Hanon Exercise No. 1: fingering, tempo and how to practice it

Hanon Exercise No. 1 is part of “The Virtuoso Pianist (Le Pianiste virtuose), Part I” by Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900). Main focus: evenness across all five fingers in a five-note pattern that turns back. In our transcription it is in C major, in 2/4 time, and 30 bars long. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 60 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 84 and work up to the target of ♩ = 108. Difficulty 2/10 (beginner).

The pattern and its fingering

First bar of our transcription, note by note, with the fingering the app shows.

Right hand	C–E–F–G–A–G–F–E fingers 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2
Left hand	C–E–F–G–A–G–F–E fingers 5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4

■ right hand (finger above) · ■ left hand (finger below)

What it trains

Evenness across all five fingers in a five-note pattern that turns back.
Independence of the 4th and 5th fingers in the RH (and of the 1st and 2nd… in the LH, which mirrors it).
Steady movement of the hand step by step without breaking the legato.

How to practice it

Start very slowly (quarter note = 60 or less) and only raise the metronome once the exercise comes out even three times in a row.
Lift each finger from the knuckle and let its weight drop; the wrist stays still and loose.
Listen for every sixteenth note at the same volume: the 4th and 5th fingers tend to fall short.
Practice each hand alone first and then together; once it is secure, transpose it to other keys.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 60 → ♩ = 72 → ♩ = 84 → ♩ = 96 → ♩ = 108. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.

Composer	Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900)
Work	The Virtuoso Pianist (Le Pianiste virtuose), Part I
Difficulty	2/10 · Beginner
Key	C major
Time signature	2/4
Bars	30
Suggested tempos	learn ♩ = 60 · practice ♩ = 84 · target ♩ = 108
Where the target tempo comes from	composer's metronome mark: preface to Le Pianiste virtuose (Hanon): start at ♩ = 60 and work up to ♩ = 108
Transposable	yes, to all 12 keys
Status in the app	Available
Copyright	public domain: Hanon died in 1900

All 60 exercises are in the complete Hanon list; the method, in how to practice Hanon.