Estimated reading time 2 minutes
Table of Contents
Why Use Color Coded Hand Icons for Music Learning?
Does your student have a problem telling the right hand from the left? Many special needs students have problems with left hand/right confusion. On piano this can be a real issue. Read more to learn about color coded hand icons for music learning.
This article uses musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Hand Icons
Hand Icons used in this post (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.
Many students do not know their left hand from their right hand. Have the student make an L with the left hand. (The right hand just makes a corner.) This mnemonic helps many students remember the left hand, which then allows them to tell the hands apart.
Simple, uncolored hand icons placed next to the clefs may be enough for some students. However, other students benefit from color coded hand icons for music learning.
Color Coded Hand Icons for Musical Scores
Mobile users: for best results reading the music, tilt your screen 90o to the right.
This example shows the placement of the color coded hand icons in the musical score next to the clefs. The green hand icon goes next to the color coded G clef. The pink hand icon goes next to the color coded F clef.
Each hand icon has the finger numbers written in to help the student with fingering. However, some students will need to have their fingers color coded to correctly finger the music.
In piano music, RH stands for right hand and LH for left hand. Add RH and LH to the hand icons to reinforce the meaning of these terms.
Color Coding the Player’s Hands to Match the Color Coded Hand Icons in the Musical Score
Color code the player’s hands so they match the color coded hand icons next to the musical clefs. The pink and green wrist bands help with left and right hand confusion. The right hand has a green band and the left hand has a pink band. I bought girl’s colored hairbands at CVS and repurposed them as multisensory tools.
Conclusion
Using color coded hand icons for music learning is particularly important for special needs piano students. Some students will also need their fingers and hands color coded as well.
Look for where the students get confused and teach to their needs. The next color coding post discusses color coding the clefs. Until next time.
© 2020 Geoffrey Keith
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Glossary
What Precisely Did Bach Mean by Well-Tempered Clavier
Do you like Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Well-Tempered Clavier” (WTC) but wonder what the “well-tempered” in the title means? Bach advocated for the well-temperaments which are circular tuning systems that allow keyboardists to play in any key without restrictions, similar to equal temperament. Thus, WTC was written to showcase well-temperaments. Keep reading “What Precisely Did Bach Mean by Well-Tempered Clavier” to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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How Do I Avoid Tension in My Wrists When Playing Piano Arpeggios?
“How do I avoid tension in my wrists when playing piano arpeggios?” Piano teachers can yell “Relax!” at you until they turn blue in the face, and it won’t do any good. Tension leads to sore muscles, fatigue, and possibly injury. So, how do you reduce the tension in your wrists? There’s an easy trick that’ll help you learn how to relax on your own. Read more to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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How to Read Piano Sheet Music for Beginners
Are you a beginner pianist and want to know how to read piano sheet music? Or are you a parent and want to figure out if your child is ready to play piano? This post covers the basics of how to read piano sheet music. In addition, it has links to practical examples so you can get an idea of what it’s like to play and read piano music. Keep reading “How to Read Piano Sheet Music for Beginners” to embark on your musical voyage. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
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