Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we're learning how to play the left-hand part to "When the Saints Go Marching In".
For starters, let's check out the score.
The left-hand part of "When the Saints Go Marching In" does something that's kind of like a call and response,
which would be typical for this kind of folk hymn.
There might have been a singer
that would sing ♫Oh, when the saints♫, and then there might be a choir that echoes that. ♫Oh, when the saints♫
Then the solo singer sings ♫go marching in♫. The choir might echo ♫go marching in♫
It's called call and response. So the left hand is kind of like the response for the right hand.
You'll see it's playing the same notes that the right hand plays. C E F G, C E F G, C E F G, C E F G.
Just an echo back and forth.
Let's come to the piano and try that out in our left hand.
Okay, we'll place our left hand in the bass C major pentascale. So here's middle C.
Your left hand finger 5 will start off on C.
Notice that while the right hand plays the left hand just has 4 beats of rest.
So those 4 beats we'll have 1 2 3 4, then 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1
2 3 4 1 2 3 4, stop.
Good, now you'll see this is doing the exact same thing the right hand used to do.
We're just echoing it a measure late.
So, press pause and try that once with your left hand, then press play when you're ready to go on.
Did you remember to count out loud?
I forgot to remind you. Hopefully you did it anyway.
If not, you'll get it next time.
So let's go on now to this next section.
You'll see that while the right hand is playing ♫saints go marching in♫ with all those half notes,
the left hand rests during ♫saints♫, and then comes in on 'go' playing a G, then skip down, then skip up,
then rest, F F E D.
So watch that one more time starting on the word 'saints' we have 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
REST, TA TA TA TWO-OO
Now press pause and try that section on your own, then press play when you're ready to try it with me.
Okay, I'll play both hands, but I'd like you to just worry about the left hand. I'm going to start on the word 'saints'
and then you come in on 'go', which is beat 3.
Here we go. Let's count the beat out loud and play. I'll start on 'saints'.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4, 1 2, now look at the next two notes.
You come up to a G, then step down to F, while the right hand plays ♫how I♫.
The left hand plays G F.
All right?
Now the next part has some serious chord action going on, so let's take another look at the score to figure it out.
Now in this section we start to get some chords in the left hand. So let's identify the chords.
You'll know that this bottom note of this three note chord is a C.
So, can you tell me the three letter names for this chord?
If you said C E G, you're correct.
We have a C on the bottom, an E in the middle, and a G on top. What chord does that spell?
That's right, that's a C major chord, and since this piece is in C major, that
will be a I chord, which we draw with a roman numeral capital I, which stands for the I chord.
What kind of chord do you see here?
That's right, it's another I chord.
In your own sheet music, let's go ahead and write down these chord names for each chord.
You can get the sheet music from our website.
Here's another I chord.
So I've added another roman numeral I there.
Now is this a I chord?
Nope, it's something different. You can see that the bottom note stayed the same, but these top two pitches both
both moved up one step.
So that makes it a IV chord.
So I'm going to put a roman numeral IV for each of these, both of those are IV chords.
IV chord is played like this, with these three notes.
And the one chord is built on these three notes.
Do you see there, the I chord and the IV chord.
Now, looking at this next line, what chord do you see here? A I chord or a IV chord? That's right, it's a IV chord. So let's write that in our music.
And what do you see here?
That's right, another I chord, and what about this one?
That's right, it's a I chord.
Okay, here we get to a five V7 that's missing its bottom note, which is totally possible for chords.
So we only have an F and a G, which you'll play with these two notes right here on your piano.
And we will mark that with a V
and then the number 7
to show that this is a V7 chord.
And then what do you see here?
If you said I chord, you're correct, and then what about these two?
Let's write two IV chords.
We'll mark that,
and then back to a I chord.
And then we finish with this really low note,
which you might recall since it's two ledger lines down, that is a low
C right here on your piano.
Remember, you have middle C here, bass C here,
and low C here.
Low C is two ledger lines down below this ground G line.
Let's try to play this on the piano.
Now let's review these chords that we're going to be playing in this next section.
Go ahead and cover up the bass C pentascale again, and let's play the I chord.
Good, now can you show me the IV chord?
Remember, for the IV chord keep your fingers in position except for your finger 1 it's just going to shift up one note.
And then you play these three keys here.
That's the IV chord played with finger 5 2 and 1,
and then the V7 chord in this case we'll only need an F and G this time. It's leaving out this B, which we often have in the V7 chord.
All right, now let's try doing this in rhythm.
You'll notice that there are a lot of rests. That's again why it's so important that we count out loud.
Let's do each measure one at a time.
Look at this measure here. We have a rest on beat 1.
Then a staccato chord on beat 2, and then a half note on beats 3 4, so all together would be: 1 2 3 4
Now get on a I chord and let's try that together two times in a row.
We'll count out loud and play that same measure, then repeat it without a pause.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4.
Did you remember to rest on beat 1?
That's always the trickiest thing.
It's such a temptation to play on beat 1.
Let's try it one more time. Remember to rest on beat 1, and then we'll do it two times without a pause.
Ready, go.
1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Good, now let's look at the next measure.
What happens on beat 1?
That's right, it's another rest. So we'll have 1 and then a dotted half note on beat 2.
How many beats does a dotted half note get?
If you said 3 beats, you're right. So we'll have 1 2 3 4
That dotted half note takes up beats 2 3 and 4.
So let's try that measure two times in a row.
Remember to rest on beat 1.
So when I say go, your first thing is going to be a rest.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Great, now let's put those two measures together.
So we'll have this: 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4.
Good, will you try that with me?
When I say go, you'll have a beat 1 rest is the first thing you do.
Count out loud and play.
Ready, go.
1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Good, let's do it again.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Good, now for an extra challenge I'll add in the right hand.
So I'll be playing both hands. You just worry about the left hand and count,
you guessed it, out loud.
Here we go, in position. Remember, on beat 1 my right hand will play, but you rest.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Now the right hand plays ♫number♫, and that's on beats 1 2
while the left hand has a half rest.
So you also will be resting 1 2, and then you play two IV chords, so it's 1 2 3
4, and then in the next measure you have a half note IV chord.
So let's practice both of those measures together while counting out loud.
2 beats of rest, and then three IV chords in a row. Here we go:
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Let's try it again. Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Nice, now let's keep going.
Next you'll see a measure where you have a rest on beat 1,
I chord on beat 2, rest on beat 3,
I chord on beat 4.
So we'll have 1 2 3 4. Let's try that measure together.
Count out loud and play with me. Ready, go.
1 2 3 4
Let's try it again. Ready go.
1 2 3 4
Good.
Now look at the next measure. Now we have two V7 chords. We have 1 2 3 4
Now let's try it together. Count and play.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4
Good, now let's put those two measures together.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Good, one more time.
Count and play. Ready, go.
1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Good, now look at this next measure. We have a rest on beat 1,
then beat 2 a I chord, beat 3 and 4, two IV chords,
then back to a I chord half note, then we go down to low C, 3 4.
Now let's look at those two measures one more time. 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4
I'd like you to press pause and try those last two measures several times until you feel comfortable with it
while counting out loud, then press play when you're ready to try these last four measures with me.
Okay, the last four measures will sound like this: You could just listen this time if you like.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Great, now let's try it together.
Are you ready for the challenge?
Here are the last four measures. We'll go a little bit on the slow side this time.
I'll say ready go, and then remember you rest on beat 1.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4,
1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4,
Now, if you needed more practice with that that's fine. Press pause or rewind. Do it as many times as you need to get it.
If you succeeded, congratulations,
and now I'd like you to press pause and practice the entire piece
left hand alone, and then we're going to try playing it together. I'll do both hands and you're doing the left hand.
Press pause, remember to count out loud, then press play when you're ready to try it with me.
All right, let's play "When the Saints Go Marching In."
I'll do both hands. You're in charge of just the left hand, and counting out loud.
Here we go.
I'll start in the first measure.
Ready, go. 1 2 3 4
1, left hand, 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 4, 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 4,
1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4
Nice work learning the left-hand part of "When the Saints Go Marching In". Continue to practice the right hand alone and left hand alone until confident.
Then you'll be ready to tackle it hands together.
Thanks for watching, and happy practicing!
[Snoring]
Whoa, what's this?
Looks like a rest party! Oh boy.
Hey, buddy. Don't you see we are all getting some rest?
Quiet please.
Oh yeah, uh, I mean sorry.
Mind if I join you?
This looks so fun.
Sure, let's see, you're a half rest eh?
Hey guys, can you move over 2 beats for 'ol half rest here?
[Yawns]
Us? Yeah, sure. No problem.
Yeah you go it.
Can we get back to sleep now?
Hey, thanks guys.
All right, everybody finally settled back in?
Yes.
Good, back to sleep.
Nighty night!
[Snoring]