Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum FFFF, and hand expression independence.

I used to be an FFFF (yes an extra F) fortissimo+1 player.

I play a lot softer now as I turned the volume way up.

One thing I am having trouble with is I can't play one hand softer or harder than the other hand. I can do it now and again, but often when the melody needs to be played louder I can;t manage it.

They come out at the same 'loudness' for lack of a better word so I get an MP or a P on the melody. I have difficulty varying the strength I play on both hands. Both hands come out at MP instead of just one.

Can anybody give some advice or direct me to some exercises?

EDIT

Note I'm right handed but strangely I appear to be 'better' with my left in terms of all my scales. Hitting the right notes and playing softly with it.


Thanks

Two things that help me: First try to "hear" the hand you want louder ; second practice with one hand ppp, the other fff.

Practicing HT scales may help with this. One time, L hand f and R hand p, then change it up. It's yet another element of hand independence, which gets better with, you guessed it, practice. It'll come together - have faith.

Best,
Andy

I find scales and areggios smoother with my left...... im right handed... (though i write with my left for some strange reason....)

2 things i would try... and over a period of time like a few weeks to get some improvement...

Slow things down with a metronome.... whatever you can play comfortably, if you are having issues with bringing out the melody, reduce the tempo by a third and concentrate on listening to yourself...

Practice groups of slurred notes, for eg ... put left hand on ç3 to g3 and right hand c5 to g5. Practice slurs with bringing the beat out with alternating hands and rythms. Ie

C3→c5, d3→D5, e3→E5, F5→f5.... keep moving the rhythm around, adding a swing beat.... adjusting which hand gets the strong beat ect....

Itll help with the brain recognising your commands with regards softer touch.... but as with all things... time and diligence will pay off...

Hope it hps... good luck :-)

Will give it a couple of weeks....

Thanks