How To Play Fur Elise. A Proven Step-by-Step Tutorial for Adults. Part 1.
Before You Begin
possibly the most celebrated piano piece in the universe would be Fur Elise (correctly spelt Für Elise).
It was c omposed on the 27th April 1810 by Ludwig Van Beethoven and published in 1867, forty years after the composers ’ death .
Fur Elise is played all over the populace by amateurs and professionals alike. Playing good the opening three notes, children and adults instantaneously recognise this Bagatelle in A minor .
There is much speculation as to who “ Elise ” was. One such claim by the research worker Ludwig Nohl said he saw the mention Elise on the original autographed manuscript. Others believe that this was misread ascribable to Beethoven’s messy handwriting, and it was written for Therese Malfatti to whom he had proposed in the same year, but she had declined his offer .
What You Will Learn
This web log post will teach adult learners of all levels How to Play Für Elise in a technically discipline way. It has three parts .
Part 1 will teach you the pursuit :
- Technique
- Phrasing
- Articulation
- Dynamics
- Pedalling techniques
There are respective audio tracks to help you train your ears to increase your chances of playing Für Elise to a professional flush equally well as helping you become a better all-around piano actor .
Part 2 starts at the very begin, using a series of technical videos, for both right and left hands and hands together, taking you bit-by-bit to learning the first gear function, department A, of Fur Elise. This would suit beginners wanting to begin learning this fantastic man of music or for those who have already learnt it but would like to double-check their bet proficiency .
Part 3 is taken directly from The Complete Classical Piano Course and will suit pornographic players of an intermediate standard, who are confident at reading 3/8 time signature but would like a more detailed explanation on how to tackle sections B and C .
In Part 3 you will learn :
- Structure
- Playing Sixths
- Arpeggio Techniques
- Repeated Notes
- Page Turns
- Ornaments
- Aural Training
- 3/8 Rhythm
- How to Work with the Metronome
Since most people learn this tune from YouTube or through a friend, How to Play Für Elise : part 3 is designed to help you finish learning the stallion Bagatelle in A minor in its original Rondo form, i.e., ABACA class. Learning just the A section in How to Play Für Elise : contribution 2 and playing it in 3/4 a pianist would entirely be equitable touching the surface of this while .
NOTE: Use earphones or a full arrange of headphones to listen to the audio examples. If you play the tracks straight from laptop or personal computer speakers you won ’ triiodothyronine be able to hear the subtle nuances within the music .
Let ’ s have started .
TECHNIQUE
To be good at anything requires having good proficiency. Anyone can hit a tennis ball over the internet, but getting that ‘topspin ‘ like the pros requires skill, time, patience, dedication and desire .
so, ask yourself. Do you want to merely hit the ball over the web or do you want to hit it over the net with ‘topspin ‘ ?
Most people learning Für Elise or any music from YouTube videos are felicitous to just hit the ball over the net, i.e., just playing the notes. But learning by yourself from YouTube video will alone get you indeed far. Most video will only teach you the notes and nothing to do with the technical aspects of play. Because of this fact, the musician will merely learn in the most basic means, i.e., flat stylus .
Let ‘s play a bet on. Spot the Difference .
Below are two audio examples from the A section of Für Elise. Listen to each example and answer the follow questions. Choose wisely as you are only allowed one attack .
Audio 1 Audio 2
If you preferred Audio 2 over Audio 1, it ‘s probably because Audio 1 sounded monotone. In other words, politic. This is because the notes were all played at the lapp volume … not identical matter to. This how most people learn to play Fur Elise from YouTube television .
NO EXPRESSION=NO EMOTION
There ‘s a lot more to playing music than precisely playing a group of notes together .
Listen to Audio 1 and Audio 2 again, and see if you can hear these differences .
In Audio 2 .
- The left hand is played at a lower volume allowing the melody in the right hand to be heard.
- A slight ‘lilt’ is played, i.e., some notes are a touch louder than others.
- Notes are played slightly heavier/quieter than others.
- Notes get louder or quieter as they ascend or descend.
How Can You Create Passion In Your Music?
By adding in
Phrasing, Articulation, Dynamics, and Pedalling.
In Audio 2 these four key elements were added to make the music sound a hale distribute better and these elements could not be added if the music was not played with adept Technique .
Listen to each track again and ask yourself if you ‘re playing Fur Elise with or without Phrasing, Articulation, Dynamics and Pedalling.
Audio 1 Audio 2
Do you play with Phrasing, Articulation, Dynamics and Pedalling ?
PHRASING
“He who phrases incorrectly is like a man who does not understand the language he speaks”.
— CHOPIN TO A STUDENT
think of phrasing like a sentence. You start at the beginning, adding a flimsy pause at the comma, and finish on a fully period .
just as you read these words, you have to play music thinking the same way. This could be when you are playing person else ‘s music, composing your own or possibly merely improvising on the piano .
Phrasing constantly has a start, ( sometimes middle ) and end. Most of the clock the music will have a curved lineage, known as a slur, above or below the notes .
Listen to these two examples and ask yourself which one do you think sounds wrong to you .
Audio 3 Audio 4
When playing notes, you have to think about which notes are more important than other notes.
Audio 4 sounds better because accents were placed onto certain notes, particularly on the beginning beat of each cake. This is how we articulate the music .
ARTICULATION
To communicate well requires good joint skills. Since music is a terminology it requires the same articulation skills as one does when talk .
articulation is based on how one plays the notes. This could be by playing smoothly using slurs, staccatos and accents. Since Fur Elise has no staccatos written in the music let ‘s concentrate on the slur and accents .
When we talk, we accent certain words that are more significant than other words. In music, you have to find out which notes are the most significant .
Audio 3 here ‘s Fur Elise again but articulated incorrectly. Does n’t it sound leftover ? This is because the accents are placed on notes that are not as important. Look at the music below to see where the accents were placed .
Do you phrase your music like this? If we translated music into words, you may be articulating your music like this Once Upon a Time. The last one sounds correct because the accents were placed over the important, i, more concern words .
Listen to Audio 4 again, and hear where the accents should fall.
How Do You Know Where To Place The Accents?
When playing notes, you have to think about which notes are more crucial than other notes. A general principle of finger is to place the stress on the first note/beat of every banish .
Listen to this following traverse Audio 5 and notice where notes C and B at the end of banish 7 creates a decrescendo. Making the bill A on the first beat in bar 8 sound softer. This is precisely musical sample. To play in this way will take some train in piano proficiency .
DYNAMICS
Placing accents only on the first beat of every bar will only get you so far. You need to add Dynamics.
Play
Listen to
- The left hand is played at a lower volume allowing the melody in the right hand to be heard.
- Notes are increased or decreased in volume.
Placing accents only on the first base beat of every measure will only get you so far. You need to add Dynamics.Play Audio 1 again, and listen to how each note is played at the like volume, creating a bland musical performance.Listen to Audio 6. fair adding Dynamics to the music, you can hear that Fur Elise comes alive ! Can you hear … I besides added accents at the start of each bar to create the 3/8 feel .
Audio 7 Most people do n’t listen out for the leave hand playing excessively loudly. You can hear in this case that the tune in the right bridge player is n’t identical well-defined .
As A General Rule Of Thumb
Whenever the melody goes up then use a Crescendo.
Whenever the music goes down then use a Diminuendo .
PEDALLING
Using the sustain pedal (far right pedal) creates a warmer sound to any music played, creating ambience. You have to always listen out for how much pedalling is required. It’s not meant to be a footstool!
Using the nourish pedal ( far right pedal ) creates a affectionate sound to any music played, creating atmosphere. You have to constantly listen out for how much bicycle is required. It ‘s not meant to be a footstool ! besides ,
The Pedal Should not Be Used To Cover Bad Playing Technique
Listen to these sound recording examples and ask yourself, which one do you prefer ?
Audio 8 Audio 9 Audio 10
Which one do you prefer?
Audio 8 uses no pedal at. This sounds very well, but there ‘s no warmth to the music .
Audio 9 uses the pedal on every note. You can hear how ‘muddy ‘ the notes become, making the notes unclear .
Audio 10 uses the pedal at the start of every bar. Creating a ‘warmer ‘ feeling but not excessively a lot as to muddy the notes .
CD3-Track 29-29.1 Listen to the following improvised piece of music which is taken from The Complete Classical Piano Course . At foremost, everything sounds connected and placid, but in reality, without the pedal, it was played like the last one .
first, learn how to play with good proficiency and then possibly you can break the rules a bit .
FINALLY
Is There A Right Or Wrong Way To Play Fur Elise?
The answer is Yes and No. My room of playing Für Elise is not the entirely way. It ‘s just one way. Two people playing Fur Elise using the lapp notes in the same regulate will constantly sound unlike from each other .
This can not be achieved however without two things. prepare in playing techniques and training your musical auricle. This is all down to how a lot you practice the piano using Dynamics, Phrasing, Articulation and Pedalling. Remember : NO EXPRESSION=NO EMOTION and barely as Beethoven said …
‘To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable’
—BEETHOVEN
If you want to delve deep into learning how to play Fur Elise there is How to Play Für Elise : part 2 and Part 3 . Part 2 will cover section A, the most popular region. This would suit all beginners who can not sight-read music or those who want to check their play technique. Part 3 covers sections B and C. This part would suit more intermediate players who can read in 3/8 time signature or beginners up for a challenge .
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