Hanon Exercise No. 18: fingering, tempo and how to practice it

Hanon Exercise No. 18 is part of “The Virtuoso Pianist (Le Pianiste virtuose), Part I” by Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900). Main focus: finger strength, agility and evenness in a fixed pattern spanning two octaves. In our transcription it is in C major, in 2/4 time, and 29 bars long. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 60 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 84 and work up to the target of ♩ = 108. Difficulty 4/10 (intermediate).

The pattern and its fingering

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

Right hand	C–D–F–E–G–F–D–E
Left hand	C–D–F–E–G–F–D–E

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

What it trains

Finger strength, agility and evenness in a fixed pattern spanning two octaves.
A continuous pulse and legato while the hand moves along.

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	4/10 · Intermediate
Key	C major
Time signature	2/4
Bars	29
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.