Taps

The bugle call, built entirely on C, E and G: chord tones and a dotted rhythm.

Level:
2 of 6
Hands:
Right hand
Key:
C major
Notes:
24
Range:
G4 to G5
One run:
about 23 seconds at 80 bpm

The notes, in order

24 notes, one at a time.

  1. G4
  2. G4
  3. C5
  4. G4
  5. C5
  6. E5
  7. G4
  8. C5
  9. E5
  10. G4
  11. C5
  12. E5
  13. G4
  14. C5
  15. E5
  16. C5
  17. E5
  18. G5
  19. E5
  20. C5
  21. G4
  22. G4
  23. G4
  24. C5

How to practise it

  1. Only three notes in the whole piece, and every one belongs to the C chord
  2. The short note before each long one is quick and light: long-short, then hold
  3. Let the long notes ring for their full length before moving on

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 24 notes.

What it trains

  • adult beginner
  • folk
  • dotted
  • jumps

More adult beginner course

Piano for adult beginners, in the order the method books teach it: black keys and finger numbers, Middle C, pentascales, primary chords, then real pieces with both hands.

All piano exercises