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Topic: A couple questions from a complete beginner  (Read 2039 times)

Offline The Magic

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A couple questions from a complete beginner
on: February 07, 2005, 07:50:36 AM
Hello everyone, I am just starting out and have a couple questions I was hoping somebody could answer.

My first question pertains to sheet music. I don't have trouble reading it, but on one of the songs I have been practicing it has something I've never seen before and I can't seem to find an explanation of it anywhere. You can see the images here and here. The parts I'm wondering about are circled, where some lines elevate about the normal note lines and there is a number 1 and a number 2 (picture 2).

Secondly, I was wondering if any has any tips on how to improve playing two different things at once with two hands. For example, in the music I linked above, the chords and main melody together. I find myself improving quickly on the pieces I'm practicing, but I'm only practicing with one hand at a time. Anytime I try to use both hands together it's like my brain freezes up and I can't play. This is only about my third day, so I understand that this probably should be difficult, but I fear if I don't start practicing to correct this that it could turn into a long term problem. It really bothers me because it has nothing to do with my speed or ability to play those parts individually, it's that my brain freezes completely and I can't play them together. Is this a common problem for people new to the piano? What can I do to help correct this problem?

Any help would be appreciated and thank you in advance.

Offline rhapsody in orange

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Re: A couple questions from a complete beginner
Reply #1 on: February 07, 2005, 09:14:42 AM
Hi.
You basically play the piece till you reach that bar you circled (the first-time bar), then you repeat bars 10-16 and proceed to the second-time bar (bar18) without playing bar 17. Then you continue with the rest of the music till you reach the end. The double bar-line with the 2 dots signals for a repeat.. either from the beginning or from where you can see the other repeat sign (bar10 in this case).

As for improving your playing, I guess playing more and being more experienced would certainly help. Practising hands separate is a good idea, and then you can start off slow when you are doing hands together. Don't worry, be patient and work at it and it should turn out fine.

Quote
Is this a common problem for people new to the piano?
I've seen a lot of this. My mom had this problem when she started learning the piano (she's an adult beginner). But as often said, practice makes perfect. The more you practise, the easier it becomes =)

All the best with that piece!
when words fail, music speaks

Offline bernhard

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Re: A couple questions from a complete beginner
Reply #2 on: February 07, 2005, 09:16:31 AM
They are repeat directions. Look at bars 10 – 17. They have thick, double bar lines at each end (with two pairs of dots on the third line). These bar lines direct you to repeat the section they enclose (double thick bar lines without the pair of dots indicate the end of the piece). The number 1 indicates “first time round”. The number 2 indicates “second time round”. So you play bars 10 – 17 exactly as written. Then you repeat that section again from bar 10, but instead of playing bar 17 (which has the “1” above it), you replace it with bar 18 (the one that has the “2” above it, that is second time round). Is that understandable?

And yes, you are right. Hands together is 37 times more difficult than hands separate (I kid you not!). With hands separate you are dealing with technique only, but when you join hands you add the problem of co-ordination which is one of the main reason (there are others) why working on a section with HS before joining hands is a very good advice, especially for beginners.

Have a look at these threads where more specific advice and discussion on this subject can be found:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3917.msg35495.html#msg35495
(How to improve left hand – dropping notes for coordination)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2802.msg24467.html#msg24467
(When to join hands)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3085.msg27140.html#msg27140
(Hands together: when and how – dropping notes)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4123.msg37829.html#msg37829
(several ideas are re-explained and reinforced in this thread – How to investigate the best movement pattern: Example Scarlatti sonata K70 – How to work out the best fingering. Example: CPE Bach Allegro in A – Slow x slow motion practice – HS x HT – practising for only 5 – 10 minutes)

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.
The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side. (Hunter Thompson)

Offline betricia

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Re: A couple questions from a complete beginner
Reply #3 on: February 07, 2005, 09:12:04 PM
Can't help you but you have had good replies now anyway.  S'cuse me for muscling in on your thread but how good does one have to get at a piece before starting another?  I have several on the go at the moment and although I can play them all they need improving so I end up practising them all.  Is this wrong? ???  What do you do Magic?
Thanks
Patricia

Offline The Magic

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Re: A couple questions from a complete beginner
Reply #4 on: February 07, 2005, 11:29:27 PM
Thanks for the advice everyone.

Betricia, I have a few pieces I'm working on at a time. About three right now (I would play more variety but I *really* want to be able to play the one above). By no means am I experienced, but I would think having a variety of pieces to play at an early stage would help development a lot. Especially if you can select different pieces that work on different things like chords, scales, left hand/right hand etc.

It's also more interesting rather than playing the same thing for very long time, in my opinion.

Offline betricia

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Re: A couple questions from a complete beginner
Reply #5 on: February 08, 2005, 07:15:40 AM
Good point,  thanks Magic
Patricia :)
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