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
How Do I Get the Music and Lyrics to Match Together in My Songwriting?
Frustrated that you can’t get the mood of your music and lyrics to match? Do you have problems getting the syllables of your lyrics to work with the music? If you answered, “yes,” you have problems with prosody in your songwriting. Read more to answer the question, “How do I get the music and lyrics to match together in my songwriting?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Singing Rhythm
Do you have a hard time singing rhythm? Would you like to be able to keep time? Music has many aspects, but none so fundamental as notes and rhythms. Without them, the music doesn’t go. However, many vocalists struggle with singing in time. In “Singing Rhythm” we’ll look at different ways to help train you to perform accurately. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More
How to Sing R-Controlled Vowels in English
Do you need help singing words with sustained “R” sounds? Did you know that “R” is actually a vowel? However, it’s very closed, so you need special techniques when producing R-controlled vowels. Keep reading “How to Sing R-Controlled Vowels in English” to have a guide to how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Do People with ADHD Have Difficulty Playing from Sheet Music?
Are you a parent or a music teacher of an ADHD student who struggles with reading music? Though many people with ADHD have a hard time reading music, multisensory teaching methods can help! Click to answer the question, “Do people with ADHD have difficulty playing from sheet music?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Read More
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