16th Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-sixteenth the value of a whole note or one quarter of a quarter note.
8th Rests
Silence that equals the length of one 8th note.
Blocked 3rds
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 3rd of any quality.
Blocked 6ths
Two notes played together, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 6th of any quality.
Blocked Chord Accompaniment
A type of accompaniment pattern that primarily uses root-position major and minor triads with simple or slow-moving rhythms.
Blocked Chords
Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.
Chord Inversions
Chords with alternate ordering of their tones where the root is placed either in the middle or at the top of the chord.
Crossing Over Thumb
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.
Crossing Thumb Under
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.
Diminished Seventh Chords
Four-note chords comprised of the root, minor 3rd, diminished 5th, and diminished 7th; typically have a dominant function.
Dominant Seventh Chords
Four-note chords comprised of the root, major 3rd, perfect 5th, and minor 7th.
Dotted Half Notes
Half notes whose lengths are increased by half; equal to three quarter notes.
First Inversion Chords
Chords with an alternate ordering of their tones where the root is placed on the top and the 3rd and 5th below.
Half Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one half the value of a whole note.
Imitation
A type of texture where one hand plays a series of notes that are mimicked in the other hand.
Left Hand Melody
A type of texture where the left hand plays the melody and the right hand plays the accompaniment for an extended period of time.
Major Scales
Commonly used diatonic scales with the following sequence of intervals: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
Melodic 2nds
Two notes played in succession, usually in one hand but sometimes in both, whose distance is the interval of a 2nd of any quality.
Mezzo Forte
A simple melody line shared by both the right hand and the left hand.
Natural Minor Scale
A type of minor diatonic scale built by lowering the 3rd, 6th, and 7th degrees of its parallel major scale by one semitone.
Quarter Notes
Notes whose lengths are equal to one-fourth the value of a whole note.
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.
Two Note Slurs
Two notes connected together smoothly where the second note is played softer and lighter.
Whole Notes
Notes whose lengths are four beats.
Melody Between Hands
A simple melody line shared by both the right hand and the left hand.
- Choose Good Fingerings
- Clap and Count
- Focus on the Left Hand Accompaniment Patterns
- Hands Separate Practice
- Make Rhythmic Exercises Using Difficult Rhythms
- Play Similar Passages Together
- Play Small Segments
- Practice Scalar Passages in Rhythms
- Slow Practice
- Tap and Count
- Tap One Hand While Playing the Other
- Work on Creating a Good Tone
- Work on Expressive Phrasing
- Work on Getting the Correct Style