Left hand Jumps

[keitokyun]

does anyone have any exercises they recommend to improve the speeds of big left hand jumps? Thanks!

[pencilart3]

Chopin's prelude 16. You will certainly have no issues with left hand jumps after that one.

LOL click on the link in my signature... no keep watching until you get to 27 seconds... there we go.

You could also try his Etude Op. 25 No. 4.

[keitokyun]

Thanks!

[visitor]

i use a standard french method metronome drill on the particular jumps that give me trouble in the score, ie in the context of the piece they are found.

i set the metronome to a click that ensure 100% accuracy.  Then I make sure that I move my hand in position faster than necessary so my hand is well in position before the next click, that is i am not arriving at the note at the same time it must be played.

i do not increase the metronome to the next marking up until i can hit it 10/10 times. if i do it 8 or 9 then miss, i start over and the  next is 1 again, then drill drill drill until it's 100% accurate, then i increase it just a bit ie 1 click up and do it again. i do this until i am well over the tempo needed to execute it.  this forces you to practice it until you 'cannot play it wrong' you will essentially automatically play it correctly. it is time intensive, you spend a hour on a single measure and still not be up to goal tempo but eventually it gets there.

[adodd81802]

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[louispodesta]

does anyone have any exercises they recommend to improve the speeds of big left hand jumps? Thanks!

I will share with you what I have been taught , and what I have recently learned on my own:

1)  The first mistake is holding on to a note or a chord, which is one of the first things the Taubman/Golandsky folks teach, and that is to immediately let go.

2)  My teacher, the late Robert Weaver, taught me two things:  first, all of the great pianists, especially Rubinstein, anticipate the next chord or note, if a leap is involved.  That means, that once you strike, you immediately position yourself over the next note or chord, ahead of the beat or half beat.

Next, you do this in terms of a lateral, not arching motion, (strike and then flip).

3)  Taubman/Golandsky teaches what they call "blocking." That means that you organize, with both hands, individual short groups of flips/leaps, always ending in the bass.  Once you get coordinated, then you can speed it up at will.

4)  What I just learned today is the advantage of sitting tall, and also slightly leaning back.  This allows you to see just what the top and bottom notes are that you are trying to strike.  It is kind of hard to miss a note/chord, if you are looking right at it.  Claudio Arrau use to glare, not stare, at his hands.

I hope this helps.

[adodd81802]

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[dcstudio]

generally students think about jumping their 5th finger to another position...when the left hand is jumping--you will have better luck if you think of where your thumb is going to land and an easier time getting there.