Fingers with a mind of their own...?

[pianopuppy]

Hello 
 
I am just starting out learning keyboard and have a questions which I hope someone can answer.

I am learning a small section of a song that has chords with left hand and melody with right hand.  I am almost getting this and I can play it without mistakes - most of the time. 

At other times, I will inadvertently play a note that I shouldn't be playing, because one or other of my fingers will - apparently of their own accord  -  suddenly play a key.  At other times, a finger that was supposed to play a note will 'forget' to move...

(In fact just tonight, when practising my C scale with both hands, I realised that my right hand was carrying on playing but my left hand had sort of forgotten what it was supposed to do and just stopped).

My question is, is this normal?  Has anyone else had this problem when you were starting out?  I'm hoping it is something that will disappear the more I practise.

[nocturneop2]

It is indeed normal. I've been playing for 3 months and it happens to me a lot when starting out a piece. Just keep practicing and when you wake up the next day and try it again, it'll be a lot easier.

[pianopuppy]

Thanks for your reply, I'm pleased to hear my fingers are normal after all. 

Nice to meet a fellow beginner, although sounds like you're more advanced than I am, I've only been learning for just over a month.  I'm enjoying it though, and I find my best progress is when I don't let frustration get the better of me... if something isn't happening I try to just take a deep breath and persevere with it, rather than getting upset.   

I also tend to find that if I don't consciously think about my scales, for example, they are better than if I try to think about every note - I'll be playing them over and over, reasonably well, but the moment I think "hey, I'm getting this" it all tends to go wrong 

[zeroblackstar]

When you practise your'e developing muscle memory, which is just your fingers remembering what their supposed to be doing! The more you practise the less your fingers will "forget".

Once your'e comfortable with the piano further on down the line you'll find that you can play things with your eyes closed because you've gotten used to where all the piano keys are in relation to each other.

It just takes time and practise. It can be bit frustrating though and a good nights sleep will let all your brain have a rest and you'll probably find that your practise payed off

Oh, and one thing I always do when learning something new, I always try to end by playing whatever I'm learning right. So if sometimes you mess up playing a scale, make sure the last time you play it you get it right, that way your brains freshest memory will be the right way to do it :p

[nanabush]

It happens to everyone!  I was practicing half of a bar for about 15 minutes today (tried many many different ways of approaching it) and I sit down an hour later, and realize my left hand is doing something completely random!

Arrghh!

Good thing, though, that you are able to tell that your hand is playing something different  some people will just keep playing through not even noticing their hands are playing at their own will haha

[pianopuppy]

zeroblackstar - thanks for the advice   I didn't know about the muscle memory thing but it makes sense.  I have to admit I do always try to end with getting something right but its cos I just can't bear to end on a low, if you know what I mean.

nanabush - thanks!  I suppose I never thought of it in that way, that it's good that I can tell my fingers are playing wrong.  Good advice.   I sometimes feel like shouting at my fingers though, "what the heck are you doing?!?!?!" 


I am finding that my brain seems to be remembering what I'm trying to do... I'll be practicing one night, not feeling like I'm really making much progress, but then the next time I practice it suddenly seems a little bit better.  So I must be getting the hang of it.

Thanks for everyone's replies, it really does help to know that what I'm going through is to be expected.