Keyboard Theory and

Piano Technique
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Copyright Longbow Publishing Ltd. 2008

PRINTED IN CANADA
First printing, September 2008

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Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Clark, Lauren Schack, 1965Keyboard theory and piano technique [music] / Lauren Schack Clark
ISBN 978-0-9739500-7-6
1. Piano--Studies and exercises. 2. Musical intervals and scales. 3. Chords (Music). I. Title.
MT231.C593 2008

786.2'193076

C2008-902180-0

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction and Warm-up Exercises
Posture and seating position at the piano...........
Down-ups exercise......................
Fingers exercise...................
Speed drills exercise.......................

1
2
3
3

Chapter 2: Major Scales and Triads

Major pentascales
Minor pentascales..................
Major and minor triads....
Tetrascales..................
Major scales formed by joining tetrascales (no-thumbs scales)..................
Major Bunny scales B, Db, F#.
Major scales, C major group: C, G, D, A, E
F major scale.
B-flat, E-flat, A-flat major scales group.
I, IV, V triads..
Triad inversions
Augmented and diminished triads.

5
7
7
9
9
10
14
19
20
23
24
25

Chapter 3: Minor Scales

Forming natural minor scales using tetrascales
Forming harmonic minor scales using tetrascales....
Forming melodic minor scales using tetrascales.............
Harmonic minor scales on white-note keys...
Minor scale harmonization.........................
Natural minor scales on white-note keys..................
Melodic minor scales on white-note keys................................

27
28
29
30
37
38
45


ii
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Chapter 4: Chord Progressions

Root position chord progressions................................
Major chord progressions.....................................
Inversions of the dominant 7th chord....................
Harmonizing with 7th triads in root position...........
Minor chord progressions........
Harmonizing a melody by ear..................................

53
55
58
60
60
61

Chapter 5: Progressive Technique

Cross-hand chords........
Cross-hand arpeggios...
Major arpeggios.
C major scale, contrary (opposite) motion...........
Modes.............
The chromatic scale............
Dominant seventh arpeggios..........
Diminished seventh arpeggios...............
More chord progressions.............

63
64
65
66
67
75
76
79
83

Chapter 6: Advanced Technique

Advanced technique, in four suggested levels.
Level 1 practice charts................................................
Level 2 practice charts................
Level 3 practice charts................
Level 4 practice charts................
Blank practice charts..........................

89
90
94
97
102
107

Appendices
Appendix 1 - The tonic Sol-fa method..........
Appendix 2 - Circle of fifths explanation and diagram...........
Appendix 3 - Scale fingering rules and practice suggestions.......
Appendix 4 - List of suggested resources for each topic in the book...........
Blank staff paper for writing out exercises............

109
111
112
114
116

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Chapter 2: Major scales and triads 6

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Ex. 2.2

_____ a. Play Ex. 2.2 in C, G, D, A, F, E, B, hands separately (HS)

_____ b. In Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb, HS
_____ c. Play all keys above hands together (HT)

Dont Forget to Check Your Posture, Seating Position and Hand Position!

Sing the following major pentascale interval exercise on the indicated syllables, in steady quarter
notes, without pausing between lines (read from left to right, top to bottom). The first few times, you
may play the pitches on the keyboard using the fingering in Ex. 2:2. Then sing without playing.

Ex. 2.3

Do

re

do

me

do

fa

do

so

do

fa

do

me

do

re

Re

do

re

me

re

fa

re

so

re

fa

re

me

re

do

Me

do

me

re

me

fa

me

so

me

fa

me

re

me

do

Fa

do

fa

re

fa

me

fa

so

fa

me

fa

re

fa

do

So

do

so

re

so

me

so

fa

so

me

so

re

so

do

do

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Chapter 2: Major scales and triads 8

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III. Major and minor pentascale patterns

Play the following pentascale exercise with a triad ending:
Ex. 2.5

_____ a. Play in all white-note major keys, HS

_____ b. Play in all black-note major keys, HS
_____ c. Play in all major keys, HT
_____ d. Play in all white-note minor keys, HS
_____ e. Play in all black-note minor keys, HS
_____ f. Play in all minor keys, HT
Ex. 2.6

_____ a. Play in all major keys that begin on a white key, HS

_____ b. Play in all major keys that begin on a black key, HS
_____ c. Play all keys, HT

Dont Forget to Check Your Posture, Seating Position and Hand Position!
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Chapter 2: Major scales and triads 14

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VII. Major scales, C major group: C, G, D, A, E

Rules:

4th finger goes next to the tonic

Thumbs play tonic, except for LH bottom note of scale and RH top note of
scale

3rd fingers play 3rd and 6th scale degrees

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C major scale:

(you do not need to repeat the top note - it is written at the end
of the ascending scale).

Ascending, right hand:

RH:

1
C

2
D

3
E

1
F

2
G

3
A

4
B

1
C

2
D

3
E

1
F

2
G

3
A

4
B

1
C

4
B

3
A

2
G

1
F

3
E

2
D

1
C

2
B

1
C

4
D

3
E

2
F

1
G

3
A

2
B

1
C

2
B

3
A

1
G

2
F

3
E

4
D

5
C

5
C

Descending, right hand:

RH:

4
B

3
A

2
G

1
F

3
E

2
D

Ascending, left hand:

LH:

5
C

4
D

3
E

2
F

1
G

3
A

1
C

Descending, left hand:

LH:

2
B

3
A

1
G

2
F

3
E

4
D

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25 Chapter 2: Major scales and triads

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_____ a. Play Ex. 2.13 in C, G, D, A, E, and F hands separately. Notice the finger numbers!
_____ b. Sing Ex. 2.13 in C, G, D, A, E, and F on solfegg syllables (eg. do mi so mi do).
_____ c. Sing Ex. 2.13 in C, G, D, A, E, and F on finger numbers, for RH and then for LH.
_____ d. Play Ex. 2.13 in B, F#, Ab, Bb, Db, and Eb hands separately. Notice the finger numbers!
_____ e. Sing Ex. 2.13 in B, F#, Ab, Bb, Db, and Eb on solfegg syllables (eg. do mi so mi do).
_____ f. Sing Ex. 2.13 in B, F#, Ab, Bb, Db, and Eb on finger numbers, for RH and then for LH.

IX. Augmented and Diminished triads

To form the augmented triad in any key, begin with a major triad and raise the 5th scale degree a
half step.
To form the diminished triad in any key, begin with a minor triad and lower the 5th scale degree a
half step.

Ex. 2.14:

Ex. 2.15:

_____a. Play the above exercise in the pattern major augmented major minor
diminished minor major in C, G, D, A, E, and F.
_____a. Play the above exercise in the pattern major augmented major minor
diminished minor major in B, Bb, Db, Eb, F#, and Ab.
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Chapter 4: Chord progressions 56

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Ex. 4.4

_____ a.
_____ b.
_____ c.
_____ d.
_____ e.

Play the previous progression, LH alone, in these major keys: C, D, E, F, G, and A

Play the progression, HT, in these major keys: C, D, E, F, G, and A
Play the progression, LH alone, in these major keys: B, Bb, Eb, Ab, F#, and Db
Play the progression, HT, in these major keys: B, Bb, Eb, Ab, F#, and Db
Improvise a RH melody and play the LH chords as written, in a repeating ostinato pattern.
Repeat in all other keys.

Ex. 4.5

_____ a.
_____ b.
_____ c.
_____ d.
_____ e.

Play the previous progression, LH alone, in these major keys: C, D, E, F, G, and A

Play the progression, HT, in these major keys: C, D, E, F, G, and A
Play the progression, LH alone, in these major keys: B, Bb, Eb, Ab, F#, and Db
Play the progression, HT, in these major keys: B, Bb, Eb, Ab, F#, and Db
Improvise a RH melody and play the LH chords as written, in a repeating ostinato pattern.
Repeat in all other keys.

Ex. 4.6

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Chapter 4: Chord progressions 62

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Ex. 4.16

Try transposing this into the key of C major, then into other keys. As Forrest Kinney writes; Being
able to find song by ear is not merely a starting point for arrangements, but a valuable and
enjoyable skill on its own, especially if you want to play with other musicians.1

Quote and Amazing Grace excerpt from the Pattern Play series by Two Streams Press - book titles listed in Appendix 4.

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