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Best Friends

Lesson Book page 35

let's get started

1. Play your LH thumb on C. Now change to finger 2, then 3.
2. Play your RH thumb on C. Change to finger 2, then 3.
3. Check the piece. Which fingers should play C and G? You're ready!
4. Since your hands are best friends, this time they'll share playing C-G. Put your hands in your lap. Find the starting keys. Good! Let's try it again. (Repeat until automatic.)
5. How should we play the first line, loud or soft? What about the second line?

Any finger can play on any key!

explore and create

• New Friends

  Play the piece using both second fingers. Feel your fingertips.

• A Pair of Shorter Friends

  Play the piece using both thumbs.

• Choose Your Friends

  Play the piece with any fingers you'd like!

• Friends in New Neighborhoods

  Visit the D-A neighborhood to make more new friends. Choose your fingers! Try the E-B neighborhood with any fingers. You've got a big social life!

partner pages

Theory

p. 21 Middle C and Treble G

• Are you ready for Eye-Training? Follow three basic sightreading tips and sightread with just two notes—but notice the forte and piano signs!
Time for Ear-Training! Listen and tap a steady beat as I play example a or b. Circle what you hear!

Performance

p. 12 Chimes

• Brace finger 3 with the thumb for a firm fingertip.
• Ask which technique secret will help the student drop with a forte sound into the keys.
• Will you use more or less arm weight at measure 5?
• Let's play with the duet. For the whole notes, can you pulse beats 2, 3, and 4 with a small up-and-down motion of your wrists? (Demonstrate.)

pedagogy pointers

Here both hands share in playing harmonic and melodic fifths. Once again, the student should be reminded that any fingers, in either hand, could play these notes. But no matter which fingers play, the hand must be round, the fingers firm, and the shoulders relaxed.

accompaniments on disk

• CD Tracks 38-39
• MIDI File 18

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see it in action

Teaching Video 34

Testing out several fingerings before playing the piece shows Patrick that any fingers can play these keys. Using the third fingers, though, makes it easy to drop into the keys with arm weight.

During the first read-through, his eyes stay on the music. He trusts his hands even when he makes a tiny mistake! And the words matter, as Patrick shows. It doesn't take long to achieve a steady performance, complete with an echo.

You can see those wheels turning when he gets to choose his own fingering. Wouldn't you know it would be the pinkies!

Ask Yourself

• Is there a particular moment that Patrick especially trusts his hands?
• How does the teacher remain involved in all of Patrick's performances?

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