How to practise your first piano sonatina with an Alberti bass

After this lesson you can play the whole First Sonatina with an Alberti bass, shaping the A–B–A form.

For many pianists, the first sonatina is a milestone. It is the moment when the left hand stops simply holding chords and starts moving continuously, while the right hand sings a tune on top. Sonatinas by composers such as Clementi, Kuhlau and Diabelli have been staples of piano teaching for two centuries, and the skills you need for them all appear in miniature in the Academy's First Sonatina: an Alberti bass, a clear A–B–A form and the art of balancing two hands.

This article is about the practical side: how to take a piece like this from first reading to a confident performance.

Know the map before you start

The First Sonatina is twelve bars in C major, in A–B–A form:

A (bars 1 to 4): the main tune over C and G chords.
B (bars 5 to 8): a contrasting tune, starting on an F chord and ending on G.
A again (bars 9 to 12): the main tune returns, with a final long C.

Because the third section repeats the first, you really have only two sections to learn. Spend your time on A and B, and the end of the piece comes almost for free.

Balance: the tune above the bass

The most important musical skill in a sonatina is balance. The left hand plays a continuous stream of eighth notes; the right hand plays fewer, longer notes. If both are at the same volume, the busy left hand drowns the tune. So the left hand must be quieter than the right.

Right hand, bars 1 and 2: let the tune sing out at a clear mf

Left hand, bars 1 and 2: the same bars underneath, a gentle p rocking pattern on the C chord

Playing the two hands at different levels takes practice. A good exercise: play the left hand alone at p, then the right hand alone at mf, then both together, listening specifically for the tune. Imagine the right hand is a singer and the left hand a quiet accompanist.

The B section's left hand

The B section is where the chords change most, so its left hand is worth learning separately. It moves from F to C, then stays on G for two bars.

Left hand, bars 5 and 6: an F chord Alberti bass, then back to C. Bars 7 and 8 stay on the G chord

Practise the change from F to C on its own. The hand moves down from the F chord to the C chord below it, so finger 5 travels from F down to C. Look at the new position for a moment before you need it, and move the hand as one unit.

The ending

The final bar has to sound like an ending. The right hand holds a whole-note C while the left hand plays one last Alberti group and settles on a long C.

Left hand, bars 11 and 12: G chord, then a last group on C and a half-note C to finish

Let the last notes ring for their full length. Do not lift early or rush to the end; a calm, held ending finishes the piece properly.

A step-by-step practice plan

Work in short, focused sessions over a week or two.

Clap the rhythm of the right hand, then tap the steady eighth notes of the left hand on your knee while counting "1 and 2 and".
Left hand alone, section by section, until the Alberti bass is smooth and even. This is usually the harder hand, so start here.
Right hand alone, with a singing tone and a little shape to each phrase.
Hands together, slowly. Use about half speed. If your piano or app has a mode where the music waits for you to find the right notes, use it here.
Section by section. A, then B, then the join from A into B, then the final A.
Balance. Once the notes are secure, give all your attention to the volume of the two hands.
Speed up gradually. Increase the tempo a small step at a time. Only go faster when the slower speed feels easy.
Play straight through. Finally, play from start to finish without stopping, keeping going even through a slip.

Common mistakes

Speeding up in the left hand. Continuous eighths can run away. Count steadily or use a metronome.
Stopping at the join between sections. The last bar of A must lead straight into the first bar of B, in time.
Playing B exactly like A. Let the contrast show, perhaps with a slightly softer or more flowing tone.
Playing too fast too soon. Speed comes from security, not effort.

When this piece feels comfortable, a real Classical sonatina such as the opening movement of Kuhlau's Sonatina in C, Op. 20 No. 1 is a good longer-term goal.

Try it in Pianuvo

The Academy lesson for the First Sonatina takes you through the B-section left hand and the ending, then the whole piece first in wait mode and then in time. It listens to every note as you play, through the on-screen keys, a MIDI keyboard or a real piano via the microphone, and you can record your performance. It is in Unit 9: Toward the sonatina, and Year 1 review. For more on organising practice, see how to practise piano.