Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Would you like to introduce your kid to piano? (Or are you a music teacher who has a student with learning difficulties?) Multisensory teaching methods will help! Read more to learn about playing piano with color coded left hand notes and rhythm.
Don’t have a piano? This virtual keyboard will help:
This article uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes and Rhythm: The Hand Position
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
Hand Icon (churien.deviantart.com/art/hand-template-blank-272630198) by Churien is licensed under CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). Modified by Geoffrey Keith.
Before you can use your left hand to play piano with color coded notes and rhythm, it’ll be necessary to put your hand in the right place on the instrument.
The above diagram illustrates C position for both hands. However, we’ll be focusing on playing the notes on the left side of the diagram. Use your left hand with the following fingering:
- First Finger: The thumb goes on the G (green) key
- Second Finger: The pointer finger goes on the F (pink) key
- Third Finger: The middle man goes on the E (red) key
- Fourth Finger: The ring finger goes on the D (gray) key
- Fifth Finger: The pinky goes on the C (orange) key
Students often become confused by the fingering. However, color coding the fingers will help:
Lightly Row and Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes and Rhythm
Use your left hand to play the piano with the color coded notes and rhythm. Start with the notes and fingering:
- Play and say the notes, tracking from left to right on the page.
- Then, say the finger numbers (the black numbers) while playing.
- Make sure you keep a steady pulse as you play.
Next, count and clap the rhythm:
- Red = clap
- Blue = don’t clap
- Brown = rest = opposite clap
For more info read:
I’ve created a soundtrack that demonstrates how the melody for Lightly Row will sound.
- DO NOT listen to the track before playing the song.
- Instead, listen to the soundtrack afterward to see if you played it accurately.
Once you have mastered Lightly Row, you can test yourself with the quiz provided below. Remember to play and say the notes.
Lightly Row Arrangement:
Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes and Rhythm: Notes Quiz
Final Thoughts on Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes and Rhythm
Many students find left hand sight reading more challenging. However, the more you use your left hand to play the piano with the color coded notes and rhythm, the better you’ll get at playing.
If you want to do more color coded reading, check out the other posts in the Playing Piano with Color Coding series:
- Playing the Piano with Color Coded Notes
- Playing Piano with Color Coded Left Hand Notes
- Playing the Piano with Color Coded Rhythm, Fingering, and Notes
Have fun playing!
© 2023 Geoffrey Keith
Join me for in-person or online lessons today!
Glossary
Is Playing the Piano a Suitable Activity for Autistic People?
Do you want your autistic child to play piano? Or are you an adult with autism who’s wondering if piano would be a good fit? Playing piano brings a lot of benefits beyond just the fun of playing music. Read more to find out the answer to the question, “Is playing the piano a suitable activity for autistic people?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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What Is an Adverb? Learn About Amazing, Adaptable Adverbs
Do you want to know how adverbs work? They are amazingly versatile words that can impact many parts of speech within a sentence. It’s critical that writers, songwriters, and poets know how to use them. Keep reading “What Is an Adverb? Learn About Amazing, Adaptable Adverbs” to find out what they are and how they work. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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Can I Learn to Play Piano with a Mini Key Keyboard?
“Can I learn to play piano with a mini key keyboard?” Electronic keyboards come in all sizes, including keyboards that have different sized keys. If your keyboard has keys that are smaller than an adult finger, it has mini keys. Will mini key keyboards be a good choice for practicing for your piano lessons? Read more to find out. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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How to Deal with Annoying Hiccups in Music Lessons
Have your music lessons been disrupted by hiccupping students? Do you want to know how to quickly get the hiccups stopped so that you can get your lessons back on track? Hiccups can be really annoying in music lessons because you’re on the clock and the student is getting distracted by “hic, hic, hic.” Keep reading “How to Deal with Annoying Hiccups in Music Lessons” to learn the three most common hiccups treatments so you can get back to teaching music. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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