Hanon exercise 10 — fingering and practice
- Part I
- 2/4
- 60–108 BPM
About this exercise
Hanon exercise 10 is in Part I of The Virtuoso Pianist, in 2/4. The right hand starts on C3; in 14 bars the figure climbs a step at a time up to G5, and 14 bars bring it back down. The left hand plays the same notes an octave lower. The way down is the climbing figure turned upside down.
Right-hand fingering in the first bar: 1 5 4 3 2 3 2 3. Left hand: 5 1 2 3 4 3 4 3. Keep the same fingers in every bar of the climb; the way down has its own fingering, written on its first bar.
Hanon groups exercises 9, 10, 11: once each one is secure, play them one after another without stopping.
Fingering, first bar
| Note | C3 | A3 | G3 | F3 | E3 | F3 | E3 | F3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Right hand | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Left hand | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
What it trains
The thumb plays C and the fifth finger A, a sixth higher; the hand runs down G–F–E with 4-3-2 and finishes with F–E–F on 3-2-3, a small trill. Two skills in one bar: the extension and quick alternation of fingers 2 and 3.
Common mistakes
- The run down 5-4-3-2 speeds up and the trill at the end slows down.
- The thumb leaves its key early to help the reach.
Tempo plan
Hanon asks for the metronome at 60 to begin with, raised gradually to 108. The player starts at 60; set the speed to 180% to play at 108.
A tempo ladder for this exercise: 60 → 72 → 84 → 96 → 108 BPM, moving up a step only after two clean runs. Keep the four-note run and the 2-3 trill at exactly the same speed; a metronome on every note helps.
Questions and answers
What does Hanon exercise 10 train?
It trains a sixth from 1 to 5, a run down 5-4-3-2, then a 2-3 trill motion.
What is the fingering for Hanon exercise 10?
In the first bar the right hand plays 1 5 4 3 2 3 2 3 and the left hand 5 1 2 3 4 3 4 3. The same fingers repeat in every bar of the climb.