Piano technique exercise N°3 in D

Notes by C. L. Hanon :

• Special exercise for the  2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th fingers of the hand.

• For each Key : Before beginning to practise Exercise N°3, play through  the preceding exercices once or twice without stopping. When Exercise N°3 is mastered, practise Exercise N°4, and then Exercise N°5, and as soon as they are thoroughly learned play through all three at least four times without interruption. The entire work should be practised in this manner. Therefore, when playing all the exercises, stop only on the last note on Exercises N°2, N°5, N°8, N°11, N°14, N°17 and N°20.

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°3 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).

• 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.