Piano technique exercise N°1 in Ab

Notes by C. L. Hanon :

• Stretch between the fifth and fourth fingers of the left hand in ascending, and the fifth and fourth fingers of the right hand in descending.

• For each key : As soon as Exercise N°1 is mastered, go on to Exercise N°2 without stopping on the last note.

How to practice piano more effectively :

• Practice each hand separately first.

• Practice this exercise slowly in the beginning (metronome on 60). If you played it easily, and precisely with the metronome, move the tempo up one notch. Continue to practice in this way until you reach 108 bpm.

• Try to practice Hanon Exercise N°1 in the other keys, starting with the white keys (C, D, E, F, G, A, and B) and then going to the black keys (D-flat, E-flat, G-flat, A-flat, and B-flat). You can also transpose Hanon exercises within the cycle of fifths. The fingering remains constant in all keys.

• Practice with various dynamics. Practice soft, loud and everything in between.

• As you practice, vary the touch. Play staccato, play legato, and play two-note slurs.

• Practice in different rhythms.

• And as Charles-Louis Hanon recommends it, practice the exercises by lifting the fingers high and with precision, playing each note very distinctly.

We hope the above tips will help make your piano practice more efficient.