Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 2
Level 1 - Piano Basics
You're welcome to print out Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 2 for your personal use. It's a free tutorial for students working through Alfred's Adult All-In-One Course. Enjoy!
Links to all of my Alfred's tutorials can be found on the Alfred's Adult Piano Lessons Page.
Need the book?
Piano Basics
Pages 6-7
OK, let's have a quick chat about how you sit at the piano.
Take the instruction to "lean slightly forward" with a grain of salt. It's very slight. At first, concentrate on centering yourself with a relaxed back over your hips. Most of us slouch regularly, so sitting up straight may feel a bit awkward at first. And you may tire easily!
Don't worry, it will get easier, and you're getting the bonus of strengthening your back!
The silhouette of a piano player on page 6 is good. Notice that his legs reach the floor! If you're a younger player, or shorter, you may need books or a stool under your feet so you don't have pressure on the back of your legs where they leave the bench.
Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 2
Finger Numbers
You really do need to practice your automatic response to finger numbers! Trust me on this!
Enlist the help of a friend, kid, or spouse. Ask them to quiz you on finger numbers. Have them call out random hands and fingers, and see how quickly you can respond. "Left hand 4!" "Right hand 2!"
Do this for 5 minutes as part of your daily practicing, and I guarantee it will make your life so much easier once the music gets more complicated!
Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 2
Piano Tones & Curved Fingers
Believe it or not, piano is actually a percussion instrument! The strings aren't plucked, strummed, or bowed like other string instruments. The piano strings are struck by a hammer (a wooden 'arm' with a felt pad that touches the strings).
Experiment with the piano tone, making loud and soft sounds depending on the weight you use to push the keys down. Believe it or not, you're already making music!
Now, here are a couple of tricks I use to get your hands on the keyboard with nicely curved fingers and no tension.
Kim's Curved Hands Exercise 1
Sitting in front of the piano, raise your arms and hands up high, and shake your hands to release tension. Let your hands just hang there, totally relaxed, while you bring your arms down. As your fingers touch the keys, let them stay there, totally relaxed, as your arms lower down to playing level.
Your fingers will fall into a natural curve that's just right for your hands.
Kim's Curved Hands Exercise 2
Get up and go grab a regular size drinking glass, a soda can, or a can of soup with your right hand. Anything round. Carry it back to your piano. With your left hand, take away the glass or can, leaving your right hand shaped to what you were holding.
Notice that the fingers of your right hand are perfectly curved! Amazing! Move your hand over the keys and gently lay your fingers down (your thumb will need to move in to touch a key).
Remember, everyone's hands are different. If the curve idea is making you tense your hands, try thinking of playing with the "tiptoes of your fingers!"
You did it!
You made it through the preliminaries. I'll urge you again to review finger numbers, curved hands, and the stretching and deep breathing of Alfred's Adult Piano Lesson 1 as part of your every-day practice routine!
Happy practicing!
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