Ode to Joy: Hands Together (Unit 4)

Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we are learning how to play the
left hand and hands together for "Ode to Joy".
So by now you should be very
confident at playing the right hand.
So, we can take a look at the left hand.
Let's check out the score to get started.
Okay we're back in the score or sheet
music for "Ode to Joy".
Last time we learned the right hand notes up here in
the treble clef.
Today we're looking at the left hand part in the bass clef.
So tell me what you notice about this left hand part.
You might have noticed that
the left hand part is mostly these whole notes.
We've got a couple of half notes
down here. The rest of the time another
few half notes.
Most of the time we're
doing these 4 beat whole notes.
Now, what note do we start on? Can you tell me
the letter name of this note?
The way we'd figure this out is we look for the
bass clef F line and then just do two steps down.
That would bring us to D, or you could have thought where bass C is and done one step up.
Either way gets you to a D, and then what interval?
Can you tell me the interval from this first D
to this next note?
If you said the interval of a fifth you are correct.
When you go from a line, skip a line, to the next line,
that tells you you've gone a double skip or a fifth.
And what's a fifth above D?
That brings you to A.
So we have D, A,
and then you'll notice that pattern continues: D A D A D A D
And since we're in the D major pentascale,
D is DO, and A is SO
DO SO
Now, I have a singing challenge for you.
I'd like you to sing the left hand part while I play
the left hand and right hand part together so you can hear how they work together.
Remember, I'm going to play four quarter
notes to every one of your whole notes.
So be sure to hold this DO for 4
beats and each whole note after that for 4 beats as well.
Okay? So, you're
singing DO. It's going to sound like this:
DO SO
Now you try. Sing along with me
DO and SO while I play both hands together.
Ready start on DO. I'll count 4 beats and then we start.
1 2 3 4
DO SO DO SO
DO SO DO SO DO
Good, now let's try to play it on the piano.
To play the left-hand part,
let's find a D, our bass D below middle C, the
nearest D below middle C.
Finger 5 we'll start on that D and then our
finger 1 will take care of the A.
With DO SO
Now, I'd like you to count the beat out
loud as you play. That's a good habit to get in.
Professional musicians that I know all use counting the beat to help them stay together.
So we'll have: 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
I'm going to play both hands, but I'd like you to only play the left hand.
And, be ready at the end of line two.
You're going to get kind of lulled into
thinking, oh these are all whole notes,
but be ready when you get to this last
measure of line two. You have that 1 2 3 4
Half notes only get 2 beats, so let's practice that.
With finger 1 on A we're going to play 1 2 3 4.
Try playing that while we count the beat out loud together.
Ready go: 1 2 3 4
Good, now don't get distracted.
I'm going to be playing the right hand,
which may make you start thinking, oh this is so pretty,
and you'll get
distracted away from counting the beat out loud.
Try and stay focused.
Your job is count the beat: 1 2 3 4
as you're playing the left hand part.
Here we go. See if you can keep focused the whole time.
Finger 5 starts on D.
Count with me 4 beats and then we start.
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 Here comes the half notes.
2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Now, if you need to try that again if you want more practice, just rewind or pause
and try it as many times as you need to to get comfortable with that.
Now, if you did
well and you're ready to go on,
let's take a look at line three.
When you get to line three what do we have?
A 2 3 4, another A 2 3 4, another A 2 3 4, and then
remember the left hand helps with
the melody there after 2 beats of rest from this half rest.
So now let's try.
You just play the left hand part and count the beat.
Remember, when you get to this
last measure you'll count 1 2 without playing anything
and then 3 4 you'll play A on beat 3 and hold through beat 4.
Let's start at the beginning of line three. You play the left hand and count out loud.
Here's 4 beats to get started:
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
Good.
You might have noticed I was doing the dynamics.
It's good to try and work in the dynamics as
soon as you're ready.
Now going down to line ...