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Lesson 7: The C scale

Discover the note B, learn to pass your thumb under your hand and play the whole C scale, then the beginning of “Joy to the World”.

What you'll learn

  • Find B at a glance
  • Pass your thumb under your hand
  • Play the C scale going up and going down
  • Play the beginning of “Joy to the World”
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The lesson, step by step

  1. Today, you'll discover the last white key you're missing, B, and play the whole C scale: eight notes, from C up to the next C. To do that, you'll learn a little trick: passing your thumb under your hand. At the end, you'll play the beginning of Joy to the World.
  2. Find a group of three black keys. The white key just to its right is B. Right after B, we land on a C again. Watch first: we play the two Bs on the keyboard.
  3. Your right hand starts on the left C, so there's room to climb up to the next C. C, D and E are played with your thumb, index finger and middle finger. Then your thumb passes under your hand to play F. Watch first.
  4. After the thumb passes under, your hand is free again: your index finger plays G, your middle finger A, your ring finger B, and your little finger the C at the top. Here is the whole C scale, going up. Listen first.
  5. To go back down, we do the opposite. Little finger on C, then B, A and G, down to your thumb on F. Next, your middle finger crosses over your thumb to play E, then your index finger plays D, and your thumb the last C. Watch first.
  6. This scale going down is the beginning of Joy to the World, with its rhythm: a C that lasts two beats, a slightly long B, a very short A, and a G held for three beats. Then F, E and D, and a long C to finish. Listen first.
  7. The next phrase goes back up. Slide your hand to put your thumb on G. Then your index finger plays two As, your middle finger two Bs, and your ring finger finishes on C. Listen first.
  8. Your song: the beginning of Joy to the World. The scale going down, then your hand slides to go back up. Listen to it once, then follow the falling notes.
  9. Well done, you now know every white key, and you can play the C scale going up and going down. In the next lesson, you'll play this scale with your left hand.

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