Fingering and articulation
- Recognise and use finger numbering
- Use appropriate right-hand fingering, initially within a single closed five-note hand position
- Use appropriate fingering for single fingered left-hand chords
- Play easy chord progressions, using major triads in single-finger mode, ensuring chords and clearly detached
- Play legato and non-legato
- Define short melodic phrases with guidance
Explain the conventional system for finger numbering on both hands, checking learners’ understanding by asking them to use or identify certain fingers.
Monitor learners’ use of all fingers while they play in a closed five-note hand position.
Explain that finger numbering should only be used as a means of establishing the correct hand position.
Learners sometimes use written fingering as an aid to note identification. This is counter-productive to the development of music reading because the eye tends to be distracted away from the notation. Avoid using unnecessary fingering.
Teach learners to play exercises in the closed five-note position evenly and equally. Draw attention to the relative ease/difficulty of using each finger independently.
Attention can be drawn to the muscular and bone construction of the hand, and the comparative weakness of the fourth and fifth fingers.
Show learners how single-finger chords can be played either by literally hopping with a single finger or by using a combination of fingers. Highlight the merits of each approach. Explain that using different fingers for each chord encourages a well-formed hand shape and finger independence, whereas using just one finger ensures chords are properly detached and encourages mobility of the wrist and forearm.
Just as pianists begin to learn finger technique playing individual notes, so keyboard players can use single-finger chords. Major triads are recommended first.
Ask learners to play chord progressions using major triads in single-finger mode, ensuring that the chords are properly detached. Demonstrate that if chords are not detached the keyboard may not respond correctly.
Unless clearly explained, using minor and/or seventh chords in single-finger mode can be counter-productive to learners developing a proper understanding of the formation of chords.
Play the right-hand melody of a known piece and ask learners to play the left-hand chords only.
Describing the lower part of the keyboard as ‘hot’ and the upper part as ‘cool’ may help to ensure that chords are detached while the melody remains legato!
Perform a short piece, asking learners to identify whether staccato or legato articulation is used. Discuss how this affects the character of the music.
Use imaginative analogies where possible when introducing legato, e.g. passing the baton in a relay race.
Ask learners to experiment with different articulations within pieces, listening and discussing how this affects the character.
Singing and speech can be used to illustrate the difference between various articulations.
Help learners to develop their ability to play legato, ‘walking, not jumping’, by using appropriate finger exercises.
Drawing lines from one note to another using coloured pencils (as in dot-to-dot books) may help to focus concentration.
Explore the progression of this Learning Objective
Continue exploring the current Programme of Study
