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| Author | Topic: G Major |
shipo
Registered User
Registered:
8/13/2003 | posted: 8/13/2003 at 10:02:09 AM ET
My children have recently started taking Piano lessons and there seems to be some confusion as to what "G Major" means. In this specific case, my son is trying to play "London Bridge is Falling Down". The base clef shows a three key chord with what appears (to me anyway) to be a G-B-D where the "B" is just above the top line of the bass clef. My son (per his teacher so he says) seems to think that his hand position should be rather to the left of the middle of the keyboard, but he is not really sure. To my way of thinking, I would guess that the B and D part of the chord should straddle the "Middle C" key. My question is; what effect does the "G Major" have on hand position, if any, and where should his left hand be placed?
Thanks,
Shipo
|  Taciturn
Registered User
Registered:
8/3/2003 | posted: 8/13/2003 at 5:40:25 PM ET
I play the piano, but I've never taken real lessons or anything, I just taught myself. I don't know the correct hand positions... but personally I dont think the key the song is in effects hand position, it just depends where the notes in the song are. Don't take my word though, I'm probably wrong.
When I took a keyboard class many years ago, I remember the first position they taught us... both thumbs on middle C and the rest of the fingers just went on the next notes. For example, my right index finger would be on D, my left index finger would be on B. I assume that was in C major, since there were no sharps or flats. G major has one sharp, which is F. So use the same positions, just do F# instead of F natural. Seriously though, don't take my word for it. I thought I'd may as well give a response to the best of my knowledge, since you probably won't get any others.
I'm somewhat confused as to what you were saying though. Were you talking about what octave he should play also? If so, I'm quite sure those notes would be played straddling middle C. (G, B, D, where the B is above the top staff line of the bass clef)
As for everything else, just trust his teacher... he's a piano teacher, he should know.
| shipo
Registered User
Registered:
8/13/2003 | posted: 8/13/2003 at 6:58:04 PM ET
Thanks Taciturn, you more or less confirmed my guess about the location of the keys, and now that I am hearing him play the piece, it sounds right.
Regards,
Shipo
| trumpet guru
Registered User
From:
Washington State
Registered:
8/22/2003 | posted: 8/22/2003 at 6:48:31 AM ET
Taciturn is correct.
the notes b and d as you described them (with the b being just above the top line in the bass clef) would straddle middle C.
As for the fingerings, Taciturn is correct again. Many beginning books have the student start with the thumbs on middle c. However, considering that the song may use and F#, some beginning books would have moved on to a "root position" fingering pattern by then. If so, the left hand would play the G with the pinky, the B with the middle finger and the D with the thumb.
The fingerings should be marked using numbers to represent each finger. The thumb is 1, the pinky is 5. etc. . . .
GOOOOOOROOOOOO
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