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How to learn to "separate" hands

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eleonora
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Eleonora

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What is your technique to learn to play very different things with the right and left hand? By playing a tune very very slowly with both hands I can manage with simple 2 hands tunes. But I'm having a very hard time with the more complicated ones!
Any suggestions? :)
 
Not many takers on this, then. Probably don't want to be the one to say unless you're a 'natural' it just takes practice/experience/time.- You have to build the circuits in the brain to separate the left & right...

Some people find it easier to get the melody 'under the fingers'. Then the bass alone; then put them together. So you could try that.

Then other people say that 'separation and re-integration' just complicates matters and frustrates what you developed as a nice melody by feeling '3 steps back' when then trying to add the bass in.

So just play it all sloooo w l y - all parts at the same slow tempo, even if you find bits easier... then speed it all up when you've got it cracked... If then making mistakes, slow it down again, etc.

It stands to reason that you can segregate out (an) awkward pieces and apply the method to just that piece, with a bar before and after for integration.

Both methods work... not very well at first. Pick which you find suits you.


Good luck, stay determined, don't get frustrated, pace yourself, you'll be better the next day... etc :D
 
It is my guess Eleonora that you are not yet ready for the more complicated pieces. By staying with that which you can manage & doing more of those, you will gain confidence & gradually improve. Try not to be impatient; relax & enjoy the milestone you have already achieved.
 
I agree with most of whats been said so far, particularly the do it very slowly and gradualy speed up and most importantly slowing down again if it goes pear shaped.

I think there can be more of a problem if trying to play slightly or more than slightly complicated tunes 'as writ'.

I always recommend 'by ear' learners to stick to 3 chords/basses until it becomes intuitive before venturing further afield so to speak. I know it may go against the grain for some learning from the dots but, particularly in the early stages of learning it can help to either choose tunes that only have 3 chords notated or to 'convert' to 3 chords (i.e. busk them in) where/if the bass involves long jumps. The long jumps can of course be reinstituted as confidence arrives!

george
 
Thank you everyone for the replies!
Yes, definitely playing a tune very slowly helps a lot, I think I prefer this method to building up the 2 hands separately.
Im not going to give up, its too good when you see improvements :D

Mhh, how to define is a piece is too hard?
For example now Im trying with this: http://www.benegg.com/game/archives/191.html
When I wrote this post I couldnt play it but after a few hours it sounds pretty decent, the rhythm is not that good in some passages but I guess it will get better...?
How fast should someone be able to play a song, if its their level?

:)
 
Do you mean how long it should take to learn to play a tune?

I can now play simple things off the sheet music within half an hour, but that's taken 5 years of frequent practice. I usually play a tune through on the right hand only the first time, but then add in the bass as soon as possible.

re everything else: Soulsaver's advice is spot-on!
 
I the case of Amelie, I would practice the LH on it's own, because it's a standard waltz rhythm. Not only that, it's unrelenting in that it keeps going with no variations, and so if you can get that down you will have mastered one of the ways of playing a waltz, of which there are many. I'm a big fan of learning LH rhythms on their own, some are, some aren't..

BobM.
 
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