Controlling the left hand

[momopi]

How I practice controlling the accompanying left hand so that it won't sound louder than the melody? My left hand is rather loud...

[prestoconfuocco]

Start out by playing pianissimo slowly in both hands, and when you think you're pretty fluent start gradually playing harder with the right hand.
Try working on waltzes, they always make you more sensitive to that kind of stuff.

[hfmadopter]

These days if I want a softer bass then I play it softer but trying to think back to how I got there. First, if it's an acoustic piano it has to be capable of soft playing, responsive to a light touch. Not all are. From there it becomes relative, so even if you lighten up you can only do so to a point then there is no choice but to raise the volume in the right hand. And of course Forte becomes quite loud when you need that ! So you have to know the range of your piano before you can begin.

I always liked practicing light arpeggio in the left hand as an exercise toward gaining a light touch in the bass. Then add a melody, even if it's just a made up thing of your own to play against that. Keep the light bass going and increase and decrease the melody in the right hand , again as an exercise. Don't be afraid to let loose with the volume in that right hand now and then, let it roar. You will start to gain control in both hands in due time. Let it roar in both hands as well as you gain confidence, it's the only way you will learn the range of your instrument really.

[awesom_o]

Practice improvising with your left hand alone! Develop your LH until it is your main creative voice at the piano!

[ted]

Unless I am playing certain idioms, for example stride or ragtime, my days of thinking in terms of separate functions for each hand are long gone. I can no longer see any sense in regarding the hands as different in either technique or musical function. Also, improvisation really comes alive once you establish the habit of thinking through both hands, something very few jazz pianists seem able to do. It might feel weak at first, but the rewards of strengthening the left hand and giving it musical equality are well worth a few months of effort.

awesom_o's idea of one- handed creative work is very good. If you find that too taxing, just do it with minimal right hand participation to provide microsleeps for the left until it becomes easy.

[awesom_o]

Oh man... my LH is so 'creative' though.....

I'm having a hard time getting it to behave so that I can get my boogie and stride on!

In those styles, the LH has to be solid like a rock! A very.....movable rock.....

[hfmadopter]

Oh man... my LH is so 'creative' though.....

I'm having a hard time getting it to behave so that I can get my boogie and stride on!

In those styles, the LH has to be solid like a rock! A very.....movable rock.....

I know what you mean, I find myself filling in with bits of 1/16th note runs where none are written. In popular music especially, the left hand just starts running because with pop I tend to ignore the written score for the left hand other than for timing. Sometimes it runs up into melody territory, other times down deeper into the bass. Depends on the key the piece is in, I'm not that confident with all keys or music styles but pop usually ( or new age pop) is written in a key I know well. I need to expand my key range knowledge.

Of course that's on good days, not all practice days are good days ! Once I get something I like though I keep it going.

[awesom_o]

Yeah the thing about boogie woogie is.... the left hand's got the boogie.......and the right hand's got the woogie.

I'm used to just doing any old thing with any old hand

So it takes some good, proper training to really get down with the boogie in all keys!

[momopi]

Start out by playing pianissimo slowly in both hands, and when you think you're pretty fluent start gradually playing harder with the right hand.
Try working on waltzes, they always make you more sensitive to that kind of stuff.

Yes, my problem is with those waltzes as my accompanying left hand muddles the sound of the right hand melody.  

Practice improvising with your left hand alone! Develop your LH until it is your main creative voice at the piano!

I always liked practicing light arpeggio in the left hand as an exercise toward gaining a light touch in the bass. Then add a melody, even if it's just a made up thing of your own to play against that. Keep the light bass going and increase and decrease the melody in the right hand , again as an exercise. Don't be afraid to let loose with the volume in that right hand now and then, let it roar. You will start to gain control in both hands in due time. Let it roar in both hands as well as you gain confidence, it's the only way you will learn the range of your instrument really.

@awesom and hfmadopter: I will try those. Thank you! 

[sucom]

Something else to try could be to take a chord in your music and deliberately try to make the highest note in your right hand 'sing' over the top of the chord.  A 'ding' sound like you might get if you flicked a bell with your fingernail.  Repeat the chord several times listening intently for that 'ding' sound over the top of the other notes.  If you keep trying this, focussing on the top note, you will eventually get better and better at it.

I believe that just by thinking about bringing out the melody above the accompaniment and pushing into the melody notes will eventually get you there.  These two methods worked for me and hopefully will work for you too.

[momopi]

Yep, I'm also trying to improve that one. My former teacher (my favorite one, the one old; not the new psycho one that I'm leaving this week) would always tell me to bring out the melody - in our local language, of course. I didn't know it was called voicing in English. I just found out this week.

I remember someone posted for me a Bach excerpt with notes encircled in different colors. I just don't remember which thread... But it was cute and I think it's a good way to learn.

[momopi]

I'm still having difficulty with controlling the left hand and also, making certain notes in one hand sound louder than the rest.

Sigh. This is difficult. >______<