Help! My left hand is retarded!

As a beginner, I am experiencing great frustration in the misbehavior of my left hand, in particular the 3, 4 and 5 fingers.

If I am doing drills, like hanon #1 and #2, when I move from my 4th to my 3rd finger, my 5th finger sticks out like a stick, and the 4th wants to follow. I am trying to play left hand only, super super slow, but this irritating behavior persists.

It is more pronounced as my left hand works its way up through the drills and my left hand moves more to the right.

Needless to say, it is not possible to play anything fluidly at any speed when this is going on. And my left forearm is burning from the exertion of it, but I can't seem to make it stop!

The right hand is fine; smooth and clean and I can play scales or drills for a loooong time before that hand gets tired.

Anyone have any tips, tricks or suggestions to help me get past this?

Thanks,

I'm a beginner too, and my hopelessly awkward fingers finally just automatically started behaving better after awhile. It's only been a couple of months, but looking back now, it's rather amazing (relatively <g>. So if that's applicable, just hang in there.

I think keeping the fingers curved like the teacher says is a big part of it, and if it sticks out like a stick, then it isnt curved. Since that's the complaint, maybe this is superficial, but maybe actually work on keeping them curved as the solution.

is this a serious posting? hmm . benefit of the doubt and all that - ahh, hands together at all times bryan . teamwork is what you need. ditch that 'super super slow' nonsense .. slow(ly) is quite enough. as a (right-handed ?) beginner of what age? and, beginner meaning ..? any chronic illnesses or acute injuries you may have failed to cite? just could be you are taking too tight a narrow view . relax ! work ! (as suggested by the originator, hanon, master # 1; then, move on ..)

Relax. Tension is your enemy. The harder you try to force the fingers into a particular shape, the less chance you have of playing beautifully. And as you observe, as time goes on, the worse it gets.

I would ditch Hanon personally, and start playing some music. Bach is your friend here - there is plenty of stuff for beginners, with melodies in both hands that will exercise your fingers AND sound lovely. You could also try Czerny.

Aim for maximal relaxation. And don't try to run before you can walk. These things take time...

Bryan

I'm sure we've all felt the same. Bear in mind that in the normal course of events, you hardly use anything other than your thumb and first and index fingers for indepedent tasks (writing, holding cultery, etc.). And if - as I assume - you are right-handed, then that is true in spades for the left hand. So is it any surprise when you come to your piano and try to use your 3 & 4 LH fingers to distinguish between mezzo forte and fortissimo?

What you need (as Mr K says) is some type of physical 'exercise' to develop independent movement and strength in the lazy fingers. What I do is to take a ive note run and play each note in turn using each of the LH fingers from 5 to 1. Tempo isn't that important her, but play forte and legato - try and make sure that there is neither a break nor an overlap between each note as you play t. It hurts a little at first, so don't overdo it and risk tendonitis. But it really does work over time.

Further to my earlier message I agree with Stefaan that time is the thing. I have been struggling with Debussy's Arabesque No. 1 for a while now, but tonight it all came together. I don't know if there is an academic definition, but my experience is that you can practice and practice a certain passage until distraction, but it will ferment in your brain and body while away from the piano and come out good next time you play. I have a similar experience doing cryptic crossword puzzles - leave it for a while and the subconscious (possibly the most powerful force in the known universe) will supply the answer.

Now all I have to do is to master chromatic scales in contrary motion (for an exam, you understand, not for pleasure!)

Dear grunt, I suggest that he play all notes with the right hand in C position using the standard thumb cross over; and all notes on the left hand in standard G position.

Which means that counting from the PINKY of the left hand starting at one, and from the Thumb of the right hand starting at one

Still smoking that cheap indian stuff ?

Czerny WAS NOT Beethoven's teacher ! He was his pupil. Brahms wrote exercises, Chopin and Liszt wrote etudes, Bartok wrote Mikrokosmos for kids. Inferior brains, indeed ! Following yourline of thought we should also discard all teachers who were/are not concert pianists.

Why indeed do you think so ? C.C.C: '...Bach; he has composed good finger technique pieces for the very beginner all the way up'. And I know of at least one 'fingering' exercise written by Mozart.

What is technique?

What is it ?