retarded

[chopinlover]

Hi guys.  I have a huge problem maybe some of you can help me out with.  You see, ever so often, not every time I practice, I have a spell where my left hand is retarded (poor thing) and no matter what I try at some point in the piece (never at the same place) it will go off on it's own.  It is driving me crazy.  It's not like I don't know the piece, I do.  Just sometimes my hand will pick a spot and mess up.  I've tried practicing it slower and of course it's fine.  I gradually take it up to the original speed and part of it will be fine and it will happen at a place. The next time I play the piece it will pick still another place to mess up.  What's the deal?  Does it happen to anyone else or is this my personal problem?

I am on my way to take a piano lesson right now so we'll see how much trouble I have.  I will be checking back soon though.  Thanks

[johnjwong]

Try to play the piece thinking about different thing rather than if you will make a mistake or not.  Always think positive, and not negative things like you will make a mistake.  If you almost finished the piece and you think to yourself, hey i havnt made a mistake yet, on the next note of your left hand, it will be a mistake.  Think about something else, like something that has nothing to do with piano at all.

[janice]

Chopinlover, may I make a suggestion?  Please don't take this personally, but could you please change the subject line in your post?  People (at least I do) get turned off when I have no idea what a post will be about.  If you change it to something legitimate sounding (like "Left hand is slower than right hand.  I need help") more people would be willing to view your post.  Just a suggestion

[super_ardua]

Hi guys.  I have a huge problem maybe some of you can help me out with.  You see, ever so often, not every time I practice, I have a spell where my left hand is retarded (poor thing) and no matter what I try at some point in the piece (never at the same place) it will go off on it's own.  It is driving me crazy.  It's not like I don't know the piece, I do.  Just sometimes my hand will pick a spot and mess up.  I've tried practicing it slower and of course it's fine.  I gradually take it up to the original speed and part of it will be fine and it will happen at a place. The next time I play the piece it will pick still another place to mess up.  What's the deal?  Does it happen to anyone else or is this my personal problem?

I am on my way to take a piano lesson right now so we'll see how much trouble I have.  I will be checking back soon though.  Thanks

No,  all humans have that problem.

Have more patience and faith in yourself

[Rach3]

Left hands are always weaker than right hands. Excepted maybe in left-handed people, I don't know, are there any left-handed pianists? Anyway, what pieces is this a problem in? ... I would try LH alone, emphasis on a clean legato with no tension - then hands together, again try for legato. All this sub tempo and without pedal, of course - this is what I've been trying with beethoven's op. 111. Your LH is in fact neurologically inferior to your right - it is stupid - but it will learn, if you let it feel what its doing and practice correctly it will figure it out and everything will 'click'.

It's especially hard if there is lots of LH 4-5 fingering, if so practice very slowly at first, make sure the hand motion is correct and without stress. On that note, make sure your fingering is in fact the best possible, with no superfluous work - i.e., don't overrely on the thumb and avoid the 3-4-5.

Happy pianoing,
-Rach3

[chopinlover]

Rach3

Thanks for the reply and advice.  The piece that I am having trouble with is two of the Hanon exercises - actually.  Numbers 4 and 6.  You're right, it is the challenge of 4 and 5 fingers.  I guess I will just have to slow down and try what you have suggested.  I also am unsure of the hand position.  My past teacher insisted on what she called the "standing pinky finger" - hand straight up - finger standing tall.  My current teacher doesn't seem to care.  I tend to try to make it stand up (on the end with no rotation - hands still cupped) but it is hard with these exercises.  Any advise?