Bill Hilton

Piano Pack
no. 2
Piano Pack Number 2 - Contents
Introduction 2
Exercises 3
Practice piece 7
Practice checklist 9
Model practice sessions 10
Practice games and challenges 11

Introduction
Hello again! I’m really glad that so many of you enjoyed the first Piano Pack — the
feedback has been great, and I hope you’re going to like the rest of them just as much!

In this Pack we’re going to be focussing on finger independence and control. That
means helping you to develop the fine motor control skills you need to take your piano
playing up a level, whether you’re improvising or playing from sheet music. With that
goal in mind, you’ll find that this week’s exercises and piece really challenge you to get
your fingers working independently. I’ve specifically designed exercises that target the
fourth and fifth fingers of each hand, which are typically the weakest.

As usual with these Piano packs, I’ve create a walkthrough video in which I talk about
all the exercises and the piece in detail. You’ll find it at this (unlisted) YouTube link:

https://youtu.be/WoG6j95sBQg

A request several of you have made since the release of that last Piano Pack is for a list
of tips on how to practise better. So in this Pack I’ve included a practice checklist (p9),
a set of model practice sessions (p10) and some practice games and challenges (p11).

If you have any feedback or requests/suggestions for future Piano Packs, either let me
know on Patreon or email me at billhiltonmedia@gmail.com. As always, very warm
thanks to each and every one of you for supporting me on Patreon. Your support makes
a big difference to my ability to make a living through music, and I really appreciate it!

Best wishes,

Bill

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Exercises
Exercises 1-4 — 12/8 groups with held thumbs
These four exercises are all variations on the same basic theme. The idea is that you
work your ‘weaker’ fingers by playing the six-note groups as smoothly as you can while
holding down the note your thumb is playing in each individual group. This both re-
stricts the amount your hand can move (which makes the exercise harder) and mimics
playing more than one ‘voice’ in a hand, which is a fundamental skill in more advanced
playing and improvising.

You’ll probably find the right hand exercises easier than the left, and the E flat ones
harder than the ones in C, so they are presented here in order of difficulty. Ideally you
want to get these to a point where they are fast, smooth and even. But smoothness and
evenness are much more important than speed, so start slowly and focus on the qual-
ity of your playing, gradually picking up the tempo as you get more confident. Try to
keep each exercise in time, counting four beats per bar/measure - one on each six note
group (12/8 is a compound time signature, meaning you can count it either as twelve
quavers/eighth notes or four dotted crotchets/quarter notes). If in doubt, check the
walkthrough — next to each exercise I’ve put a clickable timestamp that should take
you directly to the relevant point in the video.

Exercise 1 (02:25 in the walkthrough video)

12
1 3 4 5 4 3 1

&8 œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ
œœ ™
œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœ™
œ œ œ
& œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ
2

& œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ

™
4

&
œœ™ œ
œ œ œ œ
œœ ™ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™™
œœ™ œ

3
Exercise 2 (05:16)

œœ ™œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ
? 12 œ œ
1 3 4 5 4 3 1

8 œ œ œ œ

? œœ ™œ
œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ
2

œ œ œ

? œœ ™ œœ ™œ œœ™œ œ
3
œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

™ ™
? œœ ™ œ œ œ œ œ œœ™ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ ™
4

Exercise 3 (06:23)

b 12 œ
&b b 8 œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ
1 3 4 5 4 3 1

œœ™œ ™

œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ
™
bb œ œ œ œ œ
œœ ™
2

b
& œœ™ œ œ

b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœ ™œ œ
3

& b b œœ™œ œœ™œ

œ œ œ œ
œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ

b
œ œ œ œ œ ™™
4

& b b œœ™ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œœ ™ œ œœ™ œ

4
Exercise 4 (07:47)

œœ ™œ œ œ œ œœ™œ
œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ
1 3 4 5 4 3 1

? bb 12
b8

? bb œœ ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ™œ œ œ œ œ œœ ™œ œ
2
œœ™œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

? bb œœ ™œ œ œœ™œ œœ ™œ œœ™œ
3

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œœ ™œ œœ™ œ œ œœ ™ œ œ œ œ œ ™™
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
4
? bb
b

Exercises 5 and 6 — Alberti Brainbusters! (08:45)

You might have come across the Alberti bass, especially if you’ve had classical piano
lessons. It’s a left hand pattern that composers like Mozart and Haydn were very fond
of using in keyboard pieces. In its simplest form it looks like this (in 4/4 time - you’ll
also find it in other time signatures):
? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

These two exercises both involve playing an Alberti pattern on different chord shapes.
However, you have to follow a simple rule: every time you play a note, hold it down
and keep it held until the next time it appears in the pattern. When it next appears, lift
it off, play it again and hold until it’s time to play again. Believe it or not, that’s really
hard to notate, so I’m just going to write the patterns ‘as normal’ and leave it to you
to play them the way I’m describing (this is tricky to describe in writing, so if you’re
confused check out my demonstrations in the walkthrough video — timestamps are
below).

Exercise 5 (09:48)
Play all patterns in the left hand, as described above, repeating at least eight times:
5a ? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

5b ? ### 44
œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
5
 5c ? 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
5d ? bb b 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
b
Exercise 6 (11:11)
Play all patterns in the right hand, as described above, repeating at least eight times:

4 ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
6a
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

### 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
6b
& 4œ œ œ œ

4 œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑
6c
&4

b 4
6d
& b bb 4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ∑ ∑ ∑ ∑

Exercise 7 (12:45)
This is a bit like the improvisation exercise from the previous Piano Pack. Play the
fixed chords in the left, and improvise over them using the notes indicated in the
right (basically the C pentatonic scale plus an E flat). If you’re new to improvisation
and not sure how to get started, refer to the walkthrough tutorial.

CŒ„Š7 FŒ„Š7 CŒ„Š7 FŒ„Š7

&c œ
4
œ œ ‘ ‘ ‘ ™™
œ œ b œ nœ

{ ?c w
w
w
w ww
w
w
w
w
w
w ww
w
w ™™

Exercise 8 (video timestamp as for ex. 7)

Repeat exercise 7... but without using your thumb in the right hand. That will make
for a pretty disjointed melody line even if you’re a good improviser, but it will help
you develop your control in your ‘weaker’ fingers!

6
Practice piece

{
You can listen to this piece from 16:14 in the video. The discussion starts at 18.35.

Andante 4 5

œœ œœ œ
3 5 2 1

& bc œœœ œ Œ ˙ œ œ̇ œ œ œ œ ˙™
1 3 1 1 2 1

œœ œœ ˙˙
1 3

œ œ
mp
w œ œ w ˙ œœœœœ
? bc Œ œ œ ˙ œ œ

{
∑ Œ ˙™ œ
1 5 1 2 2 3 1 2 1
4 4 5

œ
6 5 3 4 2

& b œœ œœ œœ œœ œ̇ œ œ œ̇ œ ˙ Œ
3 1 1 1 1 3-1

œœ˙ ˙ w
˙ Ó œ œ ˙

? b ˙˙™ ˙ œ ˙˙ ˙˙ ˙˙ œ œ œ œ ˙ œ œ̇ œ œ ˙˙

{
Ó Ó Œ
1 1 5 1 1 5 3 2
5 3 5 4

w œ œ œ̇ œ œ̇ œ
3 5 4 3
12

Œ œœ œœnœ̇œ œœ
4-5 2 3 1 2

b
& œ œ ˙ œ œ œœ ˙˙ œ̇ œ œ ˙˙ w
w
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

1 2 1 1
mf mp p lightly
œœ œœ œœœ œ œ œœ œœ œœ œœ œ̇ œœ
œ ˙˙ ˙ w
w ˙
?b œ œ ẇ

{
Œ
1 1 3 4 1 2 2 1
3 2 5 2 5 4 2 3
5

˙˙
18

& b Œ œœ œœnœ̇œ œœ ˙˙ œ̇ nœ œ̇ œ œ̇ ˙
4 3

˙ ˙ ˙ n ˙™™ œ n œ̇˙ œ œ œ̇ œ œ̇ ™ ˙ œœ œ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

˙ ˙˙ ™™ œ
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

˙
mf
œœ ˙˙
? Œ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙ ˙

{
b w ˙ ˙™ œ
2 1 3 1 3 1

j
24 3

œœ œ̇ œ nœ̇˙ œ œœ ™™ œœ ˙˙
2 4 2 4

& b œ̇ ˙ Œ œœ œ̇ œ
1 1 1 3 1 1

œœ œ œ̇˙ ™ ˙ œœ œ œ̇ ˙ ˙ œ ˙
˙™™ œ ˙ ™™ œ ˙™™
∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏∏

œ̇ œ n˙˙ n˙˙ ˙˙
?b Œ ˙™
w w w
7
{
2 3 4
30 2 4 2

& b œ̇ œ œ œœ Œ œœ œœ Ó œœ œœ œœœ œœ
1 1

œ̇ œ œ œ̇ œ œœœ œœœ œœœ œœœ

œ
mp
œœ œœ
? b œ̇ œ œœ Œ œ ˙˙ œœ œœ Ó
œ œœ œ œ œ œ

{
œ̇
1 1 1 1 5
5 2 4 4 1

U
3 5
35 5

& b œ̇˙ œ œ œ̇ œ
2 4 2 3

Œ Œ
1 1 3
1 1

˙˙ ™™ ˙œ œ ˙œ œ ˙˙˙™™ w w
˙ œ ˙ ™ ww w
w
p

?b ˙ ˙˙ ™™ U
w
˙ Œ ˙ ˙ ˙™ Œ w w

8
Practice checklist and tips
The single best thing you can do to improve your piano playing quickly is sharpen up
your approach to practice. I recently made a whole tutorial about this, which you’ll
find here if you’d like to watch it. Below, though, I’ve created a checklist you can go
through help you make sure you’re getting the most out of your sessions.

1. Are you practicing regularly? This might seem like a no-brainer, but
alongside point number 2, below, it’s one of the biggest factors affecting the
success of your practice. Your brain learns best when it’s given regular small
reminders of what it’s supposed to be doing. Ten minutes a day, six or seven
days a week, is better than an hour-long session twice a week, even though the
overall time you spend at the piano will be less.

2. Is your practice challenging? A mistake amateur musicians make is to

spend too much time playing through stuff they can already play pretty well.
Professionals understand that improvement only comes with challenge - if you
don’t find your practice difficult, it’s probably not very effective.

3. Are you in the sweet spot? Point 2 notwithstanding, you have to make
sure your practice isn’t too challenging: if you work on material that’s too tough
you won’t make any progress. Make sure you always think carefully about what
to work on so you’re targeting material that is challenging but achievable. If
you find that tricky, fell free to ask me for some guidance!

4. Are you focusing? It’s really easy to get distracted when you practise, but
you’ll do best if you work with absolute focus. So don’t stop for a tea break half
way through, don’t check your phone or email, and try to practise at a time
when you won’t be disturbed. This is yet another reason why relatively short,
frequent sessions tend to work better: it’s easier to focus for a short time than
a long time!

5. Are homing in on problems? This is related to point 2. Professional

musicians tend to spend the majority of their practice time dealing with areas
that are causing problems. So focus hard on that tricky bar or two that you keep
tripping up on — maybe to the point of devoting several whole sessions to it.
It might seem counterintuitive not to be working on the whole piece or song at
once, but homing in on small problems always leads to faster progress.

6. Finally, are you warming up? You don’t have to play all your scales and
broken chords at the start of every practice session, but you should play at least
some of them (it’s often a good idea to warm up with scales that are the same
as, or close to, the key of the piece or song your working on). Remember that
scales need practice in themselves: always work on improving your evenness
and control.

9
Model practice sessions
With that in mind, let’s look at what a couple of model practice sessions might look
like. I imagine each of these would be 15-20 minutes long.

Model practice session 1: first sight of a new score

1. 3-5 minutes of warm-up of 4-5 scales (left and right hands separate and/or
hands together) and broken chords/arpeggios, including scales and arpeggios
in the key(s) of the score you’re working from.

2. 5-10 minutes of ‘picking’ through the score, ideally hands together, to get a
feel for it and identify problem sections. It doesn’t matter how slowly you go.

3. 5-10 minutes of separate hands practice.

By the way, when you’re working on a brand new piece, always think about its length,
and consider breaking it up into sections. I often focus on the first 16/32 bars/page
first, then move on to the next similar-sized section after a few days and so on, and
then

Model practice session 2: first sight of a chord progression for improv

1. Warm as Session 1.

2. 5-10 minutes of playing through the chord progression, slowly, trying differ-
ent voicings and inversions of the basic chords in both hands.

3. 5-10 minutes of slow, limited right hand improvisation over simple, static
chords in the left.

Model practice session 3: continuing work on a previously seen score

1. Warm as Session 1.

2. 5-10 minutes of playing through the chord progression, slowly, trying differ-
ent voicings and inversions of the basic chords in both hands.

3. 2-5 minutes of playing through whole piece (or section of piece) to get a
sense of progress so far and identify further problems that need dealing with.

Practice is a big topic, so if you want to discuss any of this further, just post a comment
in the thread underneath this Piano Pack’s post on Patreon.

10
Practice games and challenges
Here are three fun (...for a very particular definition of ‘fun’…) things you can do to
improve the quality of your practice.

1. Time your attention. Start a stopwatch at the beginning of your practice

and let it run throughout. Stay as focused as you can, but the instant you find
your attention wandering away from your practice even for a second — stop the
stopwatch, and make a note of the time. You don’t necessarily have to stop your
practice session at that point (especially if you’re only a few minutes in, as you
may be the first few times you do it) but keep a record of your attention spans
during practice and see if you can gradually improve them over the course of a
few weeks.

3. Use tallying. Identify a problem in the piece or song you’re working on

— it might be a tricky chord change in the left, or a challenging section in the
right hand. Try to make it something compact: nothing more than 2-3 bars.
Choose a fixed number of times you’re going to practise it through: I usually
start with 20 or 30, and but sometimes go as far as 50 or 100. Then practise it
for exactly that number of times in succession, keeping tally on a piece of paper
(that’s important: trying to do it in your head will distract your concentration).
This might seem mindless, but it’s very useful, because it creates an objective
goal for you to aim for. Without a fixed target to reach you’re more likely to say
to yourself “OK, I think that’s enough” just because you’re getting bored. You
won’t necessarily have achieved perfection after one practice session of 20x
playthroughs, but you’ll be closer to it.

3. No looking at the keyboard! This one is self-explanatory: don’t look at

the keyboard at all for a fixed period of your practice time. There’s no need to
obsess about it, nor do it for your whole practice session, but for short periods
it can really help your ear, your sense of touch on the keyboard — and make
reading music much easier, because you can stay focused on it.

Any ideas and suggestions for others? Post them on the comment thread!

11