Patting Your Head, While Rubbing Your Belly!

[Richard]

I've just completed Bootcamp.. Intermidiate 17.. lesson and it was just like trying to, pat your head and rub you belly at the same time!

This requires you to keep a steady beat with left hand while do something a bit different with your right. What I found really surprising was that there wasn't a major amount of difference needed with the right hand, but it sent me all over the place... may brain couldn't cope with doing two things at once!

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I can do this when I drive a car, and do it without thinking about it, so is it just a matter of practicing?

This would be a great place to add left and right hand exercises? Ideas welcome.... please?

[davidsides]

I definitely know what you're talking about. Doing two different things at the same time is tough to do at first, but after putting in enough practice it will become as easy as driving a car while doing something else (although that's not advised, for safety reasons).

Have you tried playing this lesson with the slow speed?

[Richard]

Hi David

Yes had to slow it down to start with.. which certainly helped!

Repetition must be the key... no pun intended... so I suppose the first thing is to find repetitive patterns for the LH.. thinking of using inversions and common progressions.. ie, C 2nd inv... to F 1st inv and repeat.. then try C to G.... Am etc... what do you think?

[davidsides]

You're absolutely right.

Having played the piano for many years, I can personally say that there's a lot of repetition - and the more familiar you are with playing things that tend to repeat, the faster you will pick up the music. In the beginning stage it's all about putting in the time playing through the repetition. It will eventually become second nature.