Piano Notes Hints

The ear player who has come this far will realize that piano notes are essential if he is to acquire much that he would like to know. Whether notation be used only as a matter of reference, as we use the dictionary, or as a source of reading, as we read a novel, the knowledge will be well worth while. The student can easily learn it by himself; indeed, a teacher might be an encumbrance. A few sug­gestions, however, will speed the student's progress.

There are many systems of notation. We have been using one throughout this book—V7, I, C major, etc. A familiar one today is the tablature which is placed in popular music above the regular staff to indicate fingering patterns for the ukulele. The printed syllables, do, re, mi, etc., form another system. The numbers of fingers can also be used as notation. All systems are awkward and leave much to be desired; but since most music is written in staff piano notes, that is the system which we should learn.

Clefs

The two staffs on which piano music is written lie one on each side of middle C. Thus with the treble clef, the first line is the E above middle C, the second line is the G above middle C, the third line is the B, etc. With the bass clef, *):, generally used for the left hand, the top line is the A below middle C, the next to the top line is the F below middle C, the third line is the D, etc.

There is no law as to which hand should play which part. The editor usually helps the reader by placing on the treble clef the piano notes which are most conveniently played with the right hand, and on the bass clef those which are most con­veniently played with the left hand. When this is not practical, the right hand is often indicated by turning the stems of the  piano notes up, while the stems of the left hand piano notes are turned down. At times the indication is actually written in: right, or the Italian abbreviation, m.d., and left, tn.s. However, the player should disregard the indication if he can execute the passage more easily with another division of the hands. The same holds true of the fingering, which is merely suggestive.

Notes

We have already become familiar with the note values (page 93); the rests can be associated with them.

In good editions, piano notes that are to be played together are placed directly above one another, but it is best to trust the time value of the piano notes rather than their place on the score. In polyphonic music, rests are often used to show that one of the voices is resting, even though both hands are occupied with other voices.

A music dictionary should be acquired to explain the terms and signs used in the score; many of these can be found in an ordinary dictionary in the appendix on "signs."

Leger Lines

The added lines above or below the staff, leger lines, provide place for higher or lower tones as the case may be. Often­times they are used below the treble clef to indicate that the piano notes are to be played by the right hand. When too many leger lines are required to indicate the very high or very low piano notes, the sign 8ve is used to indicate that the note or passage is to be played an octave higher or lower.

Piano notes are learned easiest by using them. The student who figures out each separate note becomes a slave to notation and a laborious reader. The music's the thing.

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