Two-handed piano playing and the importance of the left hand
ROLI Learn coach Celia shows us how to go from clumsy to confident with our two-handed piano practice.
Playing the piano with both hands, especially when each hand is performing a different task, can feel extremely overwhelming at first. You might feel confident when playing with your right hand alone, and it may even feel like you’ve mastered it. However, many pianists encounter a natural plateau once they begin combining both hands. As a beginner, the brain isn’t wired for independent hand movement, as we have a natural tendency to mirror our hands. So how can you move past this “stuck point” and transition from one-handed playing to truly coordinated two-handed performance? Here, we’ll explore the unique role of each hand, pick up some tips for hand coordination, and learn why building a strong foundation is key.
Two-handed playing is about rewiring your motor skills through repetition. It’s crucial to remember the importance of balance: neither hand is “secondary” to the other. The left hand is not just in the background, but instead the “leader” of the entire piece. The right hand is not just the melody but rather “the storyteller.”
In the ROLI Learn app, you can play most songs with each hand on its own and then both hands together. You can select this option in a song’s main menu and try applying the tips you find in this guide during your practice.
Why each hand is important: The Right hand is the “storyteller”
Imagining your right hand as “the storyteller” of your piece is a great way to reframe your playing. You may have already started experimenting with tools such as dynamics, phrasing, and expressiveness in your own right-handed playing, but if not, here’s what that would mean:
Dynamics determine how loud or soft a section is.
Phrasing determines when the musical “sentences” start and end. If your song has lyrics, these are your phrases.
Expressiveness gives the song its voice. Every note has the potential to “speak,” and these tools together determine how convincingly that voice comes across.
It’s important to learn the right hand confidently. If you’re wobbly on the right-hand melody, it’s going to show through in your conviction, and it won’t sound as confident. Your audience will notice, but more importantly, you will too.
Why each hand is important: The Left hand is the “leader”
While the right hand is your musical melody and expression, we can think of the left hand as the leader. It acts as a bassline, backbone, and a point of grounding for the piece. Think about the way an orchestra’s conductor may give a command to get louder, but the instrumentalists are the ones who actually execute that command. If the conductor (your left hand) is floppy or unsure of his goals, the instrumentalists (your right hand) won’t be able to follow along. That’s why strengthening and solidifying the left hand first leads to more confident and balanced playing.
People often neglect the left hand because the right hand feels more rewarding. But there’s nothing more fun and exciting than feeling like you have a solid piece on both sides. You’ll know when it happens, it just feels right. It might take a few tries repeating the same song before things feel even remotely natural, and it could even take a few days of practice, but try not to rush this step, and don’t worry if it takes a while to feel coordinated.
While the left hand anchors the piece, the right hand is usually what moves and engages the listener. Happiness, sadness, anger, tension, release — it all comes through the shaping of phrases, the length of notes, and the intensity of dynamics. However, bringing back the idea of balance, this all has to happen at the same time. The challenge (and reward) is learning to merge your expressive right hand with the solid foundation of the left, so both hands complement one another instead of competing.
Tips for independent hand practice
So what’s the best way to do this? The best way to get a solid foundation in both hands is to start playing each part slowly with your hands separated. In this stage, repetition is your friend. If you feel like you’ve repeated the same hand too many times to where you’re almost bored of it, that’s exactly where you want to be. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, everyone starts with slow repetition when learning a piece. It’s key to confident playing.
Tip: In the ROLI Learn app, turn on the metronome and use the speed tool to slow down your playing. Gradually increase the speed as you go.
Once you feel like you’re on the verge of being able to put your hands together slowly, start by incorporating ear training. Sing or hum one hand’s part while playing the other. Then, switch hands, evaluate, and repeat. Once again, repetition is your friend.
Tip: If you’re using the ROLI Learn app, you could even try watching the song play and humming along with each part as the other plays. This drill helps reduce overthinking by solidifying the song in your head. Soon, it will start to feel like second nature as your brain, ear, eyes, and fingers all know what’s coming next.
Taking this a step further, you can also practice this same way by doing hand tap exercises. Play one hand on the piano and tap the notes in the other hand. This is a great way to bridge the gap between putting both hands on the piano.
Putting the hands together
Next, as you start to slowly put your hands together, keep the tempo slower than you think you need. Most players speed up too soon, which leads to mistakes and frustration. By deliberately staying slow, you give your brain time to process both parts at once, allowing coordination to develop naturally. Focus on accuracy and balance, not speed. In time, a faster tempo will come naturally as a byproduct of this control. Loop the difficult passages instead of running full pieces. Remember to allow your left hand to act as a complementary guide to your playing. Your right hand, after a while, will follow along naturally.
The ROLI Learn app actually has a looping feature built in. You can find and select your “stuck spots” and play them until you feel confident.
Practicing outside of songs
To build your skills, you can enhance finger independence and coordination with simple daily drills outside of the songs you’re learning. Practice scales in the ROLI Learn app and see if you can play each scale with both hands! Then, try practicing scales with opposite motion (hands moving in opposite directions). Another great drill is rhythm independence. Play steady notes in your left hand while your right hand plays 2-3 notes for every one. Switch hands to challenge both sides equally. When your fingers feel strong, they’ll play more confidently, and speed won’t feel so daunting. Non-song exercises make it easier to focus on your repertoire with stronger coordination, balance, and musicality.
Here’s a quick recap of key piano practice tips for mastering two-handed playing we covered in this article:
Remember that each hand plays a distinct but equally important role; neither one is more important or central than the other.
Repetition and slow practice are essential. Start with your hands separate, then gradually combine them at a slow tempo.
Balance matters more than speed: players often rush, but deliberate and slow practice looping difficult spots builds control and accuracy first, making speed follow naturally.
Train your brain for two-handed movement with tapping exercises and non-song rhythm exercises.
Build finger strength and coordination by practicing scales.
Whether you’re applying these tips to scales or playing along to your favorite songs, try to keep these points in mind in your practice routine. I’m sure you’ll be seeing steady progress in your journey to master two-handed piano playing.
About Celia Tewey
Celia Tewey is a musician and multi-instrumentalist based in NYC. A jazz pianist first and foremost, Celia has studied and performed piano for over 20 years. With a nurturing teaching approach in her classes and lessons, Celia emphasizes the importance of ear-training, improvisation, repetition, and slow and steady practice. Taking much of her composition style inspiration from greats like Oscar Peterson, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and Vince Guaraldi, Celia enjoys sharing her music and teaching online on Instagram and TikTok at @celia_2e.
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