Hands Separate and hands together additional Information

[1piano4joe]

It has been said, "hands together speed is 50%-90% of hands separate speed of the slower hand."

I have found out two things that seem to work for me and will share them below. I was wondering if any one here has shared the same experience.

I used to practice hands separately at least at tempo before putting them together.

I used to try to practice both hands above tempo to exactly the same tempo. Let's say exactly 50% more tempo separately for each hand then the tempo together. Nothing wrong, so far.

One thing I found out is that very often one hand's part is much more difficult than the other.
Sometimes I can barely play one hand's part separately at tempo. So I used to "spot practice" giving additional time and effort to the more difficult hand frustrated at not being able to play it faster.

So what occurred to me was. I'm going about this all wrong.

I can play the hard hand at tempo or even above separately.

I bring in the easier part and my hands together tempo suddenly drops to 50%.

What I do now is attempt to remove the easier hand. This is the hand that's causing the problem for my other hand. Therefore, it has to go. It is not welcome. The other hand "objects to its presence". So I will practice this easier hand as fast as I can get it. Double, triple the tempo, whatever. This hand goes on "Automatic Pilot". The left hand apparently has a brain (I have to admit I didn't know this). I must not let the left hand "know" that the easier right hand part (or vice versa) is playing. If he (yes my left hand is male) finds out he will shut down. I must fool him. This often works quite well for me. How about you?

Essentially what has happened is my hands together tempo has increased from the lower end of the range say 50% to the higher end of the range say 90%. Again, this was by practicing the much easier part even faster.

Another thing I discovered now.

After I learned a piece and haven't played it in a while, when I come back to it the hands together tempo has diminished and therefore can't be performed so readily.

What I do now is try to play hands together above tempo. Yes, rush the piece.

Why should my performance of any piece be at maximum effort?

All over this forum it is stated "Tenseness Bad Relaxation Good" (Fire Bad Friend Good) LOL

I find I am more relaxed and can listen to the sounds I'm making when not playing a piece the fastest I have practiced it.

So what happens for me is this:

I learn a piece at let's say 25% above tempo.

I don't play it for a while.

I am at a party or somewhere with a piano.

I can no longer play the piece rushed at 25% more than it should be. This is okay with me as I would not perform it at that tempo anyway.

However, I can play the piece at tempo or close enough to it.

Also, the number of repetitions for "bringing a piece back" to performance level is fewer.

I use these "saved repetitions" for practicing the piece above tempo.

This keeps my technique a little sharper and my "unexpected performances" more polished.

I don't have any percentages on this.

What is your experience?

[m1469]

I must not let the left hand "know" that the easier right hand part (or vice versa) is playing. If he (yes my left hand is male) finds out he will shut down. I must fool him. This often works quite well for me. How about you?

Yes, I notice experiences like this more and more.  I've been for a couple of months now doing extra practice with LH alone (though I need even a lot more, too).  And, I realize that the more HS practice I do, and the more they can be doing their own thing as though they have their own brains, the better everything goes.  Sometimes I think almost exactly as you described; that I have to fool myself into thinking or feeling as though the other hand isn't playing (it's tricky to do that to both hands (not let it know the other is playing) while both are playing!). 

[nyiregyhazi]

I'd actually go as far as to say that the easier hand is what holds back the difficult hand more at least often as not. Often, students need to properly learn the "easy" hand to fix problems that might seem to lie in the other part.