Exposing Yourself to the piano

This lesson will be just familiarize you with the piano.  When you look at a keyboard, don’t be intimidated by the seemingly disorganized jumble of black and white keys confronting you.  You will learn that the keyboard is actually organized brilliantly, making it so much simpler than it looks at first glance.  The black keys are very important, because without them, you wouldn’t be able to find your way around the instrument.  Looking at the groupings of 2’s and 3’s of the black keys allows you to identify the position of your hand, as you are moving along the keyboard.  This can be done without looking down at the keyboard simply by feeling along the keys.       

Black keys ([#]sharps/[b]flats):  There are two groups of black keys.  There are the two’s and the three’s huddled next to each other.  Your index finger and middle finger go on the two black keys.  And your index, middle and ring finger go onto the three black keys.  As a general guideline, you will never play the black keys with your thumb.    

White keys:  For this exercise only your thumb will be touching the white keys. 

The first two notes that I want you to find on the keyboard is C and F.  C can be found on the white key just before any group of two black keys.  F will be found just before any grouping of three black keys.  Now put your right index finger onto the first of the two black keys.  Hit the next black key with your middle finger.  Now cross your thumb over to F on the white key.  And now play with your three fingers on the three black keys.  Roll your thumb underneath once more onto C.  And finally come to rest on the next black key with your index finger.  After you have done this try to go all the way up the keyboard in this way and then all the way back down.  Now try it with the other hand. 

Your left hand will be a mirror image of what your right hand did.  Put your middle finger on the first of the two black keys.  Then your index finger.  Put your thumb on F.  Roll your ring finger over to the next set of black keys and play them with your three fingers, hit C with your thumb and rest on the next black note with your middle finger.  Learnt to go up and down the keyboard like the right hand.  After you have finished all of that, you should then try to play with both hands at the same time.