys (52 white and 26black) and covers a range of over 7 octaves.

How to sit at the pianoWhen sitting on the piano bench, keep your back straight and tall, with a slight leantowards the piano. Your hands should be held relaxed and curvedabove the keys. Be sure the bench is the right distance from thepiano. When sitting tall, with your fingers on the piano keys, yourarms should be comfortably bent, neither reaching too far forward,nor with your elbows behind you.

How to find your notesTo find your way around on the piano, you must learn where each note is in relation to theblack keys, which form a repeating pattern of:

2 keys in a group, then 3 keys in a group,

across the entire keyboard. We will start by finding each of these groups. Next, we willlearn that the white key in between each group of 2 black keys is the note“D.” Knowing that the musical alphabet goes from A to G, then repeats, willhelp us identify all the rest of the white key notes.

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MiddleF C G

“Higher” notes“Lower” notes

How to read the songs

Play the notes in the top staff with your right hand, using the indicated fingers

Play the notes in the bottom staff with your left hand, using the indicated fingers

Sing the melody notes written on the top staff

The clef secretsThe treble clef sign is just a fancy“G,” telling you where the note G ison the staff

The bass clef sign is just a fancy “F”telling you where the note F is on thestaff

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20 Steps to Playing the Piano

1. Demonstrate sitting tall at the piano.

2. Learn that the low notes are to the left and the high notes are to the right.

3. Name all the white keys using the musical alphabet - A B C D E F G.

4. Find all the groups of two black keys, then all the groups of three black keys.

5. Find the D's - sing “I am D, I am in the middle of the two black keys.”

6. Find the C's - “Point to D, thumbs on C.”

7. Find all the A's, B's, C's, D's, E's, F's, G's.

8. Identify middle C.

9. Learn the music alphabet backwards – G F E D C B A.

10. Name the black keys chromatically going up, using their # (sharp) name.

11. Name the black keys chromatically going down, using their b (flat) name.

12. Identify all piano keys by location relative to black keys

13. Identify all piano keys by SHAPE ALONE! (C's & F's, E's & B's, D, G, A)

14. Learn your finger numbers.

15. Learn to play triads in key of C (C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am Bdim), playing 3 white keys

skipping one piano key between each note in the triad.

16. Learn music notation for notes middle C up to G

17. Play simple right hand melodies in C, demonstrating proper finger usage.

18. Play C block chord while singing familiar melodies.

19. Play G chord, and demonstrate switching between C chord and G chord

20. Play right hand melody with left hand chords on simple two chord songs.

2

2-3-4

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2-3

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3. Twos and Threes

4. I Am D!

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Copyright © 2013 mrnoteman.com

Piano Songbook

11 21 2 1 21 112 2 2

12. Finding Middle C

10. Fun F's

11. Pulling G's

13. Point to D, Thumb on C

9. Every E

8. Awesome A's7. Busy B's

6. Sail the C's5. Point to the D's

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16. Hot Cross Buns

17. Mary Had a Little Lamb

15. Playing G to C

14. Playing C to G

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19. Jingle Bells

18. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee

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27. Hot Cross Buns, Both Hands!

26. Swapping Chords - C & G

25. G Chord Quest

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29. Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee, Both Hands!

28. Mary Had a Little Lamb, Both Hands!

love,

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Mr. Noteman

Keyboard

Overlay# b

# b# b

# b# b

# b# b

# bCopyright © 2013 mrnotem

an.com

&

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Middle

C

Fold down along this line.

Cut all around the outsideof the keyboard overlay.

Snip the heavy black linesseparating the rectangles.

Insert the folded down white rectanglebehind the keys, allowing the colors tolie on top of the black and white keys.

Print this page oncard stock.

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