The opening of Moonlight Sonata feels dark, cinematic and almost suspended in time.
What creates that atmosphere is surprisingly simple: The right hand repeats the same rolling pattern almost the entire time. The left hand moves slowly beneath it.
Understand the pattern, and the whole piece suddenly feels manageable.
- Artie Guide: 'Moonlight Sonata' on piano
- Start with the opening section
- Add the left-hand part
- What techniques to try next
- Learn 'Moonlight Sonata' and more
- More to explore
Artie Guide: 'Moonlight Sonata' on piano
In the Artie app, you can switch on Wait Mode – the piece only continues when you play the correct notes – loop sections and slow it down.
Take a look at the full piece below 👇 (you can also slow the video down if you want)
Start with the opening section
Below are the first four sections (bars) of the right hand.
Think of this as your foundation.
If these bars feel calm and controlled, the rest of the piece becomes manageable.
Don’t rush through it.
• Loop these four bars inside the app.
• Slow them down if needed
• Use Wait Mode until the motion feels natural
Add the left-hand part
Now add the bass underneath the right-hand pattern.
The left hand plays octaves — pinky on the lower note, thumb on the higher note. Strike them together and hold.
💡 ARTMASTER TIP: In Artie, you can practise the bass notes on their own. When the movement feels natural, switch to back to playing both.
What techniques to try next
1. Keep the triplets even
• The right hand should feel like a constant flow
• If the rhythm wobbles, slow it down and try again
2. Let the top note sing
• In each triplet, the highest note carries the emotion
• Very slightly lean into it – not louder, just more present
• That subtle emphasis gives the line shape
3. Start thinking about pedalling
• Moonlight Sonata lives in the pedal
• Without it, the piece sounds dry
• Too much, and it sounds blurred
Try this:
• Press the sustain pedal at the start of the bar
• Lift it cleanly when the bass note changes
💡 ARTMASTER TIP: Play the intro in Artie's Free Play and let it score your timing and consistency. Seeing the small rhythm bumps makes them much easier to fix.
Learn 'Moonlight Sonata' and more
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No sheet music, no complicated theory — just the music.
✓ Real-time feedback as you play
✓ Practice tools like loop, tempo control & wait mode
👉 Start learning with Artie for free
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