I'm struggling to play melodies with both hands at the same time on my keyboard, advice?

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lizzie1991
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I'm struggling to play melodies with both hands at the same time on my keyboard, advice?

Post by lizzie1991 »

Hi everyone I recently got a keyboard piano. I can play it confidently using my left hand and fingers, my right is slower and the fingers are stiffer which I'm trying to get that looked into. Anyway I know what I need to play in the opposite hand in my mind and know the notes. For some reason it's as though my brain has gone stiff, I try to play different parts of the melodies with both hands and I just can't physically get the movements out there with both hands playing at the same time. It's more a stop start action. If I'm not making sense I will try and explain again. I can only play each part separately. I have known for a long time I struggle with this sort of thing but didn't know why or make any fuss about it or anything as I didn't have knowledge back then. It's as thought it's a stiffness stopping you physically doing the actions. It's in your mind but both hands won't do as you planned.I have seen other posts, one person said unless the hands are playing the same thing at the same time they can't do it and it's the same for me.

Has anyone got any advice, I want to try and work around it. Thanks for reading.
Code_Inconnu
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Re: I'm struggling to play melodies with both hands at the same time on my keyboard, advice?

Post by Code_Inconnu »

I have exactly the same problem. Five years worth of lessons yielded little progress.

I find that if the melodies have the same rhythm, or only break rhythm for little arpeggios that fit within a right hand crotchet or whatever, I can struggle through them. But anything with divergent rhythm does my head in. I also prefer slow tempo to fast, for obvious reasons.

It's incredibly frustrating, because my hands can't "obey" my mind, so to speak. I often look for sheet music that has been simplified so I still get the satisfaction of playing a decent piece, rather than boring grade book stuff.

I'm more into composition now. I know some people who can play well so if I write some sheet music they can bring it to life. I just play around on the piano and see what works and jot it down if it sounds good.

Sorry that none of this amounts to concrete advice, just a few alternatives.
lizzie1991
Getting settled in
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Joined: Fri Oct 20, 2017 12:48 pm

Re: I'm struggling to play melodies with both hands at the same time on my keyboard, advice?

Post by lizzie1991 »

Hi, that's fine I'm glad you understand what I'm going on about. My psychiatrist the other week has told me I may need to see a neurologist about this right hand and the fingers not being able to obey my brain whereas the left can. Also regarding my hands not being able to play separate rhythms at once my friends says it's like your fingers can't process what you need to do. I tend to be able to only use my index finger for playing notes the other fingers can't move to press without being Clumsy.
Dan
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Re: I'm struggling to play melodies with both hands at the same time on my keyboard, advice?

Post by Dan »

I play piano pretty competently now, but at the beginning, I found this difficult too. Everybody does, actually. It's all about making one's arm movement logic more discrete, ie. more disconnected.
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