Exercises in letter notation

Two finger exercises: The following exercises are designed to develop control of pairs of fingers. Play the exercises slowly and evenly at first. Gradually increase speed as they feel familiar, but never so much that you feel
tension (may be felt as not enough time to switch fingers).

For the legato articulation, do the following: play and hold the current key until you hear the sound of
the next key, then release the previous key. This means there will be a brief moment when both keys are being
held. To avoid developing stiffness, when raising the fingers after they are done holding a key, let the finger
relax (which should take care of most of the release) then finish lifting the finger until it is just barely touching
the key. Avoid lifting the fingers to high, as this tends to develop tension.

Different fingering options will be given with each exercise. The basic fingerings will the hand in five
finger position spacing (1 finger per key, with no stretching or contracting of the hand position.). Other fingerings will be offered that will extend (stretching fingers apart) or contract the hand position (squeezing fingers
closer together).

Lastly, the exercises should be played at first with the hands separetly (left hand alone, then right hand
alone) and once comfortable also played with the hands together. This last instruction applies to all work on the
piano. Many of the greatest performers and teachers of piano up to the present day emphasize the benefits of
training the two hands individually as well as together to develop the greatest fluency.

Two finger exercises:

1. Adjacent letters.

Play 2 - 3 times, then pause briefly and change fingers. For the basic fingerings, use any adjacent pair of fingers: 12, 23, 34, 45. For more extensive work, use contracted hand position by
including nonadjacent pairs of fingers: 12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 34, 35; 45.

RH 1 2

CDCD, CDC
LH 2 1
2. Skipping one letter.

Play 2-3 times, then pause briefly to change fingers. For the basic fingerings use 13, 24, and 35.
For more extensive work, including both extended and contracted hand positions, use the other
combinations also: 12, 13, 14, 15; 23, 24, 25; 34, 35; 45.

RH 1 3

CECE, CEC
LH 3 1

Three finger exercises: These exercises will help expand the use of legato to more fingers
in preparation for the five finger patterns. The same general instructions apply.

1.

Play 2 - 3 times, then pause briefly and change fingers. For the basic fingerings, use any adjacent set of three fingers: 123, 234, 345. For more extensive work, include nonadjacent fingers as
well: 123, 124, 125, 134, 135, 145; 234; 235, 245; 345.

RH 1 2
32

CDCD, EDED, CDCD, EDED, CDED, CDED, C.
LH 3 2
12
2.

Play 2 - 3 times, then pause briefly and change fingers. For the basic fingerings, use any adjacent set of three fingers: 123, 234, 345. For more extensive work, include nonadjacent fingers as
well: 123, 124, 125, 134, 135, 145; 234; 235, 245; 345.

RH 1 2 13
1 23 2
13 23

CDCE, CDCE, CDED, CDED, CEDE, CEDE, C.
LH 3 2 3 1
32 1 2
31 21

Five finger exercises: As before, practice these exercises using legato fingering. This time
the excercises will be done in a five finger position. They are written in the C five finger position, but may be moved to any five finger position. Accidentals may be applied to the patterns
at will. The hand position is shown on the keyboard below, but can be done on any part of the
keyboard.
C
5

D E
4 3

F G
2 1

C
1

D E F G
2 3 4 5

1. Play several times with hands seperately.

Begin playing slowly, with careful attention to

legato and relaxed hands/wrists/fingers. When the legato feels easy gradually increase speed,
maintaining both legato and relaxation. Repeat the same process when playing with hands
together, with careful attention to the same details, but also that the two hands play exactly
together.

RH 1 2

CDCD, EDED, EFEF, G, GFED, CDEF, GFED C.
LH 5 4
2. Same instructions as previous exercise.
RH 1 2

CDED, CDED, EFGF, EFGF, GFED, C.
LH 5 4
3. Same instructions as previous exercise.
RH 1 2

CDCD, CECE, CFCF, G, GFGF, GEGE, GDGD, C.
LH 5 4