Using the Exercises

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These keyboard exercises are designed for keyboard players of various abilities, from total beginner to the more advanced. For the beginner, these will help you to acquaint yourself with the keyboard, and basically to make friends with it. For the more advanced player, these exercises are for you to start the habit of playing sequences on the piano, besides scales and arpeggios, and to understand how the keyboard can help you to understand concepts of music theory.

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Beginners:

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Try playing through the first exercise at least, but use the step-by-step instructions. The first will introduce you to the scale that is behind the sequence, and notice in the second step that you are playing octaves, so think about how these fit into the pattern of the keyboard layout. 

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Notice that I've included pictures to show where the keys are in relation to the group of two black keys, and the group of three.

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When you get to using sharps and/or flats, notice how you will be playing every single key available, and think about the chromatic sound it creates. 

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Intermediate/Advanced:

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You might not need the step-by-step instructions, but I recommend going through them, to appreciate how the full sequence is constructed. Notice the difference between the scales, then scales with octaves, then playing in thirds between the hands, then thinking about how the chromatic version is different to the white-notes only version. 

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You should be able to use the final exercise for sight-reading practice once you've done the first two exercises. And you can try singing one part and playing the other, with both parts. 

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