Hello and welcome. I'm Joseph Hoffman, and in this piano lesson you'll learn how to play my intermediate version of "Silent Night",
Which will be perfect if you're a more experienced pianist with three or more years of piano experience.
If you're looking for an easier version of "Silent Night", check out my easy or super easy level tutorials.
Alright, let's get started by checking out the sheet music.
Here's the sheet music for this intermediate level version of "Silent Night".
Let's start by checking out the time signature. When you see 6/8 in a piece of music, what does that mean?
Well, the 6 tells you how many beats per measure. That's the top number, so we know we have 6 beats,
and the bottom number tells you that we have eighth note beats. 8 for eighth notes. So we have six eighth note beats per measure.
Every eight note will count as 1 beat. So we have beat 1, but that's a dotted eighth note which means it's going to get half of beat 2,
and this little sixteenth note gets the & of beat 2. 1 2-&
Here's beat 3 on that eighth note, and this dotted quarter note gets 4 5 6.
It's equal to 3 beats when we have 6/8 time.
So that rhythm is 1 2-& 3 4 5 6 Can you clap that rhythm with me? Ready, go: 1 2-& 3 4 5 6
Then we have that rhythm again let's clap it, go: 1 2-& 3 4 5 6,
and then when you have a quarter note, again with an eighth note as the beat, that means a quarter note gets 2 beats, 1 2.
Here's beat 3. 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
Played on the piano we get: 1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6. Now let's try to play it.
All right, let's start by tackling the right hand first.
What's our position? We've got finger 3 starting here on treble G.
Now, if you feel confident in your sight reading skills, I would encourage you to pause the video and try and figure out as much as you can on your own.
You can do that right now if you like, otherwise let's take a look at it together.
We've got finger 3 here on G, and the first two measures we get, let's count the beat as we go. 1 2-& 3 4 5 6
1 2-& 3 4 5 6, then finger 5 has to shift up to this high D, 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6
Then we have 1 2 3 4 5-& 6, 1 2-& 3 4 5 6
So notice that I had to shift my finger 1 down there to hit that E, then finger 3's back here on the A. 1 2 3 4 5-& 6
1 2-& 3 4 5 6 All right now,
we've looked at the first two lines, the first eight measures. I'd like you to pause now and make sure you've got that really solid
so that you can play on your own measures one through eight right hand alone really confidently,
and I encourage you to count the beat out loud as you play. 1 2-& 3 4 5 6 Remember to keep it steady,
and that will help you get all the rhythms correct.
Pause to work on the first two lines on your own right hand alone, and then press play and we'll look at the last line.
All right now we're ready for 'sleep in heavenly peace'. Finger 3 has to come up to D.
1 2, then we get a chord, ♫heavenly♫ finger 3 shifts to C 2 3 4 5 6, and notice there's a fermata on this chord so you can hold it extra long.
And then we'll go on. Now here's perhaps, actually   before we go on, let's let you practice that. Pause the video,
and just practice these two measures. ♫Sleep in heavenly peace♫ hold it extra long.
Pause to work on that on your own, then press play to go on.
Now for these last two measures, I want you to be very careful of the fingering. If you follow these finger numbers it will help.
We have this C with finger 3, then finger 1 plays G.
Finger 2 is going to glide over. See while your finger 1 is holding that G, your other fingers are to glide over. 2 plays E.
Let's just practice those three notes. Watch one more time. 'Sleep in' Now you try, go:
One more time let's do it together finger 3 on C. ♫sleep in♫
Pause if you need more practice on that, otherwise let's keep going. Then we have 'heavenly'. So notice we have a chord C and G for 'heav-', and then 'enly'. ♫heavenly peace♫ So we land on that C.
So all together we get 'sleep in heavenly peace', and you'll hold that for 6 beats. Pause the video to work on those last two measures right hand alone, then press play to go on.
Now let's try putting the entire right hand part together from the beginning. Pause if you'd like a little practice time on your own, otherwise let's try it together.
I'll count 6 beats, and then we'll start. 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2-& 3 4 5 6, 1 2-& 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6
Finger 3, 1 2 3 4 5-& 6, 1 2-& 3 4 5 6, finger 3 again, 1 2 3 4 5-& 6
1 2-& 3 4 5 6, finger 3 shifts way up, 2 3 4 5-& 6, 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 2 3 4 5-& 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Good, now if that's all you want to tackle today great, you know the melody,
but if you want to keep going let's tackle the left hand,
and once again if you feel confident in your sight reading skills you ...