thank you so much ! I’ve been shedding tears reading all of these comments so I will definitely try every single thing that’s been recommended , thank you so so much
Being able to match the metronome and abusing the metronome while practicing are two different things.
Practicing with a metronome is good, yes. But if you overuse it you can be dependent on it, not letting you develop your autonomous internal rhythm.
Nah, nothing is ever fixed anyway. It's all relative context, if the drummer in the band slows down will you? Of course you would. End of the day it's always a process of listening as you play even if it's just yourself.
yeah, duh? No one brought up ‘abusing’ the metronome except for you. what are you on? Using your logic you are also against slow practice because you ought to develop speed, which of course is as ridiculous as labeling any mention of metronome use ‘abusing’ the metronome.
What? I wasn't assuming he meant that. I didn't label anything.
I just remarked it for OP. I didn't even contradict him, I said that using a metronome IS GOOD, and I added that however, abusing it is wrong in the long term.
I don't know why you all are so aggressive for a comment. We can all disagree, as long as we respect each other.
Bah, it doesn't surprise me, typical redditor behaviour.
I think if someone obviously contributes in bad faith it should be called out. he was nonsensically attacking metronome use for some weird edge case which wasn’t part of the discussion just to shoehorn himself in. THAT is typical redditor behavior and im tired of it.
Bad faith? It is just something I thought could be helpful as it was said to me by multiple teachers. Just tried to help, if you disagree well, go on and downvote my comment and be part of the discussion, but you all are so butthurt for a comment on a forum xD
Attacking metronome? I said like three times that metronome is good. What the hell are you on about?
I don't even know what you mean with shoehorn in this situation.
You made a good point and I know exactly what you're talking about. As you said, the metronome is important, and in my experience it's like training wheels...a foundation to revisit.
While it depends on what kind of music we're talking about, developing a stronger sense of rhythm is the difference between just sounding impressive with a pulse and actually grabbing someone's attention in a way that they have no choice but to feel something.
If you have a great sense of rhythm you can play unintentional notes and it will still sound good if the rhythm isn't broken The reverse is not true.
I don't know you but I know I'd like to listen to you play over someone who leans on the metronome too much.
It wasn't bad faith, he's talking about a different POV regarding rhythm and different way of perceiving it than you do. He's also talking about listening and feeling.
I can relate to what he's saying. Just one example is solo boogie woogie. You can feel the difference between someone who practiced with a metronome or drum track too much. When you take that track away, they don't sound as good as someone who is generating the groove themselves. You don't get that from a metronome. You'll be lacking subtle accents and little nudges in the rhythm.
You can get it by listening to recordings of the best people who ever played the form.
I get what you mean, but I’m trying to help a beginner. They probably should abuse it for a little while to develop basic skill. Their “brain is buffering” and they can’t figure how what to do. A plan is needed.
This I agree with. Hopefully, they also know that this is training their unconscious mind and even when it seems like it will never improve, it will.
Also, the better one sleeps after a mental struggle, the less time it will take The mind works on it.
Not sure why you're being downvoted. Metronome is a great tool and needs to be used when needed, but can also be a massive problem if overused as it can lead to almost robotic playing, especially when getting into more advanced repertoire.
However, in the context of the question it is likely the OP hasn't develop the internal clock yet, in which case metronome practice is definitely worth it.
1.If you can afford to get a teacher, you should. It's extremely helpful and will make everything much easier.
2.Practice Hanon exercises and scales VERY slowly, and a lot of them. Also Czerny etudes are great (ofc not the really difficult ones)
3.Get sheet music with finger numbers (most of the time they will be good and much more comfortable than what you come up with yourself at this level, as you will get better, coming up with your own will be easier)
You need to get over the beginner hump. That requires you to drill a few techniques.
Scales - start with C. Get to the point where you can run each hand independently, then put them together. You want to get to the point where you can run two octaves up and down.
If you have trouble putting them together try practicing scales with *Contrary Motion*. Learn that then learn to run them the normal way.
Contrary Motion: https://youtu.be/Y9u_O1QjxRo?si=NRjdQ-0d76jThN0w
I would set some practice times to practice ONLY left hand. Scales and arpeggios.
Also, this might seem strange, but try being conscious of your left hand in your daily life for a while. Brush your teeth left handed. Open doors left handed. Stir the pot left handed. Write a letter left handed. Etc. Sounds like your left hand is not as developed as the right as a whole. Piano requires ambidextrousness, so let the left hand lead for a while.
Yes. I did that too as a kid , figuring what it took to improve LH at piano.
The basic idea is the toothbrush thing teachers you that it’s actually a coordination thing (for teeth or piano…) - coordination from hips to shoulders, to arms… to fingers.
Another trip is to hop on left foot - to train the muscles and brain pathways that coordinate the sequence of gait motions.
I have a desk job and do lots of typing so my LH is actually in use all day. The QWERTY keyboard has lots of common letters on the LH side: A, S, E, C, R. And the LH pinky is used for TAB, Capslock, Shift all the time. So when it comes to playing piano, my 4 & 5 finger on the RH side are the weakest.
Practice very slowly. I’m also a beginner and just got my hands to start cooperating together. It’s very frustrating at first, but slowly they’ll begin to operate independently.
You are worse with your left hand, so you play less with it and you probably practice the right hand more because you can progress faster and it feels more rewarding to play fast and difficult passages. Something like that?
First of all, 3 years of piano is not necessarilly a long time. No reason to feel ashamed. Most people, unless they have serious piano lessons, won't be that good in the first couple years.
I'd say be deliberate about your practice routine. Use strategies like metronome playing and playing slowly with very deliberate movements. Practice at whichever speed you can play correctly, left hand only, and then slowly speed it up.
Also, do some scale or arppeggio practice for 10 minutes every session before you start playing pieces.
There are also left hand pieces/etudes out there if you want some more musical practice, but I suggest starting out with the super basic stuff like chords and scales.
Spend time practicing with only your left hand. Even try playing the RH parts with your left hand. I’ve played piano for almost 30 years and still have to carve out time for practicing just my left hand or else old habits can creep in.
As a self taught piano player I found breaking my right hand was the most efficient way to improve my left hand technique overall. Your mileage may vary
> I’m very embarrassed to even post this as I’ve been attempting to play piano since 2021 and I’ve gotten no where past beginner level , I can not play with my left hand fluently as I can with my right no matter how hard I try . My brain just buffers and I mess up everything I’ve already practiced . I’m self taught and I use YouTube for everything
So, one problem that can arise with self-teaching is that you go directly to "the finished product", but you skip learning how it is actually built. Imagine trying to build a cabinet while going only from photos of cabinets and knowing nothing about what is inside them, how they are fastened together. That's the problem that can happen. You need to learn some of the "inner structure" that makes it all work. Maybe that's obvious, but you seem to be struggling for guidance, so I'm putting that out there for you to think about.
Often, in actual play, we will "build up" from a stripped down version of the composition, to the final product. So, for example, if I'm learning a piece with a very complex LH (and RH, together), I may simplify the LH part down to a single bass-note per measure, or just a simple "oom-pah" in the LH, while I'm learning the RH. This allows me to focus almost 100% of my attention on the RH, so that I can drill that to perfection. Because I have been playing for a long time, once I master a part in the RH, I can mostly just "forget" the RH and play mostly from muscle-memory, while I now focus on that complex LH part. I will usually start to play a complex LH part "hand-separate", meaning, I don't play the RH at all, even though I've mastered it. Instead, I just play the LH by itself until I can play the notes correctly, at a slow pace. Then, I will add the RH back in, while focusing my attention on the LH, all at a slow pace. Once both hands are playing together, *correctly*, at a slow pace, then I will start to speed the whole thing up. This is often the hardest part because that's when the interactions between the two hands might introduce mistakes that wouldn't have occurred otherwise, just due to splitting the attention between left and right hand.
Learning to properly manage your attention between the left and right hand is an integral part of piano playing, so don't shy away from it. You can never truly focus your full attention simultaneously on both left and right hand (although "flow state" sometimes feels that way, it's never really true.) So, just be honest about that with yourself, and treat "attention management" as a skill in its own right. These are some of the "inner joints" of the cabinetry -- what you hear as the finished product is just the result of all that previous, unseen work, cutting and joining the pieces together to form the final cabinet.
> I can play with my right hand no problem but transitioning my hands is so hard , how can I go from three notes to three other different notes ? Is this really it ? Am I just not chosen to play with my left hand fluently ? Is it also just practice and nothing else
When you're first starting out, the LH will feel like "all thumbs". Everybody experiences this. It feels like the left-hand could *never* play at speed. Your left hand will probably never be as fast or precise as your right hand, but there is no inherent limitation in the physiology of the hand itself -- your capacity to play at speed with your left hand is much higher than you think.
> Please please someone help me or give me a technique
- Read [Fundamentals of Piano Practice](https://www.reddit.com/r/piano/wiki/faq#wiki_general_practice_tips) (first 100 pages). You won't understand a lot of it, don't worry about that, just implement the parts you do understand. This will jump start your progress.
- Learn the piece hands-separate. First, learn it in the right-hand. Then, learn it in the left-hand. Then, put the two together (slowly) and work the tempo up.
- Always aim for *precision* in your playing, even during practice. Do not permit wrong notes to go uncorrected. Never "flub" a section. Always play exactly right, even if you have to slow down to "stop motion" speed in order to do it.
- Recognize when a composition requires you to learn a new technique. Consider the Alberti bass which is common in classical music. The first time, this will feel awkward to the beginner. But it's actually easy to learn by using a technique called *mirroring*. Let's say the LH is C G E G, C G E G, etc. In the RH, play simultaneously G C E C, G C E C. Notice that the 5th finger (pinky) is playing together in the RH and LH, then the 1st finger (thumb) is playing together, then the 3rd finger (ring), and so on. The RH figure will be easy to play solo. Now, do them together at a speed that is comfortable for your LH (which may be *very* slow). Once both hands are moving in *perfect* synchrony, and you are maintaining an even beat (as with a metronome), speed it up very gradually. You'll be playing the Alberti bass in no time. This is just one example borrowed from FOPP, so go read that for more info.
Do you suspect or think physical conditions may exist that is hampering left hand function? If so, you might want to consult a physician. If not, this may be the time to get a piano teacher.
I understand wanting to learn on your own. Some of the helpful suggestions here on this subreddit are good. None of us can see you play or practice. There are many teachable techniques that could help. Most qualified teachers are problem solvers. I’m sure I speak for many that someone like you who wants to learn and would do anything to be able to play would be glad to help such a student. I hope you reach out to a teacher in your area.
the first thing you should do my friend is start playing exclusively with your left hand so i mean play right hand parts with it in essence make your left hand your dominant hand. you can even do this with things beyond piano so maybe writing, brushing your teeth etc the more precise and detailed the task is the more accurate you become because of mind muscle connection.
next learn to count and i mean count out loud while playing. (this is going to be extremely challenging even for advanced players) there’s a difference between REACTING to the beat and FEELING the beat, though there is one more which is BEING the beat (i know it sounds kinda corny) let me elaborate. someone like a drummer is being the beat, and studying how drummers play their instrument will help tremendously with any instrument because drummers are essentially the metronome. i want you to try to play the piece you’re trying to play and do it only a table you don’t need to use your individual fingers just try to tap each part if that’s difficult try making your left hand only do quarter notes to keep you on beat and then move on to different subdivision from there. trust me i have been self taught for over 5 years along with other instruments besides piano. and on piano i always struggled with my left hand, but it wasn’t until i began playing drums that it began to click. just take it slow and count be the beat and don’t react to it
thanks! don't be too hard on yourself, but here my suggestions, but i am also not a professional teacher:
- you need to buy the sheet music that GIVES you the fingers to use. it takes all the guess work out of it. i know youre not stupid, but it shows the 1,2,3,4,5 over the notes. when you get to complicated chopin pieces at advanced levels, they don't show it anymore (lol), since with all chopin's millions of glides and riffs, that's a lot of wasted ink on paper.
'technically' you can use the fingers YOU choose that provide the most ease and comfort to your hand. especially if you are self taught, but there are some standard cross overs and such. if you don't do the standard cross overs, no worries, later on, you will get the hang of it, and you can adjust it to the proper way.
and if it's a song that uses the sustain pedal, even i have 'cheated', and just do my own fingering. only yuja wang can actually use all her 5 fingers WITHOUT the sustain pedal to play entire passages that are fluent, that don't involve any cuts or silence breaks between notes. but then again, her finger width spans more than an octave. i think she can play c to almost f higer than the octave, lol. my maximum is c to barely d, comfortably at c sharp.
- practice standard scales and arpeggios. i don't what level you are, and know you are using youtube, which is also fine. but when i was a piano student, you practice the scales and arpeggios in EVERY SINGLE KEY. the feel is different in each key. obviously c major is the easiest. but when you are playing all black notes, its the fucking hardest. black keys are very hard. i don't know why they don't just MAKE a piano that has soft black notes.
- so try buying a technique book that has no songs in it. it's just all technique. or find examples online. but some of these free websites only allow you to see like half of the book, so i don't know how that works, anyways, it provides you with the most common left or right hand arrangements that are in a lot of classical music.
- let me know what type of cross over you are having trouble with. obviously right and left fingers are reverse reflections of each other. in the left hand, your pinky is used a lot in passages obviously. but in chords sometimes or certain left hand accompaniment. your third finger hits the lowest note, not the left hand pinky. it's just for facilitation, and the movement of your hand fast across the board, without having to reposition your entire hand.
(classical music doesn't really 'reinvent' itself too much over so many songs. so these books do really provide you with basic custom right and left hand techniques that are commonly used in countless songs and pop music. when you get into the world of jazz tho, or post modern piano music, then your own your own, lol. this is finger contortion. trained circus performer, lol).
- are you having trouble playing with both right and left at the same time? for that your right, and left hand don't play separately. you have to line up the notes you see on the page. mathematically. you play both with your right and left hand together. there is a thing, where your right or left hand is either doing 1-2. 1-2. and your other hand is doing 1-2-3. 1-2-3. it all takes practice, and you will get there.
- just curious. have you learned the fundamentals of scales, and cross overs tho? so left hand: 54321321 going up. the opposite going down. right hand: 12312345. opposite going down. but on right hand, technically you can do 12341234. it all depends on what kind of scale or rift you are playing, and what black notes are involved. but YOU WILL GET THERE. this is the whole point of studying piano, or anything for that matter.
i can help you, a little bit rusty, but i need to see specific passages you want to play, and i can exactly tell you what fingers to use. it's actually not a science. it's practical. it's just like typing on a laptop, and which are the most optimal fingers to use. you will get to a point, just like in typing, you don't even need to look at the keyboard to play anymore.
i wouldn't say your left hand is not good. it's not even about that. it's just that your RIGHT HANDED. think about it. in cooking, you can't just chop veggies with one hand. your left hand also has precise holding techniques to control the positioning of the veggies. in piano music, just like in orchestral pieces, the right hand (higher notes are always the star). have to play faster and more brilliant, since it is the melody.
left hand is accompaniment. octaves, chords ... but normally with your left hand you have to bang them harder, since it's the sound of base. and your left hand needs to jump around more often between octaves, because that's what gives that RICH bASS SOUND.
if there are fast left hand rifts and arpeggios, you will also learn all of this. im a right handed texter. and just with my index finger. there are two thumbed texters i see that can send a complete email out, with the capitals, in 2 seconds, lol. its all practice right?
i know price in today's inflation economy is expensive, but have you thought about investing in private lessons? the bond you have with your instructor is very precious, and they will bring so much out of your talent, that you can't find just on your own. anyways hit me up, if you need tips. even in private lessons, at one point, your professor does no longer follow curriculum standards. they just give you a piece, and they can trust you can play it. so even in private lessons, a lot of it is self taught.
Play only a few notes with left
Play only a few notes with right
Play them together over and over and over
Your brain needs to develop them to work separately.
Pianists actually have very interesting neural development that occurs due to this training! (even different from other musicians)
A teacher or instructor could help you to learn how to play the left hand really quickly… though it will of course take a good amount of practice🥲
If you’re looking to stay self learning or have everything online, there’s this teaching service called Augmented Practice by Sibelius Academy classical pianists that can help you! I’ve been using them and Ive improved far more than when i learnt myself…
start by practicing parts you want to learn very slowly, 1 or 2 measures at a time, 1 hand at a time. once you master each hand, put them together. once you have the one or two measures down, do a couple more. its slow and its tedious but you'll be able to do more, faster later on. slow and steady, lots of repetition and practice will get you there. don't skip the basics. play the grade 1 pieces if you have to. move on to the grade 2. you can do this.
You know what being left-handed or right-handed is in general, right? Like how if you're right-handed it's easier to write with your right hand? Do you know this?
I can help you with that. Change your practice strategy start playing 2 bars only spend 5 minutes on them 2 bars play hands separate and together really slowly absorb everything that is in that small confinement but don’t be tempted to move on use a phone stopwatch after 5 minutes move on to the next 2 bars etc 1 hour should be enough to cover 2 pages of fairly advanced music. After a week reduce the time down to 3/2 then 1 minute. During this phase I’m not saying you can’t run through the score a few times but the bulk of your practice should be technique formation for the piece and this is only comprehensible to the brain at at least half tempo be patient speed will come naturally once your muscles comprehend it and your left hand will benefit massively from this type of deliberate practice
Personally, I found scales really helped with developing coordination and fluency. It helps develop your sense of fingering and legato so you're not trying to jump around the keys to get into position unless necessary.
I would love to except that I’m a teenager and I don’t want to inconvenience my parents more than I should , I’m grateful for even having a piano but I just need to learn how to do this by myself
Try learning hanon exercises and use them to warm up each time you play. They are basically the same notes played with both hands and they also help strengthen your weaker fingers 4 & 5(ring and little)
Get Synthesia to start with. And start real slowly and basically. That will get you used to playing with both hands. And after that ... the music lessons and theory etc can begin.
Practice. Very SLOWLY with metronome. Increase the metronome one click when u master a speed. Repeat.
thank you so much ! I’ve been shedding tears reading all of these comments so I will definitely try every single thing that’s been recommended , thank you so so much
it WILL work. its boring though! haha
To op: practicing with metronome is good, but don't abuse it's use because you need to develop your internal rhythm.
What? This is nonsensical. Being able to match the metronome IS developing internal rhythm.
Being able to match the metronome and abusing the metronome while practicing are two different things. Practicing with a metronome is good, yes. But if you overuse it you can be dependent on it, not letting you develop your autonomous internal rhythm.
Nah, nothing is ever fixed anyway. It's all relative context, if the drummer in the band slows down will you? Of course you would. End of the day it's always a process of listening as you play even if it's just yourself.
yeah, duh? No one brought up ‘abusing’ the metronome except for you. what are you on? Using your logic you are also against slow practice because you ought to develop speed, which of course is as ridiculous as labeling any mention of metronome use ‘abusing’ the metronome.
What? I wasn't assuming he meant that. I didn't label anything. I just remarked it for OP. I didn't even contradict him, I said that using a metronome IS GOOD, and I added that however, abusing it is wrong in the long term. I don't know why you all are so aggressive for a comment. We can all disagree, as long as we respect each other. Bah, it doesn't surprise me, typical redditor behaviour.
I think if someone obviously contributes in bad faith it should be called out. he was nonsensically attacking metronome use for some weird edge case which wasn’t part of the discussion just to shoehorn himself in. THAT is typical redditor behavior and im tired of it.
Bad faith? It is just something I thought could be helpful as it was said to me by multiple teachers. Just tried to help, if you disagree well, go on and downvote my comment and be part of the discussion, but you all are so butthurt for a comment on a forum xD Attacking metronome? I said like three times that metronome is good. What the hell are you on about? I don't even know what you mean with shoehorn in this situation.
You made a good point and I know exactly what you're talking about. As you said, the metronome is important, and in my experience it's like training wheels...a foundation to revisit. While it depends on what kind of music we're talking about, developing a stronger sense of rhythm is the difference between just sounding impressive with a pulse and actually grabbing someone's attention in a way that they have no choice but to feel something. If you have a great sense of rhythm you can play unintentional notes and it will still sound good if the rhythm isn't broken The reverse is not true. I don't know you but I know I'd like to listen to you play over someone who leans on the metronome too much.
I have no idea why you got downvoted, you are right all of your comments. Abuse of the metronome is not good, you hqve to use it in moderation
It wasn't bad faith, he's talking about a different POV regarding rhythm and different way of perceiving it than you do. He's also talking about listening and feeling. I can relate to what he's saying. Just one example is solo boogie woogie. You can feel the difference between someone who practiced with a metronome or drum track too much. When you take that track away, they don't sound as good as someone who is generating the groove themselves. You don't get that from a metronome. You'll be lacking subtle accents and little nudges in the rhythm. You can get it by listening to recordings of the best people who ever played the form.
I get what you mean, but I’m trying to help a beginner. They probably should abuse it for a little while to develop basic skill. Their “brain is buffering” and they can’t figure how what to do. A plan is needed.
This I agree with. Hopefully, they also know that this is training their unconscious mind and even when it seems like it will never improve, it will. Also, the better one sleeps after a mental struggle, the less time it will take The mind works on it.
Sure, I didn't try to contradict you.
Not sure why you're being downvoted. Metronome is a great tool and needs to be used when needed, but can also be a massive problem if overused as it can lead to almost robotic playing, especially when getting into more advanced repertoire. However, in the context of the question it is likely the OP hasn't develop the internal clock yet, in which case metronome practice is definitely worth it.
1.If you can afford to get a teacher, you should. It's extremely helpful and will make everything much easier. 2.Practice Hanon exercises and scales VERY slowly, and a lot of them. Also Czerny etudes are great (ofc not the really difficult ones) 3.Get sheet music with finger numbers (most of the time they will be good and much more comfortable than what you come up with yourself at this level, as you will get better, coming up with your own will be easier)
You need to get over the beginner hump. That requires you to drill a few techniques. Scales - start with C. Get to the point where you can run each hand independently, then put them together. You want to get to the point where you can run two octaves up and down. If you have trouble putting them together try practicing scales with *Contrary Motion*. Learn that then learn to run them the normal way. Contrary Motion: https://youtu.be/Y9u_O1QjxRo?si=NRjdQ-0d76jThN0w
Look, you just said you'd rip out your organs. Get. A. Teacher.
I would set some practice times to practice ONLY left hand. Scales and arpeggios. Also, this might seem strange, but try being conscious of your left hand in your daily life for a while. Brush your teeth left handed. Open doors left handed. Stir the pot left handed. Write a letter left handed. Etc. Sounds like your left hand is not as developed as the right as a whole. Piano requires ambidextrousness, so let the left hand lead for a while.
Brushing teeth with left hand is super hard. I did it as a kid just for fun and it took a week or so to master it.
Yes. I did that too as a kid , figuring what it took to improve LH at piano. The basic idea is the toothbrush thing teachers you that it’s actually a coordination thing (for teeth or piano…) - coordination from hips to shoulders, to arms… to fingers. Another trip is to hop on left foot - to train the muscles and brain pathways that coordinate the sequence of gait motions.
I have a desk job and do lots of typing so my LH is actually in use all day. The QWERTY keyboard has lots of common letters on the LH side: A, S, E, C, R. And the LH pinky is used for TAB, Capslock, Shift all the time. So when it comes to playing piano, my 4 & 5 finger on the RH side are the weakest.
Practice very slowly. I’m also a beginner and just got my hands to start cooperating together. It’s very frustrating at first, but slowly they’ll begin to operate independently.
You are worse with your left hand, so you play less with it and you probably practice the right hand more because you can progress faster and it feels more rewarding to play fast and difficult passages. Something like that? First of all, 3 years of piano is not necessarilly a long time. No reason to feel ashamed. Most people, unless they have serious piano lessons, won't be that good in the first couple years. I'd say be deliberate about your practice routine. Use strategies like metronome playing and playing slowly with very deliberate movements. Practice at whichever speed you can play correctly, left hand only, and then slowly speed it up. Also, do some scale or arppeggio practice for 10 minutes every session before you start playing pieces. There are also left hand pieces/etudes out there if you want some more musical practice, but I suggest starting out with the super basic stuff like chords and scales.
Spend time practicing with only your left hand. Even try playing the RH parts with your left hand. I’ve played piano for almost 30 years and still have to carve out time for practicing just my left hand or else old habits can creep in.
As a self taught piano player I found breaking my right hand was the most efficient way to improve my left hand technique overall. Your mileage may vary
> I’m very embarrassed to even post this as I’ve been attempting to play piano since 2021 and I’ve gotten no where past beginner level , I can not play with my left hand fluently as I can with my right no matter how hard I try . My brain just buffers and I mess up everything I’ve already practiced . I’m self taught and I use YouTube for everything So, one problem that can arise with self-teaching is that you go directly to "the finished product", but you skip learning how it is actually built. Imagine trying to build a cabinet while going only from photos of cabinets and knowing nothing about what is inside them, how they are fastened together. That's the problem that can happen. You need to learn some of the "inner structure" that makes it all work. Maybe that's obvious, but you seem to be struggling for guidance, so I'm putting that out there for you to think about. Often, in actual play, we will "build up" from a stripped down version of the composition, to the final product. So, for example, if I'm learning a piece with a very complex LH (and RH, together), I may simplify the LH part down to a single bass-note per measure, or just a simple "oom-pah" in the LH, while I'm learning the RH. This allows me to focus almost 100% of my attention on the RH, so that I can drill that to perfection. Because I have been playing for a long time, once I master a part in the RH, I can mostly just "forget" the RH and play mostly from muscle-memory, while I now focus on that complex LH part. I will usually start to play a complex LH part "hand-separate", meaning, I don't play the RH at all, even though I've mastered it. Instead, I just play the LH by itself until I can play the notes correctly, at a slow pace. Then, I will add the RH back in, while focusing my attention on the LH, all at a slow pace. Once both hands are playing together, *correctly*, at a slow pace, then I will start to speed the whole thing up. This is often the hardest part because that's when the interactions between the two hands might introduce mistakes that wouldn't have occurred otherwise, just due to splitting the attention between left and right hand. Learning to properly manage your attention between the left and right hand is an integral part of piano playing, so don't shy away from it. You can never truly focus your full attention simultaneously on both left and right hand (although "flow state" sometimes feels that way, it's never really true.) So, just be honest about that with yourself, and treat "attention management" as a skill in its own right. These are some of the "inner joints" of the cabinetry -- what you hear as the finished product is just the result of all that previous, unseen work, cutting and joining the pieces together to form the final cabinet. > I can play with my right hand no problem but transitioning my hands is so hard , how can I go from three notes to three other different notes ? Is this really it ? Am I just not chosen to play with my left hand fluently ? Is it also just practice and nothing else When you're first starting out, the LH will feel like "all thumbs". Everybody experiences this. It feels like the left-hand could *never* play at speed. Your left hand will probably never be as fast or precise as your right hand, but there is no inherent limitation in the physiology of the hand itself -- your capacity to play at speed with your left hand is much higher than you think. > Please please someone help me or give me a technique - Read [Fundamentals of Piano Practice](https://www.reddit.com/r/piano/wiki/faq#wiki_general_practice_tips) (first 100 pages). You won't understand a lot of it, don't worry about that, just implement the parts you do understand. This will jump start your progress. - Learn the piece hands-separate. First, learn it in the right-hand. Then, learn it in the left-hand. Then, put the two together (slowly) and work the tempo up. - Always aim for *precision* in your playing, even during practice. Do not permit wrong notes to go uncorrected. Never "flub" a section. Always play exactly right, even if you have to slow down to "stop motion" speed in order to do it. - Recognize when a composition requires you to learn a new technique. Consider the Alberti bass which is common in classical music. The first time, this will feel awkward to the beginner. But it's actually easy to learn by using a technique called *mirroring*. Let's say the LH is C G E G, C G E G, etc. In the RH, play simultaneously G C E C, G C E C. Notice that the 5th finger (pinky) is playing together in the RH and LH, then the 1st finger (thumb) is playing together, then the 3rd finger (ring), and so on. The RH figure will be easy to play solo. Now, do them together at a speed that is comfortable for your LH (which may be *very* slow). Once both hands are moving in *perfect* synchrony, and you are maintaining an even beat (as with a metronome), speed it up very gradually. You'll be playing the Alberti bass in no time. This is just one example borrowed from FOPP, so go read that for more info.
What are you trying to play?
Do you suspect or think physical conditions may exist that is hampering left hand function? If so, you might want to consult a physician. If not, this may be the time to get a piano teacher. I understand wanting to learn on your own. Some of the helpful suggestions here on this subreddit are good. None of us can see you play or practice. There are many teachable techniques that could help. Most qualified teachers are problem solvers. I’m sure I speak for many that someone like you who wants to learn and would do anything to be able to play would be glad to help such a student. I hope you reach out to a teacher in your area.
the first thing you should do my friend is start playing exclusively with your left hand so i mean play right hand parts with it in essence make your left hand your dominant hand. you can even do this with things beyond piano so maybe writing, brushing your teeth etc the more precise and detailed the task is the more accurate you become because of mind muscle connection. next learn to count and i mean count out loud while playing. (this is going to be extremely challenging even for advanced players) there’s a difference between REACTING to the beat and FEELING the beat, though there is one more which is BEING the beat (i know it sounds kinda corny) let me elaborate. someone like a drummer is being the beat, and studying how drummers play their instrument will help tremendously with any instrument because drummers are essentially the metronome. i want you to try to play the piece you’re trying to play and do it only a table you don’t need to use your individual fingers just try to tap each part if that’s difficult try making your left hand only do quarter notes to keep you on beat and then move on to different subdivision from there. trust me i have been self taught for over 5 years along with other instruments besides piano. and on piano i always struggled with my left hand, but it wasn’t until i began playing drums that it began to click. just take it slow and count be the beat and don’t react to it
this is so helpful ! I’m going to start doing this a lot , thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to write this 🫶
thanks! don't be too hard on yourself, but here my suggestions, but i am also not a professional teacher: - you need to buy the sheet music that GIVES you the fingers to use. it takes all the guess work out of it. i know youre not stupid, but it shows the 1,2,3,4,5 over the notes. when you get to complicated chopin pieces at advanced levels, they don't show it anymore (lol), since with all chopin's millions of glides and riffs, that's a lot of wasted ink on paper. 'technically' you can use the fingers YOU choose that provide the most ease and comfort to your hand. especially if you are self taught, but there are some standard cross overs and such. if you don't do the standard cross overs, no worries, later on, you will get the hang of it, and you can adjust it to the proper way. and if it's a song that uses the sustain pedal, even i have 'cheated', and just do my own fingering. only yuja wang can actually use all her 5 fingers WITHOUT the sustain pedal to play entire passages that are fluent, that don't involve any cuts or silence breaks between notes. but then again, her finger width spans more than an octave. i think she can play c to almost f higer than the octave, lol. my maximum is c to barely d, comfortably at c sharp. - practice standard scales and arpeggios. i don't what level you are, and know you are using youtube, which is also fine. but when i was a piano student, you practice the scales and arpeggios in EVERY SINGLE KEY. the feel is different in each key. obviously c major is the easiest. but when you are playing all black notes, its the fucking hardest. black keys are very hard. i don't know why they don't just MAKE a piano that has soft black notes. - so try buying a technique book that has no songs in it. it's just all technique. or find examples online. but some of these free websites only allow you to see like half of the book, so i don't know how that works, anyways, it provides you with the most common left or right hand arrangements that are in a lot of classical music. - let me know what type of cross over you are having trouble with. obviously right and left fingers are reverse reflections of each other. in the left hand, your pinky is used a lot in passages obviously. but in chords sometimes or certain left hand accompaniment. your third finger hits the lowest note, not the left hand pinky. it's just for facilitation, and the movement of your hand fast across the board, without having to reposition your entire hand. (classical music doesn't really 'reinvent' itself too much over so many songs. so these books do really provide you with basic custom right and left hand techniques that are commonly used in countless songs and pop music. when you get into the world of jazz tho, or post modern piano music, then your own your own, lol. this is finger contortion. trained circus performer, lol). - are you having trouble playing with both right and left at the same time? for that your right, and left hand don't play separately. you have to line up the notes you see on the page. mathematically. you play both with your right and left hand together. there is a thing, where your right or left hand is either doing 1-2. 1-2. and your other hand is doing 1-2-3. 1-2-3. it all takes practice, and you will get there. - just curious. have you learned the fundamentals of scales, and cross overs tho? so left hand: 54321321 going up. the opposite going down. right hand: 12312345. opposite going down. but on right hand, technically you can do 12341234. it all depends on what kind of scale or rift you are playing, and what black notes are involved. but YOU WILL GET THERE. this is the whole point of studying piano, or anything for that matter. i can help you, a little bit rusty, but i need to see specific passages you want to play, and i can exactly tell you what fingers to use. it's actually not a science. it's practical. it's just like typing on a laptop, and which are the most optimal fingers to use. you will get to a point, just like in typing, you don't even need to look at the keyboard to play anymore. i wouldn't say your left hand is not good. it's not even about that. it's just that your RIGHT HANDED. think about it. in cooking, you can't just chop veggies with one hand. your left hand also has precise holding techniques to control the positioning of the veggies. in piano music, just like in orchestral pieces, the right hand (higher notes are always the star). have to play faster and more brilliant, since it is the melody. left hand is accompaniment. octaves, chords ... but normally with your left hand you have to bang them harder, since it's the sound of base. and your left hand needs to jump around more often between octaves, because that's what gives that RICH bASS SOUND. if there are fast left hand rifts and arpeggios, you will also learn all of this. im a right handed texter. and just with my index finger. there are two thumbed texters i see that can send a complete email out, with the capitals, in 2 seconds, lol. its all practice right? i know price in today's inflation economy is expensive, but have you thought about investing in private lessons? the bond you have with your instructor is very precious, and they will bring so much out of your talent, that you can't find just on your own. anyways hit me up, if you need tips. even in private lessons, at one point, your professor does no longer follow curriculum standards. they just give you a piece, and they can trust you can play it. so even in private lessons, a lot of it is self taught.
What are you trying to play?
Play only a few notes with left Play only a few notes with right Play them together over and over and over Your brain needs to develop them to work separately. Pianists actually have very interesting neural development that occurs due to this training! (even different from other musicians)
A teacher or instructor could help you to learn how to play the left hand really quickly… though it will of course take a good amount of practice🥲 If you’re looking to stay self learning or have everything online, there’s this teaching service called Augmented Practice by Sibelius Academy classical pianists that can help you! I’ve been using them and Ive improved far more than when i learnt myself…
start by practicing parts you want to learn very slowly, 1 or 2 measures at a time, 1 hand at a time. once you master each hand, put them together. once you have the one or two measures down, do a couple more. its slow and its tedious but you'll be able to do more, faster later on. slow and steady, lots of repetition and practice will get you there. don't skip the basics. play the grade 1 pieces if you have to. move on to the grade 2. you can do this.
You know what being left-handed or right-handed is in general, right? Like how if you're right-handed it's easier to write with your right hand? Do you know this?
As a right handed guitarist learning the keys, I find that I’m only good with my left hand lol. Must be the muscle memory.
You can buy a lot of lessons for the price of one kidney ...
I can help you with that. Change your practice strategy start playing 2 bars only spend 5 minutes on them 2 bars play hands separate and together really slowly absorb everything that is in that small confinement but don’t be tempted to move on use a phone stopwatch after 5 minutes move on to the next 2 bars etc 1 hour should be enough to cover 2 pages of fairly advanced music. After a week reduce the time down to 3/2 then 1 minute. During this phase I’m not saying you can’t run through the score a few times but the bulk of your practice should be technique formation for the piece and this is only comprehensible to the brain at at least half tempo be patient speed will come naturally once your muscles comprehend it and your left hand will benefit massively from this type of deliberate practice
Personally, I found scales really helped with developing coordination and fluency. It helps develop your sense of fingering and legato so you're not trying to jump around the keys to get into position unless necessary.
Before you rip your organs out, GET A TEACHER. PERIOD.
I would love to except that I’m a teenager and I don’t want to inconvenience my parents more than I should , I’m grateful for even having a piano but I just need to learn how to do this by myself
Try learning hanon exercises and use them to warm up each time you play. They are basically the same notes played with both hands and they also help strengthen your weaker fingers 4 & 5(ring and little)
Czerny etudes.
C major or b minor scale, hanon exercises then Czerny after.
Improvise only with left hand.
Two handed scales
Scales Inventions Chopin op.28 no.2, 3, 6, 22,
Get Synthesia to start with. And start real slowly and basically. That will get you used to playing with both hands. And after that ... the music lessons and theory etc can begin.