Step One of the First Steps in Piano course is free on this website. However, you can also purchase the all five lessons in Step One in PDF format together with all MP3 audio tracks should you want to practise it offline. Click here for more information or click the button below to buy it now.
Playing music involves a lot of counting in particular ways. Music with two beats in the bar will require you to count those two beats steadily as you play in order to help you keep your place in the music and to keep time with whomever else you might be playing. This lesson will help you practise counting in twos.
The music in this lesson is for String Orchestra and Piano. The part you will play in the music alternates between two notes.
Step 1. First, listen to this simple percussion track, then listen again and count “1, 2, 1, 2...” in time with the beat.
Step 2. Next, listen to this short piece for piano. See if you can hear where beats “1” and “2” fall in the music.
Step 3. Listen again and count along to the same music, this time accompanied by some percussion marking out the beats. Pay particular attention to the ending where the beats continue while the piano plays much longer notes.
Step 4. Now listen to the lesson music.
Step 5. Then listen to the pattern you will be playing. Here again, it is accompanied by some percussion. Take note of when each of the percussion instruments play in relation to the piano pattern.
Step 6. Now find the two notes on the piano. If you can’t find them by ear alone, you may watch the video lesson. Once you have found the notes, play along to the percussion accompaniment.
Step 7. Next is the same pattern, this time accompanied by a piano, instead of percussion. Listen to it first.
Step 8. Then play along with the piano accompaniment.
Step 9. The final step is to play along to the full version of the lesson music.