Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman
and in this lesson we're going to add in the left-hand part for the B section of
"Andante". Let's check out the score to get started. Remember how important it is to
find patterns, because it's those patterns that will help you learn a
piece the fastest. And of course you always have to watch out for when those
patterns break. Sometimes a pattern continues and then a composer will
surprise you, so you have to stay on your toes. So let's look for patterns in
the left hand. If you look at the notes of the left hand, tell me what pattern
you're seeing here.
The pattern in the left hand is step down, repeat, step down,
repeat, step down, repeat, step down, repeat. Pretty simple right? Step down, then here
the pattern breaks, step up, step up, drop down an octave, then we finish with this
A minor triad. Again, always keep your eye out for where a pattern breaks. You can't
always assume it's going to go on forever. Now, the interesting thing about
the left hand part is the fingering. This looks pretty simple right? Step down,
repeat, step down, repeat, well, on this repeating note because it keeps stepping
down after each repeat, you will run out of fingers unless you do something a
little bit tricky. So let's check out how to do that on the piano.
So let's find the left-hand finger 2 on this A right below middle C, and we have that 2
steps down to finger 3. It's now 3 is on G, then you're going to
substitute and switch to finger 2 on G to step down to F.
Then we substitute figure 2 on F, step down to E, substitute finger 2 to E,
step down to D, see how this works? We're basically doing a step down, then
replace with finger 2, repeat, step down, replace with finger 2, repeat, step down,
step up, step up, down an octave, and then A-minor triad. Okay now press pause and
try that on your own. Go really carefully, make sure that you're not just playing
the right notes but the right fingers, and this is the key pattern. Because if
you don't do that you will run out of fingers. We have to end up way down here,
so by substituting to finger 2, it helps our hand move down the keyboard.
See how that works? So it's just 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 1 5
Now that was fast motion, of course with the right hand it'll go much slower 3 2 3 2
3 2 3 See how that works? Now press pause and just work on this
left-hand part on your own, the entire B Section, measure nine to the end, press
pause to work on your own, and then press play to go on.
Now when you feel comfortable with the left hand alone, also make sure that
you're really comfortable with the right hand alone in the B section that you've
practiced these block chords really well, because hands alone it may be no problem.
Once you put it hands together it can feel a little crazy, so you want to make
sure your hands alone is very confident. And then hands together, you'll have to
worry about moving the right hand up and down these fourths and fifths, and the
left hand is gonna be shifting too. So at first go really slowly, 1 and 2 and
3 and 1 and 2 and 3 and, or maybe you want to go even slower than that, like a
largo tempo. 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 1 and 2. You want to go slow enough
that you're sure that you're
getting the fingerings correct, and the notes correct, so you're training good
habits. Okay, so press pause and try just a couple of
these measures hands together. Maybe tackle measures nine through, let's say
nine through twelve, just these first four measures, and then press play to go on.
Now like I said, at first you may be going super slow and that's okay. You know, give
yourself time to really think through this. The metronome again can be a great
tool to help you go nice and slow. Here's the metronome at 96.
That might be a good starting speed; one note per click. Take your time with it, in fact, at first
you may not go metronome at all, you may want to just really think about every
single note. Take your time. As you get comfortable, start with the metronome
around 96 or a hundred beats per minute, then gradually speed that up a little
bit at a time until you're at 200 again.
May take a week or two weeks or
even three weeks to get it up to this speed. How do you know when you're ready
to speed it up a notch? When you can play it confidently with no missed notes and
no pauses, okay, then you're ready to bump it up a notch and challenge yourself.
Once you hit 200, go back to 100 and now this is the quarter note. So you're
playing two notes per click now. TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI-TI- from there maybe bump it up to about 108 for
a final performance speed.
Finally, the last thing I wanted to mention is to make sure that you find
the right feeling for this piece. The title of this piece is "Andante", what you
recall means kind of a medium slow but flowing there's movement to it but it's
it's a relaxed feel this song is not meant to be played intense and fast it's
meant to be beautiful and flowing.
One thing that will help with that flowing
sound, is to have a flowing arm and wrist. Let your fingers flow through the notes.
You know, don't hammer at the notes, let your hand and arm move gracefully
through the notes.
Also be sure in your left hand that you're not hammering that
note, use your wrist to gently drop and then release that note.
If your arms, hands, and fingers all work together, you can make a beautiful sound. Let's listen
to the whole thing from the beginning with repeat signs and dynamics.
The last thing I want to mention is how you end a song. It's important that on
that final note you float the wrist up and bring your hands to your lap.
That signals to your audience that you're done
Nice work learning "Andante" by Johann Christian Bach. I'd love for you to work
carefully every day to try and make your performance beautiful and flowing. Really
listen as you practice. Listen for your dynamics, listen for the evenness in the
flow of your eighth notes. Make sure that every sound is working together to
create something beautiful to listen to. Once you have your performance sounding
the way you want it to sound, please make a video and share your performance with
me online. Or you could perform it for a friend or family member right from home.
Music, like all good things, is for sharing. Thanks so much for watching and
learning with me, and I'll see you next time.
Hey Scooba, I got a joke for you. Okay, fire away!
What did Johann Sebastian say to his son Johann Christian, when little Christian
started to cross the street without looking both ways? Mmm, I don't know.
Come 'bach'!
'Bach', hahaha!