I don't know how to play piano well, and I have been trying to play the fastest part near the end of Fur Elise, but I can't go as fast as the song should sound like. I don't know how to move my right hand over all those notes. Can anyone please help me with this? I don't know if there is a specific technique I can use to move my hand across the piano. The notes go(higher) A C E A C E (lower)DBCA and then they go higher from there: ACEACEDBCA Any help would be appreciated. Thank you! :)

-- Chela T. Phan (green_gray25@yahoo.com), February 23, 2005

Answers

Chela, try to think of the notes as part of the A minor chord (A C E) repeating itself as you go up the keyboard. Thus,you have to play the A minor chord twice in arpeggio style (number fingering will be 1,2,3,1,3,5). Then just come down from the E note in 3 successive steps for D,C,B (with fingering 4,3,2). After you finish this first sequence ...then your right hand thumb should land on the A and be ready to do the same sequence over again (but now you will be on a higher octave). You will be doing this a total of three times...and so will move up three octaves. Remember to start slow and get your fingering right. With lots of practice you will master the finger and hand movements. Remember to relax as you do this and then gradually increase your speed. "Fur Elise" does seem to be everybody's favorite ..including mine. Enjoy! Good luck, Carol :)

-- Carol A. Co (oclorac@sbcglobal.net), February 28, 2005.

Great answer Carol.....one other suggestion on top of that, you need to train your brain to play at the correct speed. Every so often play the section at the speed it was intended and do not worry about accuracy. Eventually you will get it spot on.

John Hinson www.johnhinson.com

-- John Hinson (john@johnhinson.com), February 28, 2005.

Thank you very much for your answers, Carol and John. It is very helpful, and I am slowly improving!:) Thank y'all very much!

-- Chela (green_gray25@yahoo.com), February 28, 2005.