Session 2: The White Keys

Overview

Phase: 1 — Foundation
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisites: Completed Session 1. Can play “Hot Cross Buns” with RH. Knows finger numbers 1-5. Can find Middle C.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

Name all 7 white keys (A through G — the musical alphabet)
Find any white key on the keyboard using the black-key group pattern
Play “Mary Had a Little Lamb” with your right hand in C position
Distinguish higher vs. lower pitches by ear
Play C position 5-finger patterns ascending and descending with RH

Materials Needed

Casio CT-X9000IN keyboard (Grand Piano tone — Tone 000)
This lesson plan open beside you

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Finger Taps (from Session 1 homework)

Place your RH on Middle C position (thumb on C):

Tap: 1-2-3-4-5 (C-D-E-F-G), then 5-4-3-2-1 (G-F-E-D-C)
Repeat 5 times. Keep fingers curved and wrist level.

Now LH on the C one octave below Middle C:

Place LH finger 5 (pinky) on this lower C. Finger 4 on D, finger 3 on E, finger 2 on F, finger 1 (thumb) on G.
Tap: 5-4-3-2-1 (C-D-E-F-G), then 1-2-3-4-5 (G-F-E-D-C)
Repeat 5 times.

”Hot Cross Buns” Review

Play “Hot Cross Buns” (RH) from Session 1 two times through. If it feels easy and comfortable, great — you are ready to move on. If it still feels shaky, play it 3 more times before continuing.

Theory (10 minutes)

The Musical Alphabet

Music uses only 7 letter names: A B C D E F G

After G, it starts over: A B C D E F G A B C D E F G …

This repeats forever in both directions across the keyboard. Higher notes are to the RIGHT. Lower notes are to the LEFT.

Finding Notes Using Black Key Groups

You already know how to find C (left of the 2-black-key group). Now learn them all:

The 2-black-key group helps you find C, D, and E:

C = white key to the LEFT of the 2-black-key group
D = white key BETWEEN the 2 black keys
E = white key to the RIGHT of the 2-black-key group

The 3-black-key group helps you find F, G, A, and B:

F = white key to the LEFT of the 3-black-key group
G = white key between the first and second black keys
A = white key between the second and third black keys
B = white key to the RIGHT of the 3-black-key group

Note-Finding Exercise

Say each note name out loud as you press it. Do this slowly and deliberately:

Find every C on the keyboard (there should be about 5 on your 61 keys). Play each one from left to right. Notice each one sounds higher than the last.
Find every F on the keyboard. Play from left to right.
Now find these specific notes, one at a time: G, A, B, D, E. Use the black-key groups as your guide each time.

If you can find any note within 3 seconds, you are doing well. This speed will improve naturally over the coming weeks.

Technique (15 minutes)

C Position — Right Hand

“C position” means placing your RH so that each finger sits on one key starting from C:

RH C Position:
C    D    E    F    G
1    2    3    4    5
(thumb)              (pinky)

Place your RH in C position now. Every finger rests on its own white key. Fingers curved, wrist level.

Five-Finger Pattern: Ascending and Descending

Play this pattern slowly and evenly. Say the note names as you play:

X:1 T:C Position — Ascending & Descending M:4/4 L:1/4 K:C "1"C "2"D "3"E "4"F | "5"G "4"F "3"E "2"D | "1"C4 |]

Repeat 5 times. Each note should be the same length and volume.

Now try it with a dynamic shape — start soft on C, gradually get louder toward G, then gradually get softer coming back down to C. This is called a crescendo (getting louder) and diminuendo (getting softer). You are already making music more expressive.

Skips Exercise

Not every melody moves one step at a time. Some melodies “skip” a note. Practice these skips in C position:

RH: C(1) E(3) — skip D

RH: D(2) F(4) — skip E

RH: E(3) G(5) — skip F

RH: G(5) E(3) — skip F (going down)

RH: F(4) D(2) — skip E (going down)

RH: E(3) C(1) — skip D (going down)

Play each skip pair 3 times. Notice how skips sound different from steps — wider, more of a “jump.”

Repertoire (20 minutes)

“Mary Had a Little Lamb” — Full Arrangement

Tempo: About 90 BPM (a comfortable walking pace, slightly faster than “Hot Cross Buns”) Time Signature: 4/4 (four beats per measure) Key: C position

Right Hand Only:

Place RH in C position:

Finger 1 (thumb) on C
Finger 2 (index) on D
Finger 3 (middle) on E
Finger 4 (ring) on F
Finger 5 (pinky) on G

How to learn this piece:

Step 1 — Measures 1-2: Play E(3), D(2), C(1), D(2) — “Ma-ry had a.” Then E(3), E(3), E(3), rest — “lit-tle lamb.” Repeat 5 times.

Step 2 — Measures 3-4: Play D(2), D(2), D(2), rest — “lit-tle lamb.” Then E(3), G(5), G(5), rest — “lit-tle lamb.” The jump from E to G uses your pinky (finger 5). Make sure your pinky strikes the key clearly. Repeat 5 times.

Step 3 — Measures 5-6:

Measures 5-6 are almost the same as 1-2, but Measure 6 has four E notes instead of three. "Ma-ry had a — lit-tle lamb, its." Repeat 5 times.

Step 4 — Measures 7-8:

D(2), D(2), E(3), D(2) — "fleece was white as." Then C(1) held for three beats — "snow." Let that final C ring out. This is the ending. Repeat 5 times.

Step 5 — Full piece: Now play all 8 measures together. If you stumble, go back to the section that tripped you up and repeat it 5 more times before trying the full piece again.

Adding Dynamics:

Measures 1-4: Play at a medium volume.
Measures 5-6: Play slightly louder (you are building to the ending).
Measures 7-8: Start Measure 7 at medium, then let the final C in Measure 8 be firm and confident.

Comparing “Hot Cross Buns” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb”

Play both melodies back to back. Notice:

“Hot Cross Buns” uses only 3 notes: C, D, E
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” uses 4 notes: C, D, E, G (it skips F)
Both start on E and end on C

You are already building a repertoire. Two songs in two sessions.

Review & Homework (10 minutes)

Summary

Today you learned:

The musical alphabet: A B C D E F G (repeating)
How to find any white key using the black-key group pattern
C position for your right hand: thumb on C through pinky on G
5-finger patterns (steps) and skip patterns in C position
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” with your right hand

Ear Training Exercise: Higher or Lower?

This is your first structured ear training exercise:

Close your eyes (or look away from the keyboard).
Play any random key with one hand.
Now play a second random key.
Ask yourself: “Was the second note HIGHER, LOWER, or the SAME as the first?”
Check by looking at the keyboard — if the second key is to the right, it was higher. To the left, lower.

Do 5 pairs. Try to get all 5 correct. If this feels easy, make the notes closer together (e.g., C and D rather than C and G). Closer notes are harder to distinguish.

Self-Check Questions

What are the 7 note names in music? (Answer: A, B, C, D, E, F, G)
How do you find the note F on the keyboard? (Answer: It is the white key to the left of the 3-black-key group)
In C position RH, which finger plays G? (Answer: Finger 5, the pinky)

Practice Homework (Before Next Session)

Note-finding drill — Have someone (or an app) call out random note names. Find each one on the keyboard within 3 seconds. Practice all 7 notes. (3 minutes daily)
5-finger pattern — RH C position ascending and descending (C-D-E-F-G-F-E-D-C), 10 repetitions. Play with crescendo up and diminuendo down. (3 minutes daily)
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” — Full melody, 5 times through without stopping. (5 minutes daily)
“Hot Cross Buns” — Play once daily to keep it fresh. (1 minute daily)
Ear training — Higher/lower exercise with 5 pairs per day. (2 minutes daily)

Total daily practice: approximately 15 minutes.

Common Mistakes to Watch For

Lifting the whole hand for each note: Only the playing finger should move. The other fingers stay gently resting on their keys. If your whole hand bounces up and down, slow down and focus on keeping the non-playing fingers still.
Finger 5 (pinky) collapse: When playing G with your pinky, the last joint of the finger may collapse flat. Keep the pinky curved. It is the weakest finger and needs extra attention.
Confusing F and G: F is to the LEFT of the 3-black-key group. G is between the first and second black keys of that group. If you mix them up, always go back to the black key pattern.
Uneven rhythm: “Mary Had a Little Lamb” should have a steady beat. If some notes are faster and others slower, try tapping the rhythm on a table first before playing the keys.

CT-X9000IN Tips

Changing Tones — Your Reward Activity

After practicing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on Grand Piano, try these tones as a fun reward:

Tone 004 (Honky-Tonk Piano) — your melody sounds like a saloon. Play it and smile.
Tone 049 (Strings) — your melody becomes orchestral and flowing.
Tone 195 (Sitar) — hear your melody with an Indian flavour.

To change: Press TONE, type the 3-digit number, press ENTER. Play your melody. Enjoy the variety. Then return to Tone 000 for your main practice.

Volume Tip

If you practice late at night or early in the morning, you can use headphones. The CT-X9000IN has a headphone jack on the back. Plug in standard headphones and the speakers turn off automatically. You can practice without disturbing anyone.