Parallel Tenths (Both Hands)

Hands move in the same direction a tenth apart, which sounds far richer than an octave.

Level:
6 of 6
Hands:
Both hands
Key:
C major
Notes:
30
Range:
C3 to E5
One run:
about 12 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

15 moments, 30 notes in total, some struck together.

  1. C3 + E4
  2. D3 + F#4
  3. E3 + G#4
  4. F3 + A4
  5. G3 + B4
  6. A3 + C#5
  7. B3 + D#5
  8. C4 + E5
  9. B3 + D#5
  10. A3 + C#5
  11. G3 + B4
  12. F3 + A4
  13. E3 + G#4
  14. D3 + F#4
  15. C3 + E4

How to practise it

  1. Left hand starts on C3, right hand on E4
  2. The interval stays the same the whole way, so listen for it
  3. Any wobble in the gap means one hand is drifting

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 30 notes.

What it trains

  • hands together
  • scale

More coordination

The two hands doing different things at the same time.

All piano exercises