3 Things To Try When Hands Together Isn’t Working

By Anne Sullivan 

Your right hand knows its notes. Your left hand knows its notes. So why can’t you put the hands together?

Hands together playing is a challenge for all of us harpists. Even after we’ve been playing for years, we still encounter parts of pieces that simply don’t go together easily. The first solution we try is hands separately practicing, which helps us secure the notes, fingering and rhythm in each hand. Unfortunately, when it comes to hands together playing, one plus one does not equal two; left hand plus right hand does not equal hands together.

Here are three things you can try to help bridge the gap between hands separately and hands together.

Four Step Prep: This is a quick four step system to help you prepare for hands together. Use this on a section of no more than four measures at a time. One or two measures might be even better. First, read through the two measures without playing, just to be certain you know what they entail. Next, read the measures again and imagine your hands playing together. Then, read through a third time and play your “air harp,” just moving your fingers and hands in the air as if you were really playing. Finally, try playing those measures hands together. You’ll be amazed how well this works!

Switcheroo. This works for a passage four to eight measures long. Play through the passage and alternate hands by measure without stopping. For example, play the first measure with the right hand, then continue with the left hand in the next measure, then the right hand in the third measure and so on. Then repeat the passage but starting with the opposite hand. This gives you practice reading both lines even though you aren’t playing them exactly together.

Play One, Say One: This practice strategy is a little more difficult than the other two but the results are worth the trouble. Not only will you be working at putting your hands together, but you will be improving your note reading too. Here’s how it works:

Choose a short passage (4 measures is perfect) that you want to play hands together. Practice saying the names of the notes that the right hand plays in the correct rhythm. Then play the left hand part while you say the names of the right hand notes. (If there is a chord in the right hand, just say the top note.) Use the metronome to keep a slow but steady tempo.

Then focus on reading and saying the left hand notes. Once again if there is a chord read just the top or the bottom note. After you know you can say the names of the left hand in rhythm, play the right hand part and say the left hand. It’s hard but it’s a powerful practice technique!