8th Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-eighth the value of a whole note or half the value of a quarter note.
Blocked 5ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 5th of any quality.
Blocked 5ths Accompaniment
A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses repeating blocked 5ths in a single position with simple or slow-moving rhythms.
Crescendo and Diminuendo
Indications instructing the player to play gradually louder (crescendo) or softer (diminuendo).
Half Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one half the value of a whole note.
Quarter Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-fourth the value of a whole note.
Ritardando
An Italian term meaning "delaying"; an indication instructing the player to decrease speed, often gradually.
Shifting Hand Positions
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.
Simple Two Voices in One Hand
A type of texture where one or both hands play more than one voice at a time; usually briefly and with simple rhythms.
Sustain Pedal
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.
Tenuto
A type of articulation indicating to the player that a given note should be held for its full value or slightly more.
Whole Notes
Notes whose lengths are four beats.
- Hands Separate Practice
- Play Small Segments
- Slow Practice