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Re: Confused about hand positioning

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 10:06 pm
by MiddleC
HI Linda

I am just barely ahead of you. Here are some of my thoughts on this (remember, I'm not much ahead of you, so take it for what it's worth.

On the different positions...watch some pianists on Youtube. You will notice their hands are all over the board. I think lessen's focus regarding position, is to get us used to the fact that the position will vary. It depends on what the song is, ie. what notes are being played.

On your last question, take the suggestion about where to place hands. In case you haven't noticed, the keyboard under the music on PGS has the keys you will be using colored, and will indicate where to place them. One of the frustrations you will likely experience (at least I did), is once you get used to playing the E 2 notes up from middle c with your middle finger, then next thing you'll be playing that E with your thumb. A little frustrating at first, but there is a method to the madness.

There is an upcoming lesson for you about the staff, and the methods used to indicate how the notes in the music are done to indicate a different octive. It will NOT cover the whole keyboard, but will get you at least a bit of understanding.

Another interesting thing...when playing the bass clef (is that the right terminology?) middle C is different on the bass, vs. the trebble.

I have been using the numbers, but I get to feeling that I won't learn the notes. But my path of an exercise is: if a bit harder, lower the tempo. Once I get 100% on that, raise the tempo to normal, or even halfway to normal...whatever you need to get through it. I keep practicing it until I get 100%, preferabley 2 times in a row, but I often take the second 100% even if not consecutive. It can make the lessons longer. But I feel I've mastered it if I can do that. And after that, I start practicing without the numbers on. (As I get a little further down the road, I am finding that I turn off the numbers earlier, and am doing some of them now w/o the numbers.

It's nice to see some other beginners posting. The forum isn't overly active. (My hobby is classic cars...forums for those are very busy...so it makes me feel this one is not overly active. But...I'm seeing responses and help when needed. Good forum and group.

I'm real pleased with the PGS system.

Good luck. Hope to see you more on here ;-)

Re: Confused about hand positioning

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:14 pm
by lindamcilroy3
Thanks Middle C, for your reply. So Sorry about taking so long to reply. To be honest I gave up with this forum.
I am up to Reading Music 5, Practice 2 half notes.#11 - I am still floundering around wondering which keys are under my my fingers. When I have worked out the note on the screen music and look down to find the correct note on the keyboard I am way behind. I will persisit., but find this very frustraiting.

Re: Confused about hand positioning

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 9:32 am
by EFlatMajor
Hello Linda - have you considered getting keyboard stickers to help you identify the keys on the keyboard? You can get them anywhere, the link below just an example of what they look like.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RJC27F6

Re: Confused about hand positioning

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2021 5:06 am
by amadaira
One idea that was a "life changer" for me was beginning to play by intervals. Think of the notes on the staff as steps to climb up or down, in one, two or more steps. See the "shape" of the next section notes on each hand and try to cover them with the range of your hands. In 5 steps most of the times, but in some times you can "open" the hand to cover more than 5 steps, extending your thumb for example to avoid innecesary hand changes....

To start memorizing notes and playing by intervals, its mandatory for you to be able to switch off the fingering numbers in PGS. When you feel you are ready to do so. Try to remenber hand position changes needed on the staff to jump with your hand to cover a diferent range of keys.

Its convenient for this to be able to read and match notes and keys on the keyboard to think ahead: "jump to A position with my thumb on A to be able to cover a range of notes on the next section", after that just look at the notes and see if they go up or down... With practise you will change hands almost automatically reading in advance the shape of the "stairs" ahead. But if you struggle to read the fingering numbers in advance you wont learn any of these ideas.... As we say in spanish.. "the trees won't let you see the forest"...

In the intermediate courses the Scales concept will come to help to understand and practise this

Re: Confused about hand positioning

Posted: Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:24 pm
by sw1tch73ch
The clue to all note positions is that MIDDLE C is between the two staffs. As you climb up the ladder of spaces and lines, you also climb, or move right, on the piano keys. So the C up in the Treble Clef is the note C one octave up or to the right of Middle C. The first G you encounter climbing through the staff is the one closest to Middle C, the next one sits one octave above that one and sits in the space on top of the Treble Clef staff.

Bass Clef is the same in reverse. Middle C is still in between the two staffs, so as you move down, or left, you first find B on top of the Bass Clef (in the space above), then A, then G and so on until you get to the C inside the Bass Clef and it is one octave down or to the left of Middle C. Just to the left of that C is B, one octave below, or left of, the first one sitting on top of the Bass Clef.

The notes exists in alphabet order, and in physical order, they don't skip or jump and move. The bottom line of the Bass Clef is always the second G going left or down from Middle C.

Finally, I believe if you put your mouse over a note in the sheet music and left click it, you will see it highlight on the image of the keyboard on the bottom of the screen.