In this lesson, we’ll be focusing on the role of the left hand in piano playing.<\/p>\n
Most beginners focus their attention on the right hand; learning scales, intervals, chords, progressions, and how to play songs, giving little or no attention to the left hand.<\/p>\n
Eventually, they get to the point where they begin to question the role of the left hand in piano playing.<\/p>\n
If you’re in the league of beginners who just got started with the piano not-too-long ago or you’ve been at the beginners’ level for years, then this lesson is written with you in mind. I’ll be showing you the basic things your left hand can do on the piano.<\/p>\n
Every human has two hands with four fingers and a thumb (5 digits) in each hand; save for those who lost one or both to an accident or health condition.<\/p>\n
Although the left and right hand are made up of the same components, the left hand is a mirror image of the right hand: on the farthest left side on the left hand is the pinky finger and this is different from what is obtainable on the right hand where the thumb is on the farthest left side.<\/p>\n
Due to the differences between the left and right hands, understanding how the right hand is used does not guarantee the same thing for the left hand.<\/p>\n
Proper usage of the left hand requires the examination and understanding of the left hand, coupled with practice and a knowledge of what the left hand should do on the piano.<\/p>\n
But our focus in this lesson is on what the left hand should do on the piano. So, let’s go ahead and cover essential left hand ideas every beginner on the piano must not be without.<\/p>\n
After learning a couple of chords on the keyboard, there comes a point where you’ll probably be wondering what you should be doing on the left hand.<\/p>\n
Alright, I’ll be showing you four basic things your left hand should be doing on the piano as a beginner.<\/p>\n
The first thing you must learn to do on the left hand is to play bass notes. Most of the time, the bass note is usually the root note of the chord. For example, the bass note of the C major triad:
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\n…can be any of its chord tones, however the root note is used most of the time. In this case, the root note of the C major triad is C:
\n
\n…C would be played on the left hand:
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\n…over the C major triad:
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\nCheck out the C major triad with the bass note on the left hand:
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\nFeel free to play the bass note of any right hand chord on the left hand.<\/p>\n
Another left hand idea is the use of octaves. This is basically the duplication of the bass note with the intent of reinforcing its sound.<\/p>\n
For example, the bass note of the C major triad:
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\n…which is C:
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\n…can be played as an octave (C and C):
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\n…and this produces a fuller left hand with the reinforced sound of the bass note:
\n<\/p>\n
Fifth intervals can also be used on the left hand to accompany chords on the right hand and this is easy to do if you’re familiar with fifth intervals.<\/p>\n
The relationship between two scale tones that are five scale steps apart from each other produces a fifth interval. For example, in the key of C major:
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\n…the following fifth intervals can be formed between scale tones:<\/p>\n
For the first tone<\/strong> of the scale is C-G: Here’s the C major triad played over its corresponding fifth interval on the left hand: Content would be available shortly. Thank you for your patience.<\/p>\n Using the basic ideas covered in this lesson, you now know exactly what to do with the left hand. Trust me, these left hand ideas are applicable in a variety of music styles: gospel, jazz, blues, country, rock, reggae, disco, etc.<\/p>\n In a subsequent lesson, I’ll be showing you other ideas for the left hand and I hope you shall have mastered these ones in all the keys by then.<\/p>\n See you in the next lesson!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Beginners, let Dr Pokey take you by the hand and show you four essential left hand ideas.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-piano","post-wrapper","thrv_wrapper"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\nFor the second scale tone<\/strong> is D-A:
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\nThe fifth interval for the third tone<\/strong> of the scale is E-B:
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\nFor the fourth scale tone<\/strong> is F-C:
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\nFor the fifth tone<\/strong> of the scale is G-D:
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\nFor the sixth scale tone<\/strong> is A-E:
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\nThe fifth interval for the seventh tone<\/strong> of the scale is B-F:
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\nAttention:<\/strong> All the fifth intervals in the major key are perfect fifth intervals save that of the seventh tone which is a diminished fifth interval.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Left Hand Idea #4 – Chords<\/h3>\n
Final Words<\/h2>\n