Play Piano 01: Oh! Susanna

lesson Apr 1, 2020

Time to learn some music basics. But there’s no theory nor scales here. In fact you have to work out how to play this simple, 6 note melody yourself, on a piano or other keyboard.

If you are really stuck, there’s a 2nd clip with basically the answer.

Firstly, a reminder of this 1848 song:

The melody starts on a C note and only uses it and the next 5 white-key notes. So just C,D,E,F, G and A:

There are more than one C notes. They are easy to find.

  • Look at the black notes and see they repeat in a 2,3..2,3 note grouping.
  • Find a 2 grouping and a C note is always the white note ‘underneath on the left‘, as the arrows above show.

In the rough middle of your keyboard there is a C note. It’s no surprise this is called Middle C. You can start there if you want, but it’s up to you.

Some clues:

  • It starts, as I said, on C
  • If you are on an F note when you play “Oh! Su…” start of the chorus, you are doing well.

If this is too much you can check out this fun ‘here’s the note names as I play them’ clip.

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