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Lesson 8: The scale with your left hand

Learn to cross a finger over your thumb with your left hand, play the C scale both ways, then the beginning of “Joy to the World” on the left.

What you'll learn

  • Cross your middle finger over your thumb
  • Pass your thumb under your left hand
  • Play the C scale with your left hand
  • Play the beginning of “Joy to the World” with your left hand
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The lesson, step by step

  1. In the last lesson, your right hand played the C scale. Today, it's your left hand's turn. It will also learn to cross a finger over the thumb, and to pass the thumb under the hand. At the end, you'll play the beginning of Joy to the World with your left hand.
  2. Put your left hand on the C on the left, with your little finger, just like in the third lesson. Ring finger on D, middle finger on E, index finger on F, and thumb on G. Listen first to the five notes going up.
  3. To keep going up, there's no finger left after your thumb. So after G, your middle finger crosses over your thumb to play A. Then your index finger plays B, and your thumb the middle C. Watch first.
  4. Here is the whole C scale with your left hand, going up. C, D, E, F and G, from your little finger to your thumb. Then your middle finger crosses over your thumb for A, B and C. Listen first.
  5. To go back down, it's your thumb that passes under your hand. Thumb on C, index finger on B, middle finger on A. Then your thumb passes under your hand to play G, and the other fingers go down to your little finger, on C. Watch first.
  6. Now, the scale goes up and back down without stopping: it climbs to the middle C, then comes back down to the C on the left. The last C lasts two beats. Listen first.
  7. Do you recognize this scale going down? It's the beginning of Joy to the World, with its rhythm. This time, your left hand plays it. Put your thumb on the middle C, and use the same fingers as for the scale going down. Listen first.
  8. The next phrase goes back up. Slide your left hand to put your ring finger on G. Then your middle finger plays two As, your index finger two Bs, and your thumb finishes on C. Listen first.
  9. Your song: the beginning of Joy to the World, with your left hand. The scale going down, then your hand slides to go back up. Listen to it once, then follow the falling notes.
  10. Well done, both your hands can now play the C scale, going up and going down. In the next lesson, you'll finally discover the black keys.

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