Checkpoint: Practice Habits and First Piece
Updated: 2026-07-10By the end of this lesson, you will be able to plan, carry out, and assess a short practice session by playing a complete original eight-measure right-hand piece. The evidence is concrete: find C4-G4, keep a steady pulse, continue after a small mistake, and write one specific action for the next attempt.
Try now
Do not play the full piece yet. Put your right hand on C4-G4, count four even beats, and play measure 1 once. Keep counting four silent beats after the last note to check whether your internal pulse continues.
Read the plan before pressing keys
The mini-piece Morning Footsteps uses only C4-G4 and the 1-5 hand position from the previous lesson. Every measure contains four equal note symbols, one per beat. Before playing, tap your leg and count each measure "1-2-3-4." This checkpoint asks for one steady note value. Level 2 will introduce the names and lengths of other written notes.
Divide the piece into four two-measure sections: 1-2 opens, 3-4 rises and returns, 5-6 begins another loop, and 7-8 closes on C. Read each section's notes and notice its first finger: measure 1 starts C-1, measure 3 starts E-3, measure 5 starts D-2, and measure 7 starts G-5. Different starting points reveal whether you understand the position or only remember one chain.
Repair the difficult place instead of restarting
Play each two-measure section slowly enough to count aloud. After an error, identify its type: wrong pitch, wrong duration, or physical tension. Extract the three notes around it, play them correctly three times, and return them to the section. If G-F-E in measure 4 catches, practice only G-F-E with fingers 5-4-3 first.
Do not speed up after one correct result. Repeat twice with the same pulse and motion. When joining four measures, protect the flow; one isolated wrong note is not a reason to stop. At the end, return from one beat before the error, repair it, and only then run the whole piece again.
Assess a short piece with evidence
An effective session has three parts: prepare, repair one issue, and play through. Before the final pass, state one target, such as "keep the two repeated Cs even on beats 3 and 4 of measure 2." Play once for a listener or record yourself for review. The recording is an optional personal tool; this lesson adds no audio to the site.
Afterward, write three lines: what remained reliable, where an error repeated, and what you will do next. "It was not good" gives you no task. "Measure 6: E on beat 3 was short and C entered before beat 4; count 3-4 clearly next time" can guide the next session. Self-assessment chooses the next action; it does not grade you as a person.
Mini-piece
Prepare Morning Footsteps in four passes. Pass 1: tap and count all eight measures without playing. Pass 2: play each two-measure section. Pass 3: join measures 1-4 and 5-8. Pass 4: play the complete piece for one listener or make one recording without stopping.
Keep the wrist near neutral, waiting fingers close to the keys, and the pedal up. In the final measure, D-C-C-C still uses four evenly spaced attacks. Do not rush because the ending is close. Use pass 4 to complete the checkpoint criteria below.
Level 1 checkpoint
Play a complete eight-measure right-hand piece with a steady pulse, stable posture, and one self-assessment.
- Find the starting position without tracing every key.
- Keep shoulders, wrists, and fingers free of rigid tension.
- Continue after a small mistake instead of stopping.
- Record one item to correct on the next attempt.
Common mistakes
- Symptom: The repeated Cs in the final measure rush toward the ending. Correction: Keep counting 1-2-3-4 and give every attack equal space.
- Symptom: One wrong note makes you stop and restart at measure 1. Correction: Continue to the end during a performance pass; afterward, mark the measure and begin repair one beat earlier.
- Symptom: You play the full piece every time, but the same error remains. Correction: Spend three minutes on the two-measure section containing the error before another complete run.
Practice pack
1. Prepare
Check the bench, shoulders, wrist, and C4-G4 position. Name the first note of all four sections, choose a slow steady pulse, and prepare paper for three assessment lines.
2. Core drills
Tap all eight measures once, play four two-measure sections, and join the two halves. Isolate each repeated error as three notes and correct it three times before replacing it.
3. Variations
Play one very soft pass while keeping every note's full duration. This tests control and release without changing pitches, fingerings, or pulse.
4. Self-check
Use the four checkpoint criteria instead of a general impression. Mark "ready" or name the measure to repair, then write one action that takes no more than two minutes next session.
5. 5-minute route
Tap for one minute, repair the hardest section for two, join the halves for one, and play through for one. Record only the next correction.
6. 15-minute route
Read and tap for three minutes, practice sections for six, join for three, perform or record for two, and complete the assessment in the final minute.
Frequently asked questions
How fast should I play? Choose a speed where you can count four beats and continue through every measure. There is no beats-per-minute target yet. A stable slow pulse is better than a broken fast pass.
Does one wrong note mean I failed the checkpoint? Not necessarily. The criteria emphasize position, posture, flow, and a useful next step. A recurring error in one measure should still be identified and repaired before Level 2.
Must I record video? No. You may play for a listener or observe immediately after the pass. Video can provide evidence about pulse and posture, but it is not a technical requirement.
Level 1 is complete when
- You play all eight measures of Morning Footsteps with the right hand on C4-G4.
- The pulse continues through direction changes, repeated notes, and one small mistake.
- Your shoulders, wrists, and hand shape remain visibly stable.
- The checkpoint record includes a result and one clear action for the next session.