How to Play a Trill on the Piano

A trill is a musical ornament that indicates to musicians that they must quickly alternate between two tones. Pianists alternate between two different keys on the piano and use two fingers to play a trill. Trills are played quickly, however the musician is given liberty to include as many alterations as needed to add their own flavor to the composer's piece.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Look for the musical notation indicating that a trill should be played. Trills are marked either with a "tr." or a squiggly line that looks like a bunch of "v's" hooked together.

2. Place your middle finger on the adjacent key directly above the written note. Most simple trills start on the upper note or the auxiliary note.

3. Alternate quickly between the auxiliary note and the written note using your middle and index fingers. The number of alterations depends on the tempo of the piece. Slower tempos allow for more alternations, where faster tempos may only allow for 3 or 4 alterations.

4. End your trill on the written note and continue with the rest of the piece.

Tips & Warnings

• It is better to play fewer notes in a trill than to play too many and confuse your fingering.
• The first note of the trill is played on the beat and should lead into the next written note of the piece.
• Trills can be played at a constant speed or at an increasingly faster tempo. How a trill is played is based on the mood of the piece and the interpretation of the musician.