Transcripts
1. Introduction: Hey, there, you are officially
part of this piano family, so welcome, welcome, welcome. My name is Diana Murray
and I'm going to be your teacher through
beginning piano. So if you haven't played ever, or you haven't played
in a long time, you're in the right place. Maybe you're even sneaking
in here and you're like, I already take classes, but I just wanted to see
I just want to confirm a few things about what I'm learning and find other
avenues to do that. Welcome, welcome, welcome. You are in the right place. Class is officially in
session. Let's get started.
2. Unit Overview: The first thing we're going
to talk about is position and posture to things that
are extremely important, that are oftentimes overlooked, but will actually
ensure that you have a positive experience in both your body and your mind because you don't want to get uncomfortable
as you play. The second concept
we're going to get into is going to be tan position, as well as your finger numbers. Fingers numbers seem
elementary, but guess what? In piano, they're not. From here to the
most advanced music. You'll actually
see finger numbers printed in the
publishing that you get, because this is how
we know what is the, the best way to play
through a song. Oftentimes the
easiest Or sometimes, what is the fingering that was intentionally placed
there by the composer? Because it's meant to
strengthen a specific finger or teach a different type of
exercise or technique to. Third thing we're
going to get into is going to be the highs and lows, the geography of the piano, so that you have the
best understanding of how the keyboard works. Today we're not going to
get into the white keys. We are going to stick
to the black keys, but I promise you, you will leave here having
learned for songs today. So let's get started.
3. Lesson 1: Hand Position: All right, everyone. So we just took a
look at what it means to sit correctly at the piano. The second thing we have
is the hand position. Now, if you see my
fingers here, many times, you'll see beginners
with flat fingers because you think that you're
playing on this front part. But in reality,
when you do this, you're actually
missing a finger. And miraculously when
you curve those fingers, all five fingers
reach your keyboard. However, that's not
the only reason. Now when you play the muscle and the strength on your hands, we'll actually be more intense
with your curved fingers. You won't get as much
as when you have straight fingers as when you
have curved, just try it. And any of you all have
gotten them massage before, you know, it's like you don't
want to live with them. Flat fingers, I go back. Alright, anyways,
let's continue. So the thing you want to do, how do you know what is
the proper position? There's a couple of ways
that you can go about this. The first is occur the
hand over the fist. And so when you
release your hand, that is actually the
curvature that you want. Always your wrist
should be straight, parallel to the ground. Shoulders relaxed. We talked about that imposture. And you have curved fingers. Just to be accurate. You are not meant to play on
this part of your finger. You actually want
to play on the tip. Hence, why y'all can not
have those fingernails. It's not going to work. It's not that you're not
able to play completely. I don't want to deter you. However, if you've
made the commitment to be able to play properly, that's a different story. Plus I've had many students
who refuse to cut and actually got their fingernails
stuck between the keys. Y'all, I don't
want that for you. That is not the life I want
for you to live. Okay. I get it. You got special occasions? Yes. However, in the long run, maybe commit to like two
months, be like, Yeah, I'm learning piano, so I'm not going to allow this to
happen to my nails. I'm going to play
properly and give myself the ability and opportunity to actually put my best foot forward when
it comes to playing. That comes from that. Another way to remember
your hand position is to imagine like you have
a ball in your hand. You want this nice curvature
within your hand so that it allows you to play on the
tips of those fingers. So once you have your hands in the position they
should look at. So you have curved fingers in both hands.
You're ready to go. Your feet are flat, just like we talked about. You're sitting nice and tall and you're leaning in
and ready to play.
4. Lesson 2: Finger Numbers: Alright, so the next
thing we're touching on our finger numbers, right? So finger numbers are going to be a mirror image
of one another. So when you are holding your
hands directly straight out, your thumbs are always one. Okay. So do this with me. Don't feel silly. Just try it one time your thumbs are one. Then you're going
out to your 2s, your threes, fours, and fives. Let's go back in 4321. Feel free to rewind and do it
with me a couple of times, saying the finger number, there's a body mind
connection that happens if you say while you do something. So I highly encourage
you to do that.
5. Lesson 3: 2 Black Key Groups (Exercises Included): Alright, now that we have our
posture, our hand position, and our finger numbers, Let's move forward to the actual keyboard and
how the geography works. So we'll get into actual white key letter names and all of that in
our next video. However, today, I
simply wanted us to recognize that we all have
the black and white keys. Second thing is that your
black keys are divided into these groups of 2.3 going
up and down the piano. So no matter where you are, what kind of keyboard you have, they'll all have
the same patterns. The second thing
that I want you to understand is that you can have high sounds or low
sounds on your pianos. Get a little fancy with it. Go from low to high
and high to low, low to high on the black keys
have the same rings, true? If I say to go higher
on your keyboard, you're going to go
from left to right. If we're going lower
on the keyboard, you're going to go
from right to left. Okay? You got this. Let's do a few warm
ups now that we understand that we
have black keys and we have white keys, we're going to start
on the black keys primarily for the reason that it allows us to also
practice our hand position. So here you have your
right hand piece song. This is a strictly
a warm-up piece, a technical piece
meant to exercise the fingers up and down
the black key groups. So we're going to start
with the right hand. And I want us to
actually be able to get at least three in. So I'm going to start
lower on my keyboard. I'm going to go to 32 together. Then I'll go into move
up to 32 together. So I like to teach in a
style that's called I play. We play. Then you play. I will show you exactly
what the song is. Following that. I want you to play along with me so I'll play
it a second time. The third time, I'm just going
to say pause that video, played through at least
three times so you can internalize what's happening and then move on to
the next concept. Here we go. I'm
going to start with making sure I have
my fingers curved. I'm on a set of two
black keys with my two and my three.
Let's go for it. 12, ready? Here it is. Three together. 32 together, two together. Join in with me. Let's set up on a group of two black keys on your keyboard. Be sure that you
went, can at least go two times to the right. One to play. Three together. Next, 32 together,
next 232 together. That's it. Or is it Let's move
on to the left hand. So did you know your
left hand actually makes an L. So 123, I want to make sure
I have enough space. So again, I'm still starting
with my two and my three. Same pattern 232 together, except it's going to give
a different sound to it, because now it's going
to go high to low. So pause and listen
to 32 together, to three. Together. 32 together. Alright, join in with me now. So left hand, 12, ready? Play. 32 together. Next to three together. Next three together. And off. Now what I'd love for you to do
is pause the video, practice your right hand, then your left hand, and least two to three
times so that you can start memorizing those
finger numbers and understanding the high to
the lows of your people.
6. Lesson 4: 3 Black Key Groups (Exercises Included): Now that we've played on the
two black keys, guess what? Let's start a little bit on the three black key groups just to get some movement down. So I'm just going to start here within the
middle of my piano. And I remember we're doing
the same thing. We're doing. The I play, we play and then you play for
a moment of practice. So here's how I'm going
to play this song. This one's called moving on up. No, it's not that one. Here we go. 12. Let's go ahead and play
it through together. Curved fingers. Make sure
you're sitting tall. 12, ready? Play. 234 next, 234440, next 23444. And now, remember this is now your
personal practice time. So take a pause, pause the video, play it
through two to three times. Come on back. Alright, now let's move on to the left hand. This one's going to
be humbled myself. After moving on up, You
got to humble yourself. So we're going to start
high and move down. So this is now I play, we play. You play. So take
a look and listen. 34434423. All right. Yeah, Julian on in left hand, bring it up higher on
the keyboard curve those fingers sitting tall, Let's go 12, ready? Let's play. 34423 and next. And next to three. And now is your time. Pause that video, run it through about two to three
times and come on back.
7. Lesson 5: Song #1 "Merrily We Roll Along": Alright, let's put
some songs to it. I know you've been
playing some techniques, some exercises. Now we're actually going
to play a song, y'all. So what we're going to do
is set up both of our hands on of two groups of
three black keys. So we're still following
the same method I play. We play, then you play. So take a look and listen. It might sound familiar
to many of you. That's merrily We Roll Along, not to be confused with Mary
Had a Little Lamb fun fact, the only difference
between the two is the that little part in the
middle where it goes higher. That's the only difference
between the two. But we're going to play merrily, We Roll Along on the black
keys together today. So let's go ahead and set
up both of your hands. You're going to start
with your right hand. For now. We're going to say
those finger numbers while we play them
as best you can. If you need to go through
the first time without, then do what you do. Boo, Let's go 12
right hand. Start. 4, 3, 2, 3 4, 4, 4 0, 3, 3, 3 4, 4, 4. Hold left-hand. 3432, hold 3334234. Alright, let's do that
one more time together. This time, you can say the
finger numbers while you play. Ready, 12. Ready, let's play. You've got your left hand. You did it. You know what to do now, pause, practice two to three
times and come on back.
8. Lesson 6: Song #2 "Hot Cross Buns": Alright, the next song we
have is our tried and true. It is hot cross buns. So we're starting
in the same space. We're just working on some
different patterns as we work some technique getting used to this hand position and
so on and so forth. So I'll play it through first. That's a good one, right? It's a thorough practice on all those fingers so that you feel that you are able to move. Alright, let's go for it. So we're going to do the
right-hand first, the left hand, and then I would
love love if you attempted it hands
together. You got this. We're going to start
with each hand on a group of three black keys, probably with one set of
two black keys between. And let's go for it right hand first one to write him play. 4 343-223-3343. Left-hand, 234,233,333.234. All right. Let's do them together.
You got this. You got it. Even it's a messy keep playing. Alright? Now, if, of course you might need maybe to play
it along with me again, rewind and play along with me. However, if you're
like, I got this, play it on your own two
to three times. Come on.
9. Lesson 7: Final Song : Moving on to the next one. The final sign that we
have on the group of 3.2. You probably know this one also. So take a look and listen. Good old, old MacDonald's. So let's go ahead and
play it through together. 12, right hand start to left-hand 32 234-443-3223. The student again
to left hand 323, right hand for 44332. Hold ready and keep going. So to to to go up
to the next one, to two to bring it
back down to two. And the left-hand 333 to
the right to left hand, 3223, right hand, 44433. I'm going to leave here learning music with just the black keys. Isn't that really cool? Well listen, I'm going to
move on to one more piece. It's a bonus piece and
it's actually fun. Fact, the first song
I ever learned, my aunt taught it to me. And it was funny
because when she taught it and I was
able to play it, she was like, Oh, what do
you need for this girl? Some piano lessons, so I'm
sharing it with you today.
10. Lesson 8: Bonus Song: I'm just recommending that
you play it through a couple of times along with
the recording. I'm not going to say a lot of finger numbers along the way. It's really just
about playlists on. Okay, I might have changed
it up a little bit. We all, but that is a song. You're playing it slowly,
but it's definitely one that's fun to play. You could really
make it your own. There's no Honestly, I've I've created my own arrangements
of it through the years. I've heard my students play.
It's been a lot of fun. It's a fun one to share.
11. What's Next?: That is the end of
the first unit. You did it, you did it from start to finish and
a proud of you. I'm proud of you not
just for showing up, but for seeing it through
from start to finish. So listen, I can't wait
to see you with unit two. Can't wait to see you all again
next time. See you later.
Diana Marie, Your personal piano guide
