Left Hand Chromatics

Half Steps With The Left Hand

On the stradella layout, the chromatic scale is playable on the main bass row. Add on the Major Third counter-bass row and the playing of chromatic bass lines becomes a desired feature.

A tip for playing the Titano-Palmer converter quint system that duplicates the bass and counter-bass rows at higher octaves is to play mainly on the bass row and use the counter-bass row for chromatics. When playing on the counter-bass row, chromatics are played using the single row method.

Major Scale With Lower Chromatic Note--

Using the main bass row, play the C Major scale up and down. The pattern is two tetrachords.

        C, D, E, F (fingers 4, 3, 2, 5)

        G, A, B, C (fingers 4, 3, 2, 5)

Now add the lower chromatic note for each scale step by playing the lower chromatic note on the counter-bass row. The lower note button is just above scale note button. 

        C (B C), D (C# D), E (D# E), F (E F) 

        (fingers 4 (3 4), 3 (2 3), 2 (3 2), 5 (4 5))

        G (F# G), A (G# A), B (A# B), C (B C) 

        (fingers 4 (3 4), 3 (2 3), 2 (3 2), 5 (4 5))

Continue to move up two buttons and play that button's scale, until you reach the top of the keyboard.

Continue to down two buttons and play that button's scale, until you reach the bottom of the keyboard.

Chromatic Scale--

Beginning with the lowest note on the main bass row at the bottom the keyboard. Use finger 4 on the main bass row and finger 2 on the counter-bass row. Play the chromatic scale the length of the keyboard up and down.

Going up the keyboard, finger 2 reaches up two buttons to the higher chromatic note, then finger 4 follows and plays the next note on the main bass row, which is located just below finger two.

Then going down the keyboard from the top of the keyboard, finger 2 on the counter-bass row plays the lower chromatic note, then finger 4 reaches down two buttons on the main bass row to play the next lower chromatic note. Then finger 2 follows and plays the next lower chromatic note on the counter-bass row.

Chromatic Tag Ending--

Now play the tag ending for C Major.

        G, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C, G, C) 

        (fingers 5, 4, 5, 3, 4, 1, 2, 5, 4, 5)

Add the right hand and play the tag with both hands together.

Continue playing the tag in keys a step higher and in keys a step lower.

Chromatic Scale With Both Hands--

Play the chromatic scale from the lowest note to the highest note and back down with both hands together.

Use the First Two Bass Rows

Use the first row (the counterbass row) as well as the second row (the bass row) to play chromatic and major scales with the left hand.