| In this piano lesson we will learn to play | | | | left hand?Let's make this piece a little bit |
| piano Christmas music. We will use piano tab | | | | more difficult and also more rewarding to |
| notation so you don't need to read piano | | | | play by using the left hand for bass |
| sheet music.Jingle Bells is one of the most | | | | notes.The notes from C to the next C is |
| popular secular Christmas songs in the world. | | | | called an octave. The keys are grouped this |
| The most played part of the song is the | | | | way on the whole keyboard.You also have these |
| refrain which we will concentrate on in this | | | | notes to the left of the middle C. We can |
| piano lesson.Jingle bells, jingle bells | | | | call these notes the left octave.If you use |
| | | | the notes 1-7 in the left octave to play bass |
| Jingle all the way! | | | | notes with your left hand we can notate the |
| | | | melody in the following way:3/1 3 3 3/1 3 |
| O what fun it is to ride | | | | 3The note to the right of the slash is the |
| | | | bass note. 3/1 means that as you play the |
| In a one-horse open sleighIn this piano | | | | first number 3 with your right hand you |
| lesson you will learn to play Jingle Bells | | | | simultaneously play number 1 in the left |
| without the use of piano sheet music. After | | | | octave with your left hand.I guess you have |
| this learn to play piano tutorial you will be | | | | noticed that you only play bass notes |
| able to play the melody with both | | | | together with some of the melody notes.Let's |
| hands!Instead of piano sheet music we will | | | | continue this piano lesson with the next |
| use piano tab notation which will tell you | | | | line:Jingle all the way!3/1 5 1 2 3/1What |
| where to place your fingers as you play the | | | | fingers should you use as you play?You can |
| melody.The first thing we will do is to | | | | and maybe you already use your index fingers |
| locate the note C.You will find the note C on | | | | on both hands to play but it will be easier |
| many places on the piano. It is the white key | | | | to find your notes if you cultivate the habit |
| to the left of two black keys.Now it's time | | | | of using all your fingers.On your right hand |
| to locate the middle C. It is the C right in | | | | you can use your thumb to play number 1 and |
| the middle of the keyboard. On an ordinary | | | | your index finger to play number 2 and so |
| upright piano it is near the keyhole.In our | | | | on.The next piano tab looks like this:O what |
| piano lesson we will number the keys. The | | | | fun it is to ride4/4 4 4 4 4/1 3 3If you want |
| middle C in our piano tab notation is called | | | | to use fingerings on your left hand you place |
| 1.What does 1 mean?When you see the number 1 | | | | your little finger above key number 1 and |
| you are to press down the middle C once. The | | | | your thumb on number 5 and the other fingers |
| white key to the right of C is called 2, the | | | | accordingly.It's time for the last piano |
| next 3 and so on.Let's play some piano tab | | | | tab:In a one-horse open sleigh3 3 3/2 2 2 3 2 |
| notes:1 2 3 4 5 6 7Now you have played a | | | | 5 5Actually it's not the last piano tab. Now |
| C-major scale with the actual notes C D E F G | | | | you are supposed to play the refrain from the |
| A B.Let's proceed in our piano lesson and | | | | beginning and when you come to the last line |
| play the first notes of Jingle Bells!Jingle | | | | play it in the following way:In a one-horse |
| Bells, Jingle Bells3 3 3 3 3 3This is the | | | | open sleigh3 3 5/5 5 4/5 2 1/1I suggest that |
| first part of the refrain. Easy?I guess that | | | | you learn this Christmas song by heart. |
| you hear that the third and sixt note has to | | | | Memorize it one line at a time and enjoy the |
| be a bit longer to create the melody Jingle | | | | Christmas spirit present when you play the |
| Bells.So far we have only used the right hand | | | | song for your friends!Peter Edvinsson is a |
| for playing the melody. How can you use your | | | | musician, composer and music teacher. |