Accents
Indications instructing the player to put special emphasis on notes.
Legato
A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.
Octave Higher and Octave Lower
Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.
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.
Staccato
A type of articulation indicating the player to play short and light; notes not held for their full value.
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.
Swing 8ths
A technique of playing 8th notes where the first 8th note is held longer than the second of a grouping of two; used often in jazz and blues.
Tenuto
A type of articulation indicating to the player that a given note should be held for its full value or slightly more.
Ties
Symbols indicating that two notes are to be played as one with the value equal to their sum.
- Demonstrate
- Hands Separate Practice
- Highlight Dynamic Contrasts
- Play Small Segments
- Slow Practice
- Tap One Hand While Playing the Other