I recently decided to pick up playing piano again, but I'm sort of lost as to how to go about at improving. Probably sounds kind of silly, now that I think about it, but I really don't know what to do, lol.

I'm self-taught and can't afford a teacher, and I only have a really REALLY basic beginner's book, which should explain why I'm lost. I can read sheet music, and my playing's probably a below average, heh...

I really need to improve playing with my left hand. I can't seem to move my fingers on my left hand in a rhythm seperate from my right (I don't really know how to explain it, but hopefully someone here had/has the same problem and will understand what I mean. ^^;) Anyway, I'm not sure what to do to get around this, besides, I'm guessing, practicing, but what songs would make for good practice?

What I really want to work towards being able to play is 'Ami', from Final Fantasy 8 (I got the music sheets from the music vault at fantasysquare.com (http://www.fantasysquare.com/)), but being cursed with a crappy left-hand, I don't think I could right now, so... I was wondering if anyone could give me something that'd help me be able to play something like that, or if anyone has any advice/suggestions on playing and improving in general, I'd really, really appreciate it. ♥

(Also, I don't know if I posted this in the right section, since I just joined. This one seemed most fitting, but if it's still in the wrong place, I apologise. ^^;)

well, look on the sheet for what notes the left hand plays at the same time as the right. Learn the timing for each notes and learn to read the notes.

Good Luck!

You posted in the right section, so don't worry about that.

Practice slowly, very slowly. The older you are, the more you need to work on coordination. Everything else will come fairly quickly. Practicing it with a stacatto scratch technique (probably not covered in a beginner book) helps a lot. Patience is everything.

Yes I have this problem as well :o

My left hand does not like to play the right notes, instead it ends up playing the same notes as the right hand. D:

...Practice slowly, very slowly. The older you are, the more you need to work on coordination. Everything else will come fairly quickly. Practicing it with a stacatto scratch technique (probably not covered in a beginner book) helps a lot. Patience is everything.

i agree, i had trouble on that as well, you can try practicing with boths hands playing the notes as written VERY SLOWLY then pick up the speed once you get the handle of it, i did just that and i overcame the obstacle in under a week, i played piano everyday for at least 10 hours, maybe you can achieve your goal with that practice.

actually its really a matter of interest .. if u are like really passionate i think these problems would disappear in time ^^ ..

Edited: Making new post since it's a question

Just work on your left hand. I use muscle memory, i focus on my right hand and my left does its own thing. Or i think of the bass notes in relation to my right hand. This note plays with that note on the right hand etc.

hmm, we share the same problems before. i had a piece where the left hand was pure broken chords. i can play the right hand with ease, but when it comes to playing both hands, it really is hard at first. what you have to do is develop hand independence. there's no such thing as a crappy left-hand. and yes, you can practice by playing the scales(3 octaves) w/ both hands. at first you can't do it right, but when you practice it everyday, it will improve naturally. hope this helps

ooo i know wot u mean, i cant play v well with my left hand n it dnt help that my hands are only just big enough to reach on octave apart. if u hav relatives who can play ask them to help you. practise left and right hand sperately and then try to play together. thats what i do.

grrrrr i hated my left hand too. it couldnt play as fast as my right. to help them i play my scales. they really help you should play slowly until you get them at the same beat also if you r learning a piece and having a hard time, you should play hands seperately. i suggest playing with the left hand first. then when you get both hands down you should be able to play them together

;)

I agree with a majority of the posters before me:
Play both hands separately, each hand should play without any hesitation. After, you can play both hands together, with a slow tempo. The slow tempo should be the tempo where you can play both hands without hesitation. After playing with few (zero is best:P ) mistakes at a slow tempo, accelerate a bit the tempo, play again, be careful of the mistakes, and accelerate until the real tempo (unless the real tempo is too difficult).

Going step by step is the best way to improve... but for nearly everyone, it's difficult to keep the rythm and the will to keep the slow tempo (I'm one of those too :sweat: ) Count on your will and perseverance, and you'll master the 2 hands independence! :lol:

Good luck!

I agree with a majority of the posters before me:
Play both hands separately, each hand should play without any hesitation. After, you can play both hands together, with a slow tempo. The slow tempo should be the tempo where you can play both hands without hesitation. After playing with few (zero is best:P ) mistakes at a slow tempo, accelerate a bit the tempo, play again, be careful of the mistakes, and accelerate until the real tempo (unless the real tempo is too difficult).

Going step by step is the best way to improve... but for nearly everyone, it's difficult to keep the rythm and the will to keep the slow tempo (I'm one of those too :sweat: ) Count on your will and perseverance, and you'll master the 2 hands independence! :lol:

Good luck!


yeah!!
i agree..

finally i can be of some help to contribute to this great forum i love!! :lol:

ok...

first off you might want to get some practices ... to "teach" or "train" both hands to play notes...

such would be hanon exercises (see if i can get you some exercises from there by picture or something.. my scanner broke so... i need someone else to help me with that part...)


QUESTIONS 4 u:
in order to make this helpin session more effective, may i ask a few questions?

1) How much do you know about theory... like the chords or C scale (basically C, D, E, F , G, A , B , C... and play that with the fingering... 1 2 3 , 1 2 3 4 5 for right hand...
5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 for left hand...

for RIGHT HAND in C MAJOR (dont worry what major means right now) SCALE (basically a series of specific notes...) thumb, index, middle, thumb (yes you carry your RIGHT thumb under (or across) 2 and 3 and press it on F so....

(and on and on but fingering is different if you want to do it for more than one octave [ 8 notes in consecutive order]) this is for the "diagram" below:


RIGHT HAND:
C D E F G A B C

1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5


LEFT HAND:

C D E F G A B C

5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 ( carry across over 2 and 1 ...)

) ?

A guide on the fingering numbers...:

RIGHT HAND:
1 = thumb
2= index finger (the finger next to your thumb)
3= the evil middle finger
4= the finger next to the pinky (pinky is smallest finger... usually lol)
5= pinky

LEFT HAND:
5= pink
4= finger next to pinky
3= middle finger
2= finger next to thumb, also known as index finger
1= thumb...



SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...........



Basically just practive that C Major scales some times (or frequently) and your speed may increase with your familiarity with that paticular Major Scale... your fingers should be getting more flexible and active...

WAY TO PRACTICE:

(well this is just a preference)

Play left and right hand (playing the C major Scale) seperately at first ... then together...)




YES, im sorry this may sound confusing... but this is the best i can do for NOW only...

i will compile a guide for you using the little spare time i have... and yes i truly feel sorry for you... so i will help you AND others who may require the same assistance... for music is truly a beutiful world unexplored by so many people... rewarding those who discover it...

Left hand's usually the problem for most beginners. I'd practice more on the left hand by playing the bass part solo first, get familiar then join the both parts. Although its advicable to just have a rough play through the score no matter how horrible it may sound, it'd give you a clue as to where there a repeats and etc.
For the hand work, I'd use Hanon, its really good, plus, it works both the hands. If you dont have the book, just practice arpagios (spelling??? argh... you know...) and scales. This would help you soften your movements and not play like a robot.

here i got a site for you

getting your music theory WILL help ALOT but mainly in the long run...

if youre more concerned about this paticular song...then fire away at the questions... otherwise i would suggest you do this... (my guide is still coming up...)


1) Go to www.8notes.com
(choose your instrument and click on
Beginners Course in Music Theory )

OR

just go to this link

http://www.8notes.com/theory/


2) start the lessons and make sure you read EVERYTHING! CAREFULLY! in order to fully grasp the concept...

3) learn what those weird symbol mean on your song....


4) practice

5) practice

and last but not least


6)
....
...

PRACTICE!

and youll have the song down...


....

and i agree with MEIERS about the practicing ...
try those...

did my previous post help at all?

welll

has he ever checked this thread?

For a beginner, my tip would be to choose songs that have "simple" left-hand parts first, just to strengthen that hand first. Something with regular rhythms, and broken chords, not those cool-sounding songs tht require you to make huge jumps with the left hand or even to cross it over the right hand, hehe.

Then, you can go on to different rhythms, but remember to go progressively. Try using regular rhythms once again that stay about the same throughout the song first. That way, you won't be afraid of a weird rhythm coming up since the rhythm is a constant.

In the end, the key to this is practice!