Very Specific Problem I'm having difficulty overcoming.

[kelethria]

I've been searching on the web for any sort of advice overcoming a problem I seem to keep running into when trying to learn pieces of music on the piano.  When the music has notes of varying timing with the left and right hand, I can't seem to play the notes correctly. 

For instance, when the right hand is playing 4 quarter notes in a measure, and the left is playing two eighth notes and then two quarter note and then two eighth notes.  Or the left has a eighth rest then starts a quarter in the middle of the previous quarter note, followed by 2 more quarter notes and ending with another eighth rest.  Anything like this or similar is throwing me way off.

When I attempt to do this, I always fail. 

I've tried going super slow, and keeping the same rhythm to attempt it in slow motion which was the only suggestion I could ever find, but it doesn't seem to help me.

Is this something I basically have to force myself to attempt, over and over, for a very long period of time before I'll be able to do it, or is their some technique to help improve the ability to differentiate rhythms with each hand and keep the separate?

Any advice at all would be very helpful.

[landru]

You may be attempting to get the rhythm directly from playing the notes when you might not be ready for that yet. In other words, you might try to separate learning the rhythm of what you are playing from playing the notes.

There are several ways of doing this. One is to clap out each note (with a metronome as well to get you started). Start with what the left hand does - clap for each note, then do what the right hand does, and then try it together.

Another way is to count as you are playing - if there are eighth notes in the piece, then count up to 8 for each measure in 4/4 time. You would count 1-2 for a quarter note in the right hand, and if an eighth note is in the left hand after a eight rest, then you would play it on the 2. This is also very useful when done with a metronome.

Both of these methods work for me - I've had some serious rhythm problems as well, it does not come naturally for me at all.

[alexalin]

Hi,
I appropriate you that you are trying to learn pieces of music on the piano.Really it's a problem When the music has notes of varying timing with the left and right hand.I advice you to go to the piano music teacher and see once how she/he playing it and try to observe/catch the tips.It would be better for you if you see one practically then you will come to know how to play.Thank You!!

[scottmcc]

get a metronome and set it to a relatively slow pace, ie 50 or 60.  now, away from the keyboard, tap your left hand or finger exactly in time with this pulse.  once you are steady with this, stop, and do the same with your right hand.  now try tapping each hand twice for each click, then 3 times, then 4 times.  you've now done 1/4, 1/8, triplet, and 1/16 notes, hands separate.

now try your two hands together at each of those paces.

finally, do quarter notes with your left, and 1/8s with your right, and vice versa.  this will mean your right hand is tapping twice per metronome click, but your left is just tapping on the click.  do the same with the other note values.

once you've done that, try tapping out the specific rhythms you're having trouble with.  do so with each hand separately until you are comfortable, then work on the syncopation. 

by the way, the passage you mentioned, with quarter notes in one hand, but eighth rest followed by quarters in the other...one hand would start on the beat, the other off, and the overall speed would be the same as if one hand were playing eighth notes.

ie

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
L    L    L    L
   R    R    R   R

make sense?

coordinating the two hands is a very difficult thing to manage, and takes a lot of practice!  most people struggle with it for a long while--I certainly battle it daily.

[kard]

Maybe it is an issue of learning to hear both hands at the same time. In other words, the aim of what you are doing is the sound itself. All of the suggestions that ask you to work on the notes or timing away from the keyboard will probably be very helpful.