Goldberg Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Let it be known: my left hand alone has messed up its LAST SONG! While playing variation 1 of the Goldberg, nearing the end, my left hand (particularly, fingers 2, 3, and 4) mushed its notes together, creating that oh-so-not-Bach unclean sound. NEVER AGAIN! So what do I plan on doing about this? Dadgummit, by the end of this school year my left hand will pull out even with my right hand, if I have any say in it! Really, though, I've already started the salvation process, which will last as long as it has to. I'm going to bust out and dust off the Herz exercises, and specifically practice the left hand to make sure it's all correct (when doing it before, I now realize that my right hand tended to play over the left hand's mistakes, causing them to be hard to hear). The Herz exercises reaally worked well for my right hand, and I'll be happy to give an explanation to anyone who's interested. Now, the question is how long do you think is safe to practice this sort of hand-building exercise if you will...I certainly don't want to over-practice and do more harm than good. I suppose I'll start with 30 minutes of the Herz, scales, trills, and arpeggios along with a few other things. As it is, my left hand isn't TERRIBLE; it CAN do some pretty darned fast arpeggios and scales if I don't say so myself...but it can still use some work. Well, I apologize about my rant...I don't think this thread is very useful to anyone, so, here...I guess it'll be the "Why to hate your left hand thread". "Bach is ever new"-Glenn Gould Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Wanna hate your left hand? Two words: Keith Emerson. "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundWrangler Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Wanna despise your LH completely (not to mention abandoning all hope of attaining the true summit of virtuosity & innovation)? "Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superbobus Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Wanna hate BOTH hands? Two more words... Art Tatum Soulstars http://www.bobwijnen.nl Hipness is not a state of mind, it's a fact of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundWrangler Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by Superbobus: Wanna hate BOTH hands? Two more words... Art TatumTrue!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pierce Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 My left hand is so dumb... "How dumb is he?" ....... --Dave Make my funk the P-funk. I wants to get funked up. My Funk/Jam originals project: http://www.thefunkery.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoundWrangler Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by Dave Pierce: My left hand is so dumb... "How dumb is he?"So dumb that he thinks "stride piano" should go left, right, left, right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erlic Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Don't feel all that bad. My left hand is basically like a ruptured duck. I guess that's what happens when you start off as an accordianist, (waits till all the laughter dies down), and tries to cross over into the world of piano and organ. Oh yeah, ruptured duck city it is. The right hand is great, no problem there, but the left................ _____________ Erlic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by Erlic: Don't feel all that bad. My left hand is basically like a ruptured duck. I guess that's what happens when you start off as an accordianist,OK, you started it. I can't resist. How is an accordian different from an Onion? Answer: Nobody cries when you cut up an accordian. Actually this only applies to certain styles of accordian playing - Zydeco accordian especially can be way cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by SoundWrangler: Originally posted by Superbobus: Wanna hate BOTH hands? Two more words... Art TatumTrue!!! Then there's the guy we get to blame for starting all this left hand of God stuff - James P Johnston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViLo Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by Striker1080: Let it be known: my left hand alone has messed up its LAST SONG! While playing variation 1 of the Goldberg, nearing the end, my left hand (particularly, fingers 2, 3, and 4) mushed its notes together, creating that oh-so-not-Bach unclean sound. NEVER AGAIN! So what do I plan on doing about this? Dadgummit, by the end of this school year my left hand will pull out even with my right hand, if I have any say in it! Really, though, I've already started the salvation process, which will last as long as it has to. I'm going to bust out and dust off the Herz exercises, and specifically practice the left hand to make sure it's all correct (when doing it before, I now realize that my right hand tended to play over the left hand's mistakes, causing them to be hard to hear). The Herz exercises reaally worked well for my right hand, and I'll be happy to give an explanation to anyone who's interested. Now, the question is how long do you think is safe to practice this sort of hand-building exercise if you will...I certainly don't want to over-practice and do more harm than good. I suppose I'll start with 30 minutes of the Herz, scales, trills, and arpeggios along with a few other things. As it is, my left hand isn't TERRIBLE; it CAN do some pretty darned fast arpeggios and scales if I don't say so myself...but it can still use some work. Well, I apologize about my rant...I don't think this thread is very useful to anyone, so, here...I guess it'll be the "Why to hate your left hand thread".For a moment I tought you were going to cut your hand like they do in Sadam's part of the world! Jesus Is Coming, Make Music, Get Ready! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldberg Posted February 10, 2003 Author Share Posted February 10, 2003 Well, lol, actually I returned to the piano shortly after slamming my left hand, and after a short warm up, I replayed part of the Goldberg variations quite to my satisfaction. Heh. I guess all my left hand needed was a stern talking to...("don't you ever do that again!") "Bach is ever new"-Glenn Gould Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 You probably know about Leon Fleischer. Amazing story. Here's a bio: http://www.allclassical.com/cg/acg.dll?p=acg&sql=1:23804~C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I might as well not even have a left hand. It just sort of flops around and plays an occasional random root and fifth. I really, really am a poor keyboardist. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superbobus Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Funny left hand story: It was told by a friend who knows Tom Harrell really well. Tom Harrell is a fantastic trumpet player (I him on the fluegel), but he's suffering from severe schizophrenia. One night this guy asked him, when he was in a really good mood: "Dude, how is you sex life?" Tom's answer: "Man, even my left hand hates me..." Soulstars http://www.bobwijnen.nl Hipness is not a state of mind, it's a fact of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Fortner Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 When I use my left hand... it feels like it's someone else. Stephen Fortner Principal, Fortner Media Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Do left handed people have this problem? Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 Originally posted by SteveFortner: When I use my left hand... it feels like it's someone else. I call that move, "The Stranger" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bond1 Posted February 10, 2003 Share Posted February 10, 2003 I've actually built my left hand's chops pretty well. I LOVE playing stride piano. Sadly though, I can't reach 10ths, i have to "roll" them, which is pretty difficult in itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Want to really, really, really hate your left hand. Three words. Kenny Drew Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erlic Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Too cool Byrdman, too cool LOL. Very nice, and well done. _____________ Erlic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmieWannaB Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Originally posted by Jeff I might as well not even have a left hand. It just sort of flops around and plays an occasional random root and fifth. That's why Hammonds and synths have all those nifty sliders, switches and pots - to give me the feeling that my left hand is actually doing something more useful than picking my nose or scratching my ass. Gotta remember to do that in the right order (nose, then ass) and not cycle back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marino Posted February 11, 2003 Share Posted February 11, 2003 Maybe you know that story, of Tatum challenging a stoned Bud Powell one night, to play anything with the right hand, and repeating it immediately with his left! Here's one I would call 'ambidextrous'! For improving your left hand, you could... -Learn Brahms' piano transcription of the Bach 'Ciaccona' for solo violin. It's for the left hand only, and it's a challenge to play - plus, it doesn't hurt that it's wonderful music. -Again from Brahms, there's a transcription of Schubert's Improvviso (Impromtu) in Eb for piano, where Brahms just SWAPPED the right and left hand parts. Reading it is a crazy experience! -If you still have some doubt about Brahms being nuts, just try the left-hand part of the solo piano version of his Hungarian Dances - *any* one. I've never been able to play a whole one without problems! (OTOH, I didn't put the required months on it...) -Take "The Well-Tempered Clavier" and just start reading! -There's always the Revolutionary Etude (Chopin's op.10 n.12, in C minor) to keep your lefty warm and happy for years. -Now for the seriously fanatic - get a copy of Czerny's "School of the Left Hand". These are some of the most absurdly difficult pieces you can challenge your left hand with. Graced with Czerny's trademarked barbershop style and impossible metronome markings, these pieces are both very difficult *and* very ugly - an unbeatable combination for the pianomasochists! -Finally, if you are a world-class virtuoso and have played "Gaspard de la nuit" last night, you may want to have a look at the "Chopin-Etuden" by Leopold Godowsky. It may have a passage or two that will leave you scratching your head... The guy took some of the Chopin Etudes, and did every sort of permutation on them, sometimes just *superimposing* other stuff over the original! Not 'just' for the left hand, but let's not be picky... (In case it wouldn't be perfectly clear, I had a look at the music once, and that was it ). Carlo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggum Posted February 12, 2003 Share Posted February 12, 2003 There was a great article many years ago in Keyboard about Borah Bergman. If you're ever interested in unconventional playing techniques, or desire true independence among all ten digits, it's worth a read. I only wish I knew which issue it was..... Wiggum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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