Hi Donuel,

I started learning piano in January last year and had to stop in June for a couple of reasons but I am definitely starting again this year. I had a great teacher - he had a sense of humour, and wasn't patronising to me as an adult learner. He gave me a tip near the end of my classes with him which helped me to start breaking through the left & right hand together barrier: play the left hand about 10 times more often than the right. The right hand is usually the melody so you probably know that in your head, even if your fingers don't automatically find the notes, but you need to get to know the "melody" of the left hand as well as you know the right.

He also said to put them together after practising the 10 times or so, then practise separate hands again, and don't rush it on trying to get the two to work toegether. Just practise the two separate parts until you have them worked out and then putting them together will be easier.

I learned the flute - taught myself, and had only a few lessons - so the left hand accompaniment on harp or piano always had me beaten.

I then went on to playing the Celtic lever harp with only about a year of lessons. I went to a folk music session once a week for 10 years and learned to play chords while other people played melodies or melodies & chords, or whatever. But I am very slow at putting melodies with accompaniment. Playing chords for 10 years, though, has made that a fairly unconscious process on the harp - I don't have to think about it. I just have to translate that to the piano - with the different physical method of playing. Then back to the harp, which is my main aim for learning piano. There are no folk harp teachers around here at present.

Do you know about music theory. There is a really good site for that where you can work your way through the theory lessons online.

Gary Ewer's Easy Music Theory

Good luck!

Helen