It’s exciting adding a little artistry to your playing, right? But, when the technique is a bit off it can be disappointing to hear the resulting sound. Learn the 3 steps to playing 2-note slurs that sound beautiful!
What Are 2-Note Slurs?
Sometimes music symbols can be a little confusing and have multiple meanings (like “read”). For example, a slur (AKA curved line between two notes) can mean “hold the second note” or “play connected”. Oh my!
A 2-note slur is when two DIFFERENT notes have a curved line connecting them. For example, a C and D. In this instance, the symbol tells us we play those notes connected but includes a lift at the end.
Not to be confused with the “bend and snap” from Legally Blonde, it does share some similarities.
Step 1: The Drop
Much like the “bend” part of the “bend and snap” seen above, you are lowering your fingers to the bottom of the keys. We use our arm weight rather than finger strength to do this.
Try this! Use one hand to hold the opposite forearm level with your leg. Once you have the full weight of your arm on your hand … let go! Focus on how heavy your arm feels and what it feels like when it falls.
Before moving this activity over to the piano, see this exercise in action in the video below or here.
Once you’ve mastered feeling the ‘drop’ away from the piano, try dropping your arm weight to the piano keys. It’s going to get noisy!
Step 2: The Lift
The second motion in a 2-note slur is the opposite of our first … a lift. Unlike the “snap”, we want this to be fluid and feel like an extension of the previous motion. We also don’t want to knock anyone out with our enthusiasm like Paulette in Legally Blonde (though it did work out for her in the end).
Just like before, we start away from the piano. This time place your hand on your knee. Do you feel how your hand naturally rounds as it covers your knee? This is a perfect hand shape for the piano!
Like before, you’ll place your opposite hand under your forearm (but closer to your wrist this time). Use that hand to lift your wrist while your fingers stay completely relaxed. They will be the last to leave your lap.
Before moving this activity over to the piano, see this exercise in action in the video above or here.
Step 3: Put Your 2-Note Slur Together
You’ve felt your arm weight dropping and the lightness of your wrist lifting. It’s time to put it all together!
Always start away from the piano for these types of activities. It removes the temptation of worrying about anything outside of the mechanics of the motion. Don’t worry! The sound will come.
Try out your “drop and lift”:
- On your lap
- At the piano: one note
- At the piano: two notes
To hear and see all three examples, watch the video above or here.
The “Drop and Lift”: Quick Tutorial on 2-Note Slurs
2-note slurs can add a variety of emotions to a piece. Using these 3 steps will help you to move beyond the notes to a more musical approach. Unfortunately, I don’t have specific stats like Elle does but 2-note slurs do have a very high degree of success when used appropriately.
Let me know …
Which part of playing 2-note slurs is the most difficult for you?
If you want to learn another skill that will help sound musical no matter what you play, check out “Play Keys Without Looking For Better Flow“.
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