Position-Change Notes

Begin by circling the downbeats in your score. These will serve as your potential points for elbow-led position changes.

Use the time signature to guide your choices. The bottom number tells you which note value receives one beat:

Circle each beat accordingly:

• In 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/4, one beat = a quarter note → circle every quarter note.
• In 3/8, 6/8, 9/8, 12/8, one beat = an eighth note → circle each eighth note.

This downbeat-based pattern can be particularly helpful when working through long trills, broken octaves, tremolos, or repeated notes. It gives your elbow a clear rhythmic anchor, allowing for more grounded, tension-free movement.

Avoid circling upbeats – the 3rd note in a compound time, or even notes in a simple time – as moving the elbow on these lighter beats tends to feel unstable and rushed.

Once all potential beats are marked, play through the piece—one hand at a time—to refine your choices. Much depends on your individual hand size and how your elbow naturally supports your wrist.

Pay close attention to the following:

• Where does it help the hand stay in a closed, natural position?
• Which markings feel awkward or unnecessary once played?

Let your physical experience guide any adjustments.

It may take a few weeks to become comfortable recognizing position-change notes. But with consistent practice, elbow motion will begin to feel intuitive. Over time, even during sight-reading, your elbow will naturally shift to new positions at the right moments—without conscious analysis. The movement will simply follow the music.

At a slow tempo, release each circled note with a light, non-legato touch. This release is essential: it frees the elbow to move fully and naturally, without creating stretch or tension in the hand.

Keep your fingertips in light contact with the key surface as the elbow moves. This keeps the motion connected, smooth, and grounded.

When you arrive at the circled notes, observe your forearm and hand alignment. They should form a straight line—like the hand of a clock. To create a feeling of broad, flowing motion, set a mental intention to reach farther than you actually do.

Here is your reminder:

• Moving outward: aim mentally for 3 o’clock (RH) or 9 o’clock (LH), while physically reaching closer to 4 and 8 o’clock.
• Moving inward: aim for 7 (RH) and 5 (LH), while physically landing around 6 o’clock with both hands.

This mental–physical balance prevents awkward angles, keeps the hand relaxed, and allows motion to stay open and natural.

As a reinforcement, try saying the directional numbers out loud while playing: for example, “3, 7, 7, 3” for the right hand. This simple habit can increase awareness, clarity, and intention in your movement.

To help your hands remain relaxed, try speaking the numbers aloud in a soft, gentle, almost weightless voice. This outward softness will influence your internal state—and in turn, your hands will stay in that same relaxed condition.

In the very beginning, it’s best to focus on practicing four measures at a time. This allows your hands to gradually adapt to the new sensations and motions, strengthening your muscle memory.

As you move through a piece, practice in four-bar sections, repeating each section hands separately and then together until the motion feels smooth, natural, and comfortable.

Remember that gently pressing dates onto your fingertips can create a slight natural stickiness, helping the finger pads cling more securely to the keys. This tactile feedback supports hand relaxation by increasing stability of contact with the key during playing.

Play slowly, without rhythm. And if, while playing hands together, you still feel the need to release tension in the waiting hand, feel free to add a ghost roll. This can support fluidity and prevent stiffness from building up.

When working on any of Mozart’s early sonatas—the ones you haven’t played before—follow these steps as you analyze each page:

To develop more accurate, clear, and precise elbow movement—especially when practicing the first five pieces — I recommend (at least in the beginning) writing the intended direction “3” and “9 o’clock”, or “7” and “5” above each motion circle. This visual cue will help your mind aim precisely where the elbow should move. As you play, say the intended directional numbers out loud with a soft and relaxed voice, to reinforce the direction and distance of the movement. Once this becomes second nature, you can skip writing the arrows and the clock numbers.

Also, remember: the elbow should complete its motion and arrive at the new position before you press the next note. In other words, avoid starting the next note while your elbow is still moving.

Remind yourself to touch the keys lightly and gently, and to release the circled note with a soft, not connected to the next note, touch — even if the next note feels easily reachable.

When moving outward, aim mentally for 3 and 9 o’clock, but expect your arm to actually reach closer to 4 and 8 o’clock to stay relaxed.

When moving inward, aim for 7 and 5 o’clock, but expect to land around 6 o’clock with both hands.

Optional arrows and intended directional cues are only meant to support visual clarity and ease of mind during the earliest stages of practicing elbow motion in position-change notes. Once the motion becomes familiar, there’s no need to continue marking arrows or indicating the intended direction of the elbow.