Fingering and articulation
- Use appropriate fingering in closed and extended right-hand positions, including for scales and arpeggios
- Connect different hand positions by the passing of the thumb
- Use appropriate fingering for single-fingered and full-fingered left-hand chords
- Play three-fingered chords and understand the formation of major triads in root position, beginning to develop an awareness of inversions
- Play with legato and non-legato articulation, including slurring
- Define longer melodic phrases with guidance
Help learners to understand the importance of fingering in relation to phrasing and as an aid to memorisation. Demonstrate effective and ineffective fingering.
Play short musical phrases with learners, suggesting and using alternative fingerings. Discuss the effects on the phrasing, comparing and contrasting the effectiveness of fingering patterns.
This activity can be particularly effective in a group lesson, where learners can concentrate on listening to each others’ playing.
Add or remove fingering from the notation in order to promote good habits, explaining choices made. Invite learners to contribute as their understanding develops.
Teach learners to play easy one-octave scales with the right hand, e.g. C major, G Mixolydian, D Dorian. Extend to two octaves, paying particular attention to fingering.
Introduce simple, well-known pieces that use an extended hand position, e.g. pentatonic. Demonstrate finger techniques before learners start learning the pieces.
Teach tunes in which the closed five-note position moves, e.g. Largo from the ‘New World’ Symphony.
Introduce learners to pieces that include thumb-under techniques.
Ensure that learners continue to explore the benefits of using the same or different fingers for each single-finger chord.
Teach learners to play arpeggios and broken chords, explaining the link between these and chords used in pieces.
The auto-accompaniment should not be engaged for this exercise.
Introduce chord progressions (one per bar), using single-finger and/or full-fingered chords in a variety of easy keys/modes related to the scales and pieces being studied. Ask learners to play these at a regular pulse, counting aloud at first, and then using the auto-accompaniment.
Ask learners to identify staccato or legato articulation and discuss how this affects the mood of the music. Make links between the voice used and suitable articulation. Encourage learners to explore articulations within pieces they are playing.
Some voices are only suited to legato or staccato playing, while others can suit a wide variety of articulations.
Demonstrate simple legato as a means to phrasing the right-hand melody, including ‘breaths’ between phrases. Encourage learners to explore phrasing and comment on the expressive effect.
It can be particularly helpful to link the musical principles of phrasing with singing activities, speech, and punctuation in written language.
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