WYSIWYP Simplified Notation - Practice playing intervals

Practice playing intervals

While the sheet music for all of the tunes in this lesson are included inline, they may also be found on the Downloads page. This will be the case for all of the lessons here on.

Here's a very simple tune for practicing playing from the C position. No fingerings should be necessary to figure out how to play this one. The intervals between notes have interval counts of 2 and 4, and are therefore called Major 2nds and Major 3rds. This exercise is for the right hand as the treble staff would indicate, put your thumb on C.

This tune is an 18th century French folk tune.

Now it's the left hand's turn. Thumb on G please.

This tune was written as a nursery rhyme but became famous in 1938 as one of the launching pads for Ella Fitzgerald's career. Here is a clip from the Abbott and Costello movie Ride 'em Cowboy (1942) featuring this tune (beware this clip brings up all sorts of social issues, so just try to appreciate her voice.)

Here's a link to both of these tunes being played. Practice playing them at an even tempo (beat) and avoid looking at the keyboard once in the playing position.

And now a tune for both hands, but not playing with both at the same time. Both hands are on their respective C positions, one octave apart. Here's a link to hear how it sounds.