Sound ToolsEstudio de Piano

Hanon Exercise No. 33: fingering, tempo and how to practice it

Hanon Exercise No. 33 is part of “The Virtuoso Pianist, Part II (Nos. 21–43): exercices transcendants” by Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900). Main focus: groundwork for virtuoso technique: thumb crossings, stretches and shifts more demanding than in Part I. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 48 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 54 and work up to the target of ♩ = 60. Difficulty 5/10 (intermediate).

What it trains

How to practice it

  1. Master Part I first: these exercises build on it.
  2. Work slowly with a relaxed hand; raise the tempo only when it is completely even.
  3. Play each hand alone before putting them together.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 48 → ♩ = 51 → ♩ = 54 → ♩ = 57 → ♩ = 60. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.

ComposerCharles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900)
WorkThe Virtuoso Pianist, Part II (Nos. 21–43): exercices transcendants
Difficulty5/10 · Intermediate
Suggested temposlearn ♩ = 48 · practice ♩ = 54 · target ♩ = 60
Where the target tempo comes fromtempo marked in the score (♩ = 60): consistent with its dominant note value (sixteenth note, 4.0 notes/s). Not documented as the composer's metronome mark.
Transposableyes, to all 12 keys
Status in the appBeing verified
Copyrightpublic domain: Hanon died in 1900

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