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 Chords
Chord tones played together that are not part of an accompaniment pattern.
Extended Hand Positions
Hand positions that require stretching beyond a five finger scale; usually to play intervals that are 6ths or greater.
Fermatas
Indications placed above or below notes instructing the player to hold those notes longer than their original notated length.
Intermediate Two Voices in One Hand
A type of texture where one or both hands play more than one voice at a time with large intervals, many hand positions, and complex rhythms.
Legato
A type of articulation indicating the player to play smoothly and seamlessly, with the notes slightly overlapped.
Mezzo Forte
A simple melody line shared by both the right hand and the left hand.
Octave Higher and Octave Lower
Symbols that indicate playing a note or range of notes either an octave higher or lower than notated.
Parallel 6ths
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.
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.
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.
Ties
Symbols indicating that two notes are to be played as one with the value equal to their sum.
- Demonstrate
- Hands Separate Practice
- Play Small Segments
- Slow Practice
- Tap One Hand While Playing the Other