Hanon Exercise No. 1 (Left Hand)

The same climbing figure in the left hand, starting on C3.

Level:
4 of 6
Hands:
Left hand
Key:
C major
Notes:
33
Range:
C3 to D4
One run:
about 13 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

33 notes, one at a time.

  1. C3
  2. E3
  3. F3
  4. G3
  5. A3
  6. G3
  7. F3
  8. E3
  9. D3
  10. F#3
  11. G3
  12. A3
  13. B3
  14. A3
  15. G3
  16. F#3
  17. E3
  18. G#3
  19. A3
  20. B3
  21. C#4
  22. B3
  23. A3
  24. G#3
  25. F3
  26. A3
  27. A#3
  28. C4
  29. D4
  30. C4
  31. A#3
  32. A3
  33. G3

How to practise it

  1. Finger 5 starts each group, finger 1 reaches the top
  2. The left hand is the one that needs this exercise most
  3. Stop and shake the hand out if it starts to ache

The scale behind it

This one is built on the C Major scale: C D E F G A B (no sharps or flats). Its right-hand fingering runs 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5, and the scale page has the full diagram if you want to hear the shape on its own first.

How to play it here

Play along on the keys with your mouse, your computer keyboard, a touch screen, or a MIDI keyboard you have plugged in. Every key can show its own name, and the metronome will hold the tempo while you work through the 33 notes.

What it trains

  • hanon
  • independence
  • endurance

More dexterity drills

Finger independence and evenness. Dull on purpose, and the fastest way to a cleaner hand.

All piano exercises