Study in B Minor

Study in B Minor is a finger independence exercise. The left-hand index finger plays an ostinato-like repetitive bass figure, jumping back and forth between strings 5 and 6, while the remaining fingers move in a different manner. You may be tempted to play the descending chromatic high notes in measures 13–24 entirely with finger 4 while leaving finger 3 on the D. Don't do that. To do so defeats the point of the exercise. The goal is to make the finger position changes smoothly as notated, thereby improving your finger dexterity.

This is not a difficult exercise, but it is aimed at beginners who may find it challenging at first. After mastering it, the player should find it easier to move one or more left-hand fingers into position indepedent of what another finger may be doing.