Grace Notes
The use of grace notes is an important expressive technique in keyboard playing. Grace notes
have no real time of their own. Rather, they are heard as an expression added to the note they are
leading to. A grace note is indicated by a very small note with a stroke through its stem. This note
is played immediately before the following note, which is held for its full value.
There are two basic ways of playing grace notes. In Blues and Rock it is very common to play a
grace note on a black key and then slide off onto a white key with the same finger. This technique
is not used in classical piano playing, but is important in Blues playing.
Play D# note with 2nd finger.
Slide finger off to sound E note.
The second technique does come from classical piano music. It involves playing a grace note on a
white note and following it with either a black note or another white note. Each note is played with
a different finger.
Play D note with 2nd finger.
Play Eb note with 3rd finger.
Here is a 12 bar Blues solo which makes use of grace notes. The eighth notes in this example are
played straight (i.e. not swung). Notice the new left hand pattern here. This pattern is very common
in Rock ‘n’ Roll and Boogie piano playing. Once again, practice each hand separately if you have
trouble co-ordinating the two parts.
