Melody Over Chords

Right hand carries a melody while the left hand holds the harmony underneath.

Level:
5 of 6
Hands:
Both hands
Key:
C major
Notes:
23
Range:
F2 to G4
One run:
about 13 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

11 moments, 23 notes in total, some struck together.

  1. C3 + E3 + G3 + E4
  2. F4
  3. G4
  4. F2 + A2 + C3 + F4
  5. E4
  6. D4
  7. G2 + B2 + D3 + D4
  8. E4
  9. F4
  10. C3 + E3 + G3 + E4
  11. C4

How to practise it

  1. The left hand chord changes once per bar, the melody keeps moving
  2. Play the melody clearly louder than the chords
  3. Learn each hand alone before joining them

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 23 notes.

What it trains

  • hands together
  • accompaniment
  • chords

More coordination

The two hands doing different things at the same time.

All piano exercises