skips and jumps with left hand

[quebec75]

Hi,  I have a question about skips with the left hand.  I've been playing for about a year, and have recently started to practice The Entertainer - original arrangement. I had started with a simplified version and hated it. So with the encouragement of some in this forum I decided to try the original.  I think it's not so bad the right hand actually.  The left is not so bad either except for the jumps.    It seems that the only way I can get the left hand up to speed is to watch my hand continuously.  I know I can learn the piece this way but I also know that later I would be thrown off if I learned it this way and later tried to look at the music while I play.  Am  I sacrificing anything learning it this way.
I tried practicing it by feel while watching the music, but I think it will take a real long time that way because of the jumps.  It also seems hard to go back and forth with my eyes to the music and my hands.    Any hints on learning a piece with a lot of jumps and skips?
I searched the net and looked through links you all provided me with about sight reading but I can't find any advice specifically related to skips and jumps.

Thanks in advance. This is a great group!

Philip

[newsgroupeuan]

When one begins to learn piano,  one thinks that in some way,  the left hand movement has always to be similar to the right hand.

This is incorrect.

i ead from the music at the same time.

Sit back,  relax and don't panic.  You are learning so you do not necessarily need to go full speed.  Speed comes later.  Now stare ROUGHLY at the area you left hand is and let you hands "run free".  You may have to look at the music - let your eyes jump back and forth - your eyes are agile enough.

Now you've got it let's stop looking at the keyboard.

stare ahead of you,  and again let your hands run free.

Imagine your left hand is programmed to land in exactly the right spot.

[Fastzuernst]

Yes, this advice will help.
A more practical way is to practice your left hand separately. Practice finding the keys, accually placing them on the keyboard, without accually playing the keys until you have found the correct pitches. Eventually pick up the speed (remember accuracy is WAY more important!). This always helps for me when I am learning a piece with alot of jumps, like Chopin Etude Op25no4! This practice will also allow you to get the sound you want, not by accident!
HOpe this helps!

[xvimbi]

Moving around the keyboard in general without looking at it requires two things:

1. an accurate map of the keyboard, i.e. you need to know where the individual keys are in space.
2. an accurate map of your body, i.e. what range of motion you have around every joint, and where any combination of movements will put your fingertips in three-dimensional space.

Sounds complicated, but I'd encourage you to work on this as you move along. It will take a lot of time (years), but it will be easier if you pay attention to it.

When you have thoroughly memorized a piece, play it without looking at the keyboard; feel your way around. If this is impossible with what you are working on at the moment, go back to simpler pieces, such as those that use only five notes without moving the hands. Slowly create your map by practicing short intervals first (2nds, thirds, up to an octave), then start moving the hands by one, two, etc. notes up and down the keyboard. Finally, move on to pieces with larger intervals, i.e. jumps. At the moment, you will need to look at your hands whenever necessary, you don't have a choice as your keyboard and body maps are not yet developed. But at any given moment, you should need to look only at one hand, the other one needs to be able to play on its own. If that is impossible, even after practicing for a long time, the piece is too hard (but don't give up too soon).
Good luck!

[quebec75]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I get the point.  I was looking back over some material that Bernhard linked to me (https://members.aol.com/chang8828/exercises.htm) C.C.Changs book about learning piano.
He has a sectoin on jumps that is very interesting. Says what you've all said and more.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.
Philip