Is it really possible to use just one finger on the piano and sound like a pro? Learn the notes in any key of music.
Well, that’s stretching it a bit but what if I told you that using one finger on the piano can help you learn to play like a pro? When it comes to building chords, you need to know how to assemble the notes that make up a particular chord voicing. That means you should learn the notes in any key of music. This actually comes from knowing the 7 different notes that are in a major key by their number.
Most classically and some non-classically trained pianists will play scales with their whole hand or both hands quite proficiently. It’s not a bad thing and I believe it can have some dexterital benefits. But if you ask some of them to play the same notes with just one finger, then they’re lost. Your kinesthetic sense can’t help you with only one finger so you have to rely on your brain to tell you what the notes are. That one finger can be a very useful tool to learn the notes in any key of music.
This is really about the numbering system and how important it is know it very well. Beyond the 7 different notes in a key of music are the altered notes that you should know just as well. (example: sharp 9 sharp 5) So the next time you sit down to review or study your keys, use only one finger and give the rest of your hand the afternoon off.
