Melody Bober

A type of texture where the left hand plays the melody and the right hand plays the accompaniment for an extended period of time.

Left Hand Melody

A series of blocked octaves that are played one hand at a time and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.

A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses broken chords in varying note configurations, with simple or slow-moving rhythms.

A type texture that occurs when the contour, distance, and speed of the notes in one hand matches that of the other hand as they play together.

A series of notes from the chromatic scale played simultaneously in both hands.

A type of texture where the contour of the notes in one hand is the exact opposite to that of the other hand as they play simultaneously.

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

A series of any amount or quality of blocked 6th intervals that are played in one hand, and where both notes move up or down in parallel motion.

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.

Hand positions that require stretching beyond a five finger scale; usually to play intervals that are 6ths or greater.

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.

Broken chords that have a minimum range of an octave and require thumb crossing.

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

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.

Notes whose values are one sixth the value of a quarter note.

A trembling effect that is achieved by playing rapidly repeating notes in succession. 

Chords played with four notes (including seventh chords) that usually require stretching beyond a five finger position.