Morning (Peer Gynt) by Grieg

Grieg's pastoral theme, transposed so it sits entirely on the black keys.

Level:
5 of 6
Hands:
Right hand
Key:
F# major pentatonic
Notes:
21
Range:
F#4 to D#5
One run:
about 12 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

21 notes, one at a time.

  1. F#4
  2. G#4
  3. A#4
  4. C#5
  5. A#4
  6. G#4
  7. F#4
  8. G#4
  9. A#4
  10. F#4
  11. F#4
  12. G#4
  13. A#4
  14. C#5
  15. D#5
  16. C#5
  17. D#5
  18. C#5
  19. A#4
  20. G#4
  21. F#4

How to practise it

  1. Play on the black keys only: F#, G#, A#, C#, D#
  2. Keep a gentle, flowing tempo, imagine a sunrise
  3. Every note is a black key, so focus on smooth moves between the groups of two and three

The scale behind it

This one is built on the F# Major Pentatonic scale: F# G# A# C# D# (five sharps). Its right-hand fingering runs 1-2-3-1-2-3, 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 21 notes.

What it trains

  • classical
  • black keys
  • pentatonic

More melodies

Real tunes, so there is something to play once the drills have paid off.

All piano exercises