Lesson 169

Etude in C: B Section

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Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman,

and in this lesson we're going to learn the right hand part for the B section of "Etude in C" by Albert Biehl.

Let's get started by checking out the score.

So today we're looking at measure nine,

which is the start of our B section all the way to the end, which we can always recognize with these double bar lines.

Now, sometimes when I'm learning a new piece, I like to find the trickiest part and learn that first because then the rest

feels really easy, and I like to sometimes get that hardest part mastered first. So, looking at the right hand

part which is what we're learning today. I notice that these are mostly two notes, sometimes a one note

chord until we get to these last two chords. We have a three note chord, another three note chord.

So this is going to be the trickiest part for the right hand. So let's actually learn this first. What intervals do you see in this

chord?

At the bottom here we've got two notes just a step apart F and G. So that forms a second.

And then what interval do we have on top? We've got a G to a B, which forms a third.

So a second plus a third all together in a three note chord played with fingers 1 2 4.

Then what intervals do we have in this chord? Can you tell me the harmonic interval we have on the bottom?

If you said a third you're correct.

We have a third on the bottom of this chord, and then what about these top two notes?

G to C.

If you said the interval of a fourth, you're correct.

So that's an interesting chord, right? We have a third on the bottom, a fourth on the top played with fingers 1 2 and 5.

Let's check out how to do that on the piano.

All right, so let's try this last chord in measure 16.

We're going to use fingers 1 and 2 to play this bottom third.

The reason we want to use 1 and 2 is because then our finger 5 can easily reach this top C for this fourth. So a third,

plus a fourth with fingers 1 2 5. Try to play that chord on your piano.

We'll hold that for 3 beats, and then we end with a quarter rest.

Okay, try it one more time. Get used to that feel in your hands.

The fingering is very important. Make sure you're using a 2 on this middle note.

That will help make it easier to transition from this chord in measure 15, which let's try that now. Fingers 1 2 and 4

on F G and B. Try that on your piano.

And then all you're going to do, leave finger 2 anchored on G

because you still need a G in the next chord, but your thumb, finger 1, is going to just scoot down one note

for this last chord. The only finger that needs to move is your finger 1, so try this chord.

Pick up your thumb, scoot it down and then you're ready for the final chord.

Pause the video, and I'd like you to practice just going from this chord to this chord about five, six, maybe ten times

until it feels really comfortable getting between those two chords.

Practice that on your own, then press play to go on.

Now let's back up to measure 13.

We have a G and a D.

Going to G and C.

So let's try that on your piano. Can you play this with me?

We'll hold for 4 beats. 1 2 3 4, then 1 2 3 4, then our hand needs to scoot down

to be able to play this, so we'll just take all our fingers, go down a step for this chord, and now only our finger 1 has to move

to get to this very last chord.

Okay, pause the video and work on measures 13 through the end,

then press play to go on.

Now I'd like to remind you about our advanced fingering technique that allows you to play chords legato.

The trick is if one of the notes repeats and another one or more notes do not repeat,

what you can do is lift the note that repeats early, hold the other one and then when you go to the next chord it

allows for a legato sound. So notice when I go from this chord

to the next chord if I lift both my fingers it breaks the sound, but if I just lift my thumb, hold down my finger 5,

then I can in a more legato way. Try this with me. Hold 1 2 3 on beat 4 lift finger 1 and then smoothly go on to the next chord.

Now, to go to the next chord you do have to lift both so we are going to have to break there sometimes there's nothing you can do about that because we've got to move both 1 and 4 down to get to this chord,

but then you can lift these 2 fingers because both 1 and 2. 1 needs to readjust, 2 needs to repeat, so you're going have to lift 1 and 2.

Hold down finger 4

until you're ready to play that fina ...