Lesson 17 – Elder Einstein, Punctual Postie, and Dashing Dora Educate Tempo!
Hello, Sixty and Me Pals! Welcome to Lesson 17, protecting pages 56-58 in our Upper Hands Piano, BOOK 1.
To date, we’ve got been studying notes, enjoying with dynamics (loudly/softly) and learning be aware values (what number of beats to carry every sort of be aware). At present we add TEMPO to your cache of musical magic!
Tempo markings inform us how briskly or gradual to play a bit. Tempo is one other method we add expression to our enjoying; enjoying slowly, or at a medium strolling tempo, or at a fast, energetic velocity positively impacts the emotion of the music, so it’s an essential side of your enjoying I’m excited to introduce you to as we speak!
[NOTE: If you are just joining us for the first time, you can find my previous Sixty and Me Free Piano Lessons on my Author page. You can join our lessons any time!]
17.1 Elder Einstein, Punctual Postie, and Dashing Dora Educate Tempo! p.57
On the backside of p.57, you see the three characters I exploit to assist us bear in mind the three commonest Tempo Markings. Sluggish shifting “Elder Einstein” reveals us that after we see the Largo tempo marking in the beginning of our piece, we’ll play very slowly.
“Punctual Postie” walks round all day and teaches us that Andante is a medium strolling tempo. “Dashing Dora” tells us that Allegro means to play quick! Watch my video to listen to the vary of speeds for every of those Tempo markings.
As I demonstrated within the video above, you should utilize an old style mechanical or digital metronome, or a digital metronome app (there are lots of free ones) to listen to the vary of velocity for Largo 40-60 Beats Per Minute (BPM), Andante 70-85 BPM, and Allegro 115-156 BPM. However bear in mind, solely play as quick as you’ll be able to play whereas sustaining a gradual beat! In my view, Tempo markings are only a information. Use your individual judgement to determine how briskly or gradual you need to play your music.
17.2 Largo from the New World Symphony No. 9, by Antonín Dvořák, p.57
You is likely to be questioning why the title of this piece is identical as its Tempo marking, Largo. That’s as a result of many composers named the sections of their items with their tempos. A chunk may need a number of sections, every with a Tempo marking as its title. For instance, Dvořák’s New World Symphony (aka Symphony No. 9) has 4 sections, every known as by its tempo marking. We’re enjoying the theme from the twond part, known as Largo, on p.57.
17.3 Sonata No. 11 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, p.58
Mozart’s lovely Piano Sonata No. 11 has 3 sections. We’re enjoying the theme from the 1st part which is to be performed at Andante (“Punctual Postie”) a medium strolling tempo.
A Instrument to Add Expression to Your Piano Enjoying
Discover on the backside of p.58 that I recommend making a story to go together with the music. This can be a approach actors use to make their performances really feel extra genuine. Upon getting realized the notes, rhythm, and might play at a gradual tempo, think about a scene through which this piece is the background music.
Play the piece imagining the motion of the scene (maybe an 18th century couple dancing, together with ornate clothes and powdered wigs, whereas staring into one another’s eyes?) Use this system everytime you play a tune or piece, and your enjoying will likely be extra expressive.
Musical Math, P. 56
Some college students with a powerful background in math speak concerning the “order of operations” when filling within the solutions for this web page. Please be aware that I stored it easy with the intention to carry out the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division from LEFT to RIGHT.
For instance, for downside 13), multiply the worth of the entire be aware (4 beats) by the dotted half be aware (3), then multiply that quantity by the half be aware, then divide that quantity by the tied dotted half notes (the tied dotted half notes = 6 beats whole), then take away the worth of the half relaxation, and add the worth of 1 / 4 relaxation. For all the issues on this web page, merely work from LEFT to RIGHT. You’ll be able to test your solutions here.
Making Your Apply Area, Like Your Kitchen, a Sanctuary for Creativity
Within the e book Atomic Habits which I wrote about within the final put up, the writer, James Clear, writes about musicians designing an setting conducive to good follow habits. For instance, in case your keyboard is hidden away in a stuffy closet, you can be much less prone to see it, and fewer prone to need to play. A super location for a keyboard could be in a room you go to on a regular basis in an uncluttered, comfy, interesting location in your house. I wrote about this at size in my weblog put up known as Mise en Place.
Ardour Apply!
- Train #3 in A-flat (overview) and E-flat (new). Play every train 3 occasions: 2x Forte (loudly) then 1x Piano (softly) with every hand. Use the PENTASCALES chart behind the e book in case you are not sure of any hand positions Overview Ex #3 in C, G, D, A, E, B, F# and D-flat when you’ll be able to.
- Chord Calisthenics #3 – Play the key/minor/main triads in E and B, and overview C, G, D and A.
- Do the Musical Math on p.56 (see the directions above). Test your solutions here.
- Overview p.35-36 and some other songs in Higher Fingers Piano: BOOK 1 that you simply get pleasure from enjoying.
Let’s Have a Dialog:
Are there issues you are able to do to make your piano follow area extra inspiring? Decluttering, including art work to the room, or a cushty cushion atop your bench? Might you progress your keyboard so that you simply see it extra typically? Share your concepts or inspiration with us!
