Lesson 04.2
Left-Hand C–G
Build confidence playing C, D, E, F and G with your left hand.
◉ Beginner level
▥ Left hand
◎ C-G notes
Lesson Progress
Return to the C–G Position
Place your left hand on the five notes you used in the previous lesson.
| Note | C | D | E | F | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left-hand finger | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Start with finger 5 on the C below Middle C. Let fingers 4, 3, 2 and 1 rest naturally on D, E, F and G.
You should not need to move your whole hand to reach any of these notes.
Find C–G
Find C, D, E, F and G in the left-hand position below Middle C. This time, use the note names without finger-number hints.
Find C in the left-hand position.
C–G found
You found all five notes in the left-hand position without using finger-number hints.
Play Up and Down
Start slowly with the most familiar pattern:
C – D – E – F – G
Use:
5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1
Then reverse direction:
G – F – E – D – C
Use:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
Try to keep all five fingers close to the keys. One finger plays while the others stay relaxed and ready.
Up and Down
Play C–G with your left hand, then come back down. Keep your hand in the same position and move one finger at a time.
Going Up
Play the notes from left to right.
Up and down complete
You played C–G in both directions while keeping your left hand in the same position.
Change Direction
Playing five notes in a straight line is useful, but music rarely keeps moving in only one direction.
Now practise changing direction while keeping your hand in the same position.
Try:
C – D – E – D – C
Then:
E – F – G – F – E
And:
C – D – E – F – E – D – C
Notice that your hand does not need to shift. Your fingers are already resting over the notes you need.
Follow the Pattern
Follow each note pattern with your left hand. Keep your hand in the same C–G position as the notes change direction.
Up and Back
Play the notes from left to right.
Patterns complete
You followed six left-hand patterns while keeping your hand in the same C–G position.
Try Some Skips
You do not always have to move to the next note.
From C, you can skip D and play E:
C – E
From E, you can skip F and play G:
E – G
Try this pattern:
C – E – G – E – C
Your hand stays in exactly the same C–G position.
Remember: A skip does not mean moving your hand. Use the finger that is already resting over the note.
Steps or Skips?
Look at each pair of notes. Decide whether the notes move by a step or a skip.
How do these notes move?
Nice work
Play Without Finger Numbers
Now try playing familiar patterns without looking at the fingering.
Keep your left hand in position and let the note names guide you.
C – E – D – F – G
Then:
G – E – F – D – C
And:
C – D – F – E – G – C
If you need to stop and think, that is fine. Accuracy matters more than speed.
Note Challenge
Play the note you see using your left hand. Keep your hand in the C–G position and try to find each note without thinking about the finger number first.
Play C with your left hand.
Five notes under your fingers
You found C, D, E, F and G from their note names without using finger-number hints.
Keep the Hand Relaxed
As you practise, check your hand occasionally.
Your fingers should stay gently curved and close to the keys. Avoid lifting unused fingers high into the air or pressing harder than necessary.
If your hand becomes tense, stop for a moment, relax it, and begin again slowly.
You are building control, not speed.
Check What You Remember
Check what you remember about the left-hand C–G position, moving between notes, and recognising steps and skips.
Great work
You’re getting comfortable with the left hand.
You can now play C, D, E, F and G with your left hand, move up and down between the notes, change direction, and play simple steps and skips without moving your hand position.