Premier Piano Course, Lesson 3

Dennis Alexander

Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.

Sharps, flats and naturals that do not appear in a key signature.

A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses repeating blocked 5ths in a single position with simple or slow-moving rhythms.

Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.

Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.

Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).

The physical motion of crossing fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5 over the thumb; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.

The physical motion of crossing the thumb under fingers 2, 3, 4, or 5; used when playing scalar passages or outside of five finger scales.

Quarter notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three 8th notes.

A type of accompaniment pattern where only one note is played at a time but with large intervals, many hand positions, and complex rhythms.

Additional lines added above or below the staff in order to place very high or very low notes that wouldn't normally fit on the staff.

A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.

Commonly used diatonic scales with the following sequence of intervals: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.

Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of an octave of any quality.

Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.

An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.

A technique that requires the player to pick up and move their hand to a new position; usually from a five finger scale to another.

Also called the damper pedal, it is the rightmost pedal on the piano and used to sustain notes by moving the dampers away from the strings.