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View Full Version : Training right and left hand independence


Grey Loki
07-25-2009, 04:44 PM
Hey folks,

Just thought i'd share with you a little something i've been playing with over the past few weeks - you guys may have seen or heard Peter Aidu's rather impressive performance of Steve Reich's Piano Phase, where he plays both piano parts, simultaneously. This does of course mean that for a fair bit of the song, he's playing completely out of time with himself.

http://www.archive.org/details/top.09 <Audio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKXy1FPTdvg <Video

If you haven't guessed it yet, playing this piece by yourself (either on a digital keyboard with a split set up between two pianos set in the same octave, or an octave apart on an acoustic piano) is fairly challenging - very good for a nice little workout, especially over the full 20 minutes of the piece.

The notes are dead simple, just E4 F#4 B4 C#5 D5 F#4 E4 C#5 B4 F#4 D5 C#5 - with the right hand, just place a finger on each note. With the left hand, my preferred fingering is 5, 4, 1, 2, 1, 4, 5, 1, 2, 4, 1, 2.

Go nuts!

Bigs
07-25-2009, 06:48 PM
Haha that's insane.. playing the two parts out of sync is not that hard, but the subtle phase shifting in the video is awesome! But still, I'd rather focus my practice time on something else :biggrin:

-=AnatomiC=-
07-28-2009, 08:29 AM
Hey - I use the same technique, but for the sound design - not for playing.
I make 1 phrase, sample it, assing to a key, than press 2 of more keys - it produces a similar 'phasing' effect.

Very impressive performance, if you understand what he is doing, and why it's so hard - but if you hear it as a regular person, I think it's crap.

Narek
07-28-2009, 04:50 PM
That is just insane! Reminds me of Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. I need to get to practicing regularly again.

mlunapiena01
08-20-2009, 11:05 AM
phasing/delay effects are awesome ... I don't think it's that crazy - just slow practice to get the timing right ... cool stuff though, thanks for sharing.

EthanBaldwin
10-03-2009, 02:47 PM
Ah, phase music. An interesting concept and insanely difficult to perform. Not very aesthetically pleasing, however...