The All-In-One Piano Finger Exercise: A 6-Bar Melody for 6 Skills

Jason Zac's all-in-one piano exercise is a short melody in F major, played in semiquavers over left-hand chords that change every beat, which trains hand independence, chord shifting, finger crossing, pivoting, triplets and beat subdivision in one 10-minute workout.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Intermediate · 29 min

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What this exercise teaches

This lesson from Jason Zac at Nathaniel School of Music is a short tune he composed that works as a complete piano workout. In one piece you practise hand independence, quick chord changes, finger crossing, pivoting around one note, pattern-based playing and dividing the beat into twos, threes, fours and sixes. It makes a good 10-minute warm-up before a show, rehearsal or recording.

It is not for the absolute beginner. You should have played for at least a few months and have some basic hand coordination. The right hand carries the melody while the left hand holds chords and rhythm.

Step 1: Revise the scales

The exercise is taught in F major (one flat, Bb) and then G major (one sharp, F#). Play each scale a few times before you start.

Step 2: The first melody line

Each line is four groups of four semiquavers, which makes 16 semiquavers, one bar of 4/4. Count it as 1 e and a, 2 e and a, 3 e and a, 4 e and a. In F major the notes are:

• F C F A
• G C G Bb
• A C A C (a lower C, then a higher C)
• Bb A G A

In scale degrees that is 1 5 1 3, 2 5 2 4, 3 5 3 5, 4 3 2 3. Learning the numbers lets you move the tune to any key. The second line is almost the same but ends Bb A G F (4 3 2 1) instead of returning to A.

Step 3: Left-hand chords

Unusually, the chords change every beat, not every bar. Jason Zac uses inversions that sit close together and avoid clashing with the melody:

• F major in second inversion: C F A (the I chord)
• C major (the V, or dominant)
• Bb major as D F Bb (the IV, the subdominant or predominant)

For the middle chord either IV or V sounds good. Once the changes feel easy, add rhythm: try staccato on the first three chords, or bring the second chord in on the e of beat one. Sing or hum the melody as you play.

Step 4: The second section

The next melody covers almost an octave and a half. Because of the Bb in F major you need to cross over with the ring finger: play D with the middle finger, F with the thumb, then cross the ring finger over. Keep the elbow fairly still so you stay balanced. The following line is nearly a copy but relaxes into quavers at the end. The left hand uses Bb, C and F with the same inversions.

The section closes with a semiquaver triplet flourish, which divides a beat into six. Cross back afterwards so you can return to the opening melody, aiming to end on the ring finger.

A simpler left hand

If the chords are too much, never drop the left hand. Instead, in order of difficulty:

1. Hold a single F.
2. Play the root F on every pulse.
3. Play just the F major chord.
4. Play the roots of each chord.
5. Move up to the full chords.

Fingering and posture tips

• Plan ahead: choose fingers for what comes next, not what is convenient now.
• Do not avoid the ring finger and pinky. The pinky is stronger than it feels.
• A good start in the second section uses the index finger, ring on Bb, middle on A, leaving the pinky ready for C.
• Commit to all five fingers rather than relying on three.

Moving to G major and minor keys

In G major the chords are G (I), C (IV) and D (V), and the fingering is similar for the first half. In the second section you cross the middle finger instead of the ring. A general guide is to place the ring finger on a black note. If you land on the pinky in an awkward spot, swap to the middle or ring finger on that note.

Then try the parallel minor, such as F minor. For natural minor, flatten the third, sixth and seventh; for harmonic minor, flatten only the third and sixth. Take care with harmonic minor, as the wider gap between the sixth and seventh can confuse your fingers.

How to practise

Start slowly, then push the tempo beyond your comfort zone. An exercise should feel like a workout. Keep the pulse steady and rotate through different keys so it keeps improving your technique.

Questions about this lesson

What chords does the left hand play in F major?

It uses F major as C F A, C major and Bb major as D F Bb, which are the I, V and IV chords. The chords change every beat rather than every bar.

Is this exercise suitable for beginners?

It is not meant for absolute beginners. You should have played for at least a few months and have some basic coordination between the hands.

What should I do if I can't manage the left-hand chords?

Keep the left hand going with something simpler, such as holding a single F, playing F on every pulse or playing chord roots. Gradually build up to the full chords.

Can I play this exercise in minor keys?

Yes, try the parallel minor in natural or harmonic form. In harmonic minor, watch the wider gap between the sixth and seventh degrees, which can trip up your fingering.

Practise it

• PendulumExplore accents, subdivisions, scale patterns and chord movement with Western, Hindustani or Carnatic note names.
• Groove MetronomeWork with tempo, accents and polyrhythms instead of a single unchanging click.
• Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
• All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.

Related lessons

• 5 Finger Piano Exercises for Beginners That Sound BeautifulPlace your right thumb on C and your pinky on G. Then play four drills: up and down, in thirds, in triplet groups and in two-note pairs, all over a steady left-hand pulse. Next, change the second, third and fourth notes to turn the same drills into minor, dreamy or flamenco-like music.
• Conquer Piano Hand Independence and Sharpen Your Rhythm (Part 2)To build piano hand independence, keep a steady pulse in one hand while the other hand plays the first five notes of C minor in dotted eighth notes, quarter note triplets or eighth notes accented in threes, then swap hands.
• Piano Hand Independence: The Exercise That Finally WorksTo build piano hand independence, play the first five notes of C minor (C D Eb F G) up and down in both hands, keeping one hand on the pulse while the other divides each beat by two, three or four, then swap hands.
• 10 Rhythm Patterns That Make Chord Inversions EasyTo make chord inversions musical, play the root position, first inversion and second inversion of a triad such as Bb major or C major through real rhythm patterns like block chords, oom-pah, waltz, broken chords, arpeggios, the tresillo, the Charleston, dual-speed arpeggios and floating inversions.