Hi Everyone,
We have spoken with many people about piano playing, and one of the common responses we get is: “I can already play with one hand, but playing with both hands together is difficult…”
No wonder.
When it comes to piano playing, one plus one doesn’t equal two, it equals ten!
The bad news is that it is ten times more challenging to play fluently with both hands than with one.
But the good news is that the result is ten times more beautiful!
There are many reasons why it is so much more difficult.
We are demanding from our brain to do two different things, each complicated on its own, at the same time. That alone is a tough job.
Added to it, if you use standard sheet music, the language by which you interpret the left and the right hand is different. Here is how notes describe playing the same keys (C, D, E, F) in unison, with both hands:
The top line represents the right hand, and the bottom line represents the left hand. As you can see: Same keys, totally different notes. Obviously, there is a reason for this, but for the novice, this requires two modes of interpretation, which is very hard.
Add to this the fact that while the right hand can create an infinite number of melodies, the left hand can add an endless amount of accompaniment variations. What you get is a daunting task for the beginner.
At Piano Esperanto, we have taken on this challenge head-on. If you have started the course already, you may be cruising through section 2 where we concentrate on the right hand. We’d like to prepare you: When you reach section 3, where we cover the left hand, things will be a bit different. It may seem to you difficult at first but count your blessings: It is much easier compared to standard sheet music. Just keep an open mind.
You will first develop some flexibility. We have to teach you how to stretch your left hand from the pinky to the thumb so you can reach a full octave. It’s doable, just takes a bit of practice.
Next, we will teach you about chords and the way you should play them. If you ever played the guitar, you may be familiar with chords. Our method of playing chords is unique and extremely effective. The significant breakthrough is that we take the infinite number of combinations and condense them into a limited, yet quite powerful set. You will learn all about it in sections 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.
If you invest some time in this section and learn how to play chords with the left hand, your road is paved for success. In section 4, you will learn how to combine both hands together, and you will see how beautiful the results are!
So don’t be discouraged if the move to the left hand is hard at first, and the results are not as immediate as it was when you played familiar melodies with the right hand. Just stick with it, and you will be greatly rewarded with the gift of music playing.
Have a great week!