'Weaker' hand

Moonlight · Post by **Moonlight** » 12 Sep 2008, 13:33

I was wondering, is it a normal problem to have a 'weaker' hand. What I mean is that my left hand feels less relaxed nad is not as good at articulating notes as my right hand, and it is slower.

I find this a bit weird as I'm left handed, although I must admit when doing other things like using scissors and using the mouse on the computer I'm right handed

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Is it a normal thing to have a hand that is less coordinated or should they be the same in ability? Is there a way I can resovle this?

Its quite noticeable when I do broken chords with their inversions.

Does anybody else have this problem?

Geelan · Post by **Geelan** » 12 Sep 2008, 14:03

I'd be surprised to find somebody who has not a natural imbalance in the use of both hands.
I imagine few, if any, would be naturally 100% amdidextrous.
Though I'm right handed in most things, I use my left when playing golf or using a spade in the garden.
On piano, it is my left which I find easier to manipulate and, in particular, the 5th finger left is more agile than the 5th right.
However, I notice Hanon is fixing those differences.

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 12 Sep 2008, 17:59

If it makes you feel better - My left hand is not equal to my right. Its way better now than it ever was, but I don't think it will ever get there. I'm at the stage now that an audience and even an audition panel don't notice, but I still feel it!

All the things you're saying, about not being as relaxed in the left as in the right, feeling weak, it all rings true to me. You have to make an effort to relax (sounds funny doesn't it) and practise slowly. ALSO, don't be too worried about it. Think of the music as a task to be mastered, as in, enjoy the struggle! Don't think 'Oh my left hand is so weak', think about the sound and the touch!

You'll be playing the Chopin revolutionary before long!

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 12 Sep 2008, 18:22

Like this man?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCo1OVNbYFQ

If i played my left hand notes like that I'd get kicked up the you know what by my mentor. Mind you, this particular singer pianist had style!!! (except for that thing on his top lip....)

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 12 Sep 2008, 19:07

nick cave's handle bars are bigger!

Geelan · Post by **Geelan** » 12 Sep 2008, 19:12

But what a singer! What a performer!
By pure accident I was at Freddie's funeral back in the eighties.
Myself and a friend had been making a visit to Kensal Green cemetry and as we came up to the crematorium building, Freddie's funeral cortege pulled in.
At the time I remember thinking there was something familiar about some of the faces, but under the circumstances I just couldn't stop and stare. I thought nothing more about it until an announcement on the news that night - I've been kicking myself ever since!
That Wembly version of Bohemian Rhapsody hasn't a patch on the original release, IMHO. Queen's Greatest Hits CDs and DVDs are just magic.

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 12 Sep 2008, 22:14

Geelan wrote:I'd be surprised to find somebody who has not a natural imbalance in the use of both hands.
I imagine few, if any, would be naturally 100% amdidextrous.

I remember a comedian saying that he was ambidextrous - he can't write anything with both hands!

Moonlight · Post by **Moonlight** » 13 Sep 2008, 13:35

Hi guys!

Thanks for your comments! I do feel better knowing its a normal thing to have a less coordinated hand. I wasn't too bothered about it, I just wanted to know what other peoples thoughts were about this question.

Thanks !!!

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 13 Sep 2008, 16:51

I sometimes wonder if people who write with their left hand have the same issue. My last (and sadly late) piano teacher was a leftie and I always meant to ask her that question!

Moonlight · Post by **Moonlight** » 13 Sep 2008, 18:03

Well I'm left handed and thats my less coordinated hand for playing the piano, for some reason its my right hand thats better and faster.

Its funny because I can't use the mouse with my left hand only the right, but its usefull because I don't need to put my pen down when writing infomation down from the computer

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I think its becuase when I was learing how to use the computer at school (years ago!) I was too afraid to move the mouse over for my LH to use, and so forced myself to be right handed for that.

PianoAngel · Post by **PianoAngel** » 15 Sep 2008, 12:01

I have a few left-handed students, but they all have stronger right hands at the piano! I've never quite been able to figure out why.

Mark Heller · Post by **Mark Heller** » 15 Sep 2008, 15:28

I'm also left-handed Piano Angel, and while I would say my right hand is generally stronger - particularly playing fast runs, picking out subtle melodies, etc. - my left hand is definitely stronger when it comes to bashing out octaves.

I'd guess that years of training each hand to do different things more than overrides any natural differences between them?

Mark

PS How are you getting on with the Rachmaninov Prelude? I'm working on the slow section now, and having all sorts of fun and games trying to nail down some sensible LH fingering!

sparkley · Post by **sparkley** » 16 Sep 2008, 13:05

I'm a rightie, and find my left hand to be much weaker. I feel like I can't control my hand properly and stumble over the keys sometimes. I might have to try some Hanon to gain strength!

cothse · Post by **cothse** » 30 Sep 2008, 11:16

Interestingly, I'm the same way. Things I do left-handed and right-handed are split down the middle. On the piano, the left is my weaker hand as well. The only thing there is to be done about it is left hand practice. Bach WTC is a good place to start.

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 02 Oct 2008, 23:41

Bach's material would drive a very weak left hander up the wall! Bach's music requires a good balance between both hands in order to perform seemlessly when the left and right hands take over from the other. One piece like this that comes to mind is Preambulum from Partita Nr. 5 in G Major.

joseph · Post by **joseph** » 02 Oct 2008, 23:45

Partita No.5 bugs me every time I practise it!

markymark · Post by **markymark** » 02 Oct 2008, 23:51

I know... sometimes I think to myself that it's a good thing Bach is dead and buried already. I think that it must have been that German precision that does it because the one that really gets me when I'm feeling dull is Inventio 14. Musically fairly straightforward, but the fingering in the second section could catch me if I'm not on the ball!