Midwesternlefty wrote:
Hello all. I'm a left-handed adult who is taking piano lessons for the first time. While I'm learning most things just fine, I can't get down the rhythm at all! I try to play along with the metronome, but it just sounds like noise to me. I get so frustrated, it's terrible. Has anyone else had this problem?
March 5, 2009
12 comments:
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How do you do with rhythm when you are not playing the piano? That is, can you tap your foot in time to music when you're just listening? Are you reasonably comfortable on the dance floor? Can you feel the beat? Can you listen to a piece of music and count the beats out loud? If you are not normally rhythm-challenged, then it may just be that the sound of the metronome is distracting you in some way. Maybe asking someone to count out loud for you would help. Perhaps it would work better if you could get someone to sit next to you and tap their foot while you tap yours.
ReplyDeleteDear Midwesternlefty:
ReplyDeleteHello! I am also a lefty. I have been playing piano for over four years (I am 12) and can help you with any piano problems.
My piano teacher is AMAZING. She taught me how to face the same problems that you are facing. Here is a solution you might want to consider:
Count the beats in your head. As you play, you'll get used to the half notes and quarter notes and rests (have you started rests yet? If not, forget what I said about rests, they'll be too confusing for someone who doesn't know about them yet).
Or, count the beats out loud. Or clap and count the rhythm: your choice.
I hope this helps you.
-Anna
Thanks, Rosemary and Anna, for your great ideas! I've never thought of myself as bad at keeping rhythm before, but I guess I'd never really thought about it. I'm going to try counting in my head and out load and not use the metronome again.
ReplyDeleteGuittar is also a great instrument! I played it for a couple of years
ReplyDelete@midwesternlefty
ReplyDeleteI play several instruments. When I first began, as a kid 20+ years ago I found playing to a *real* beat a big help. You can get drum beats online as "loops" and with the right software play them so that they repeat over and over while you play. Start with something simple and move to the more complex later. I found metronomes more annoying than my own "noise". :-)
Keep at it lefty. I'm a left handed adult just learning to play. Your challenge is not confined to left handed people alone.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't come to me naturally to count as I play. It's just another little piece to learn. Sounds like it's probably just a challenge with filtering out the 'other' noise/aka metronome.
I've been at it for a couple of months now and don't use a metronome, nor has one been suggested yet. What does work for me since I can play a little by ear is to have the teacher play the piece first so I can hear how it's suppose to sound. If it's a new piece I'm tinkling away at, at home, I listen to it on Youtube first, then the teacher corrects anything that she doesn't like when I play it for her. I'm usually dragging the piece towards jazz more than it's supposed to be.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Cheers!
Jen
hi im a lefty and have been playing the piano since i was in the second grade and its just as easy as a right handed person so try harder and keep practicing.
ReplyDeleteYou should use the metronome to learn to count, remember not to just count, it will train your internal metromome, just try to put up with it for a while, its just one of those things im afraid.
ReplyDeleteIve played piano for many years and my left hand has never been a problem. The reason you may be having problem is because your just staqrting i know a couple of people who have trouble with melody an rythem on all kinds of instruments so your not alone! besides the random hand seizures during concerts left handedness on the piano doesnt really affect anything to my opinion. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to learn the piano. Do you have any tips you could share? I'd appreciate anything since I'm totally new to the piano. I've played the guitar for about 6 years if you think that matters. Thanks in advance!
ReplyDeleteThis might be an interesting read for you - concerning handedness and Rhythm issues when learning to play the piano: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2493/is_6_55/ai_n16598103/?tag=content;col1
ReplyDeleteI am left-handed as well, but I never had issues with Rhythm. Learning first to play the guitar I had a leg up being left-handed on a right-handed guitar but now as I am learning to play piano I am dealing with my right hand not being as articulated as my left, but the right hand seems to be doing most of the work on the piano - interesting challenge.
I am a lefty and am currenly learning piano. I do play other instruments as well such as the alto sax and percussion. I kinda have an advantage with my right hand becuase of playing drums but, I wanted to know does anyone have any practice techniques I can do to help improve my right hand performance. I seem to tightn up and just a cant seem to find a comportable position for that right hand on the keys. The left hand is totaly comfortable but I gota get that right hand up to speed. Any suggestions? Thanks.....
ReplyDelete