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Piano · Lesson 10 of 10

Both hands together

Most piano music has the melody in the right hand and lower notes or chords in the left. Every pianist learns a new piece the same way: the right hand alone until it's easy, then the left hand alone, then both together slowly.

Going slowly is the trick. Learn mode waits at every note, so you can take as long as you need to find both keys. When the notes for both hands land at the same moment, play them together.

When you've done this lesson, carry on in Pond Piano: it has more songs at four levels, a Play mode that scores your timing, and slower speeds while you learn. You can open your own MIDI files there too.

Practice

Twinkle, right hand

The melody. The thumb starts on middle C; reach up to A with the little finger when you need it.

0 streak0% right first time

The song waits for you at every note. Take your time.

Computer keys: A to ’ from C3, W E T… for the black keys, Z X move an octave
More info

Tips

  • A few minutes every day beats an hour once a week.
  • Record yourself on your phone now and then: it's the easiest way to hear how you're getting on.

Playing the exercises

Use a MIDI keyboard (Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Opera), the computer keys (A S D… for white keys, W E T… for black keys, Z X to move an octave), or tap the keys on the screen. A key lights up after a couple of wrong tries.

The answers

  1. What's the usual way to learn a new piece? Each hand alone, then both together slowly. Hands separately until each is easy, then together slowly, then faster.
  2. Which hand usually plays the melody? The right hand. In most piano music the right hand has the tune and the left plays lower notes or chords.
  3. When notes for both hands line up, what do you do? Play them at the same moment. Notes that line up are played together.
  4. You keep making the same mistake at full speed. What helps most? Slow down and play that bit until it's right. Practising just the hard bar slowly fixes it far quicker than running the whole piece.