Today I was practicing using the kids Afred book. I started working on the G Position. I finally got the C position notes down, now I have to learn some new ones! LOL

After about 30 minutes of playing the one song that starts off the lesson in G, I decided to play around in the Adult book from Alfred. That is where I got confused! LOL The adult book has a different position for G.

I took a pic of the 2 books with the kid book on top of the adult book. Kid book has blue writing!



My question is, are there more then one C or G or F or ect. positions? It is confusing that the books show the hands in different places for the same name position!

I'm confused!

The left hand is shown as moved down an octave from where it is shown in the first book.

Glen

Your hand has 5 fingers that can cover a span of 5 notes when it is relaxed (not spread out). The "positions" simply means that you are placing your hands over a group of 5 notes on the piano so that all 5 notes are in easy reach. Beginner music often doesn't go past 5 notes so it's easy to get used to the piano for early practice. "C position" covers the 5 notes C,D,E,F,G and "G position" covers the 5 notes G,A,B,C,D.

You probably know that the notes repeat themselves. They go C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C.... forever. There are low C's and high C's and you can recognize that they are one or several octaves apart. So if you can have more than one G, you can also have umpteen "G positions". It simply means that you are covering the notes G,A,B,C,D somewhere on the keyboard. Notice on your two diagrams what is the same: the notes start on the first white note between the group of 3 black keys which is G, and the last note ends on the white note between the 2 black keys which is D. That pattern of black and white notes repeats along your whole keyboard. The white note between two black keys is always D.

The next thing you need to know is which G or D? This is known as register. You know where middle C is on both the piano and in written music. Your right hand music is the same in both books. They are showing the first G above middle C in the treble clef. Logically it is also the first G above middle C on your piano. G is the first white key between the three black keys. There are other G's above that which you will learn to read eventually.

For the LH, in the top drawing, they are showing the first G below middle C. You can count down both in the book and on your piano to find it. If you count down 8 more lines and spaces saying your alphabet backward you'll be at the bottom line, and another G. You can do the same with the piano. You'll land on a G which is 8 notes below, sounds an octave below, and again, is the first white key between the three black keys. All three are "G position" in the sense that they span the 5 notes from G to D for a closed 5-finger hand.

Wondering why the different approaches??

Thanks for the great explanation! So basically, the kid book wants me to play a song that is an octive down further then the adult books song choice! I think I get this now!

Now my next question is, how can I tell what octive (position) I should be in if the diagram that the lesson book is not there? LOL Did that make since? I may be getting ahead of myself. As you can see I am only on page 50! I'm thinking I may learn this further in the book! I thought I would ask anyway!!

You can see the notes on each staff (treble and bass), split by middle C (that is what middle C means). Based on where the notes are on the staff, it will tell you where to place your hand(s).

First example, notes show the left hand starting on the G closer to middle C. Second example shows it an octave lower. You are learning to read notes! ...most excellent!

Glen

Ahhhh, I see it now!! Thanks so much!! That will make things alot easier!!

Yah, I want to know how to read the music too! I have some work sheets so I will be doing some "homework" if you will, to help in learning them. Before the "G" position came into play I was getting good enough with the C that I could pretty much look at the note and know what key I need to press!! I have been saying each note as I play so I can get it imprinted.

Slowly but surely it is all coming together!!!

Thanks again for the help!!

Don't worry, the concept of positions will eventually all but disappear.

Yes please.

I had learned the C and G position and it was nice because the same fingers played the bars and spaces. But when I started to learn both thumbs on middle C everything changed. If I use C and G positions to move up and down the keyboard I can play everything in two thumbs on middle c position so I have just been using those two positions to play everything. Perhaps I will regret it....

To learn to read music and play the piano, you will eventually need to be able to play any note with any finger. Which finger you choose will depend on the notes (and fingering) that come before and after. But for example, your right thumb could be anywhere: A, B, C, etc. Your left thumb could be anywhere. And left and right are not necessarily on related notes. Learning middle C position after C and G position is starting to stretch you to play in any position.

Do some searching on "reading intervallically" to get more ideas for how to develop independence from position playing.

my guess is that it's an easier position for kids ... I know my wrists hurt when playing with both hands in the middle c position

Thank you very much!

Hi Kim -- The piano positions concept will soon disappear, but its a helpful way of understanding the keyboard at first. By the way, as you progress you might want to learn the "position" for all the keys of the piano. What I mean by that is you may want to learn the 5 finger pattern formed by starting on every key of the piano. But perhaps this is too much info for right now. If you want me to clarify how this works I'd be glad to!

And you don't have to play things where they're written. Go ahead and try them in every octave from end to end of the keyboard. It's your piano, have fun with it and see how it sounds.