Chopin etude op. 10 no 4 question

[tabris]

Hi.  I have a question about measures 29-30 of this piece.  Do most people find it easier to take the bottom notes in the RH clef with the right hand or left hand.  It seems like playing it with the thumb in the left hand would make it easier to navigate the top line with right hand.  But then again when taking it up to speed it might be harder to play the left hand strong if the thumb has to cover those notes.

Thanks

[AvoidedCadence]

My teacher insisted that I play these notes with the right hand.  But in the four bars before that, I use the LH for all inner notes.

Have fun!

[steinwayguy]

I just play it as written...

[Barbosa-piano]

 It is a very interesting question that I had never realized before. But if you take a close look, the only thing you are doing is passing the difficulties of the right to the left. It would be actually harder to play (for example) the C and the E on the octave above with the left hand at a high speed (for most people). I suggest playing it as Chopin himself wrote for technical reasons.   

 Sincerely,

M.B.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

[tabris]

Thanks.  I realized that I only meant alternating taking the inner notes with the LH thumb and the RH thumb.  You're right that the C and E would be too difficult, I do use the RH for this.  But I use the LH on the G and B before it and the F and A after.  I'm going to try using just my RH and see if that makes it easier.  What fingering do you use then on the top line?  3-4-2-3?  Or maybe 3-5-2-3?

Thanks again

[Barbosa-piano]

 I use 3-4-2-3, because a have a large hand. But the 3-5-2-3 one is also very useful. I'm sorry, I did not understand the explanation well before, but alternating hands for this purpose is also useful. I won't use it because playing all with the right hand is not hard, and I'm already used to it. For other people might be a clarifying solution... 
 
Mario Barbosa

[goansongo]

Any tips on how to get this piece up to speed?  I really have trouble with that. 

[danyal]

I'm busy with this piece right now (I'm playing it to my teacher for the first time tommorow). You cant try to take it up to speed to quickly. In this piece, the notes re quick to learn but the speed and clarity takes time. My best advice would be to use a metronome. Start off playing the whole piece, if you can fluently, or if not sections of it, and play it with the metronome at a really slow tempo. Make sure all your fingers are even and paced, and all the technicalities are there. When you are absolutely certain you can play it flawlessly, at that speed, turn the metronome just 1-3 clicks faster (no more, otherwise it starts becoming out of hand), and start the process all over again.

If you do that eventually (be patient) it will be up to speed. But dont be in a rush to speed it up. It takes time. Methodical and careful practise will prove to have much greater results in the long run than impatience and inconsistence.

[goansongo]

Thanks!  I'll try this.  Damn metronome..  Haha.

[Triton]

Just play as it is written..
I do it and i play it at 160 bpm which is fast enough.
(made it at 170 hehe)

[tabris]

Hey.   I have another question about this piece.  There are several parts where passages (like in the 2nd full measure) have alternating fingering written in.  Like using 4-3-2-5 or 2-3-1-5.  My teacher says that for him it is easier to just repeat the same finger, so using figering like 1-2-1-5 instead of 1-3-2-5.  He says it easier to play the piece up to tempo with this fingering.  What do you all think.  I can do it ok with either type in the RH, but I'm really struggling with figuring it good one out for the LH.  Also is it common for lots of people to play this piece at the marked tempo (176 = half note in my edition).

Thanks

[nanabush]

I just tried the part you were talking about, that about all I can play from that piece, and I tried both and I find that If I were to play this it would be 1-3-2-5 and so on...