Can any pianists explain this to me?

[brassnuts]

So, my parents got me a keyboard (completely out of left field, but it's a cool gift) and I've been trying to learn some stuff. I downloaded this (http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/pre28_7.pdf) pdf file for Chopin's Prelude Op.28 No.7, but I don't understand why in some parts it tells me to cross my hands over. What I mean is that it's asking me to play a note with my left hand higher than a note it's asking me to play with my right hand. An example is right there in the 2nd measure. Is it just to make my hands cramp up and make me feel inferior?

[CrazyEyez]

[ QUOTE ]
So, my parents got me a keyboard (completely out of left field, but it's a cool gift) and I've been trying to learn some stuff. I downloaded this (http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/pre28_7.pdf) pdf file for Chopin's Prelude Op.28 No.7, but I don't understand why in some parts it tells me to cross my hands over. What I mean is that it's asking me to play a note with my left hand higher than a note it's asking me to play with my right hand. An example is right there in the 2nd measure. Is it just to make my hands cramp up and make me feel inferior?

[/ QUOTE ]

Umm, it's been a long time since I played, but...I don't see where it's asking you to do this.

[GuyOnTilt]

They're keeping the chord intact for visual purposes. Notating it that way will help you visualize what the chord structure is supposed to sound like. Personally, I would play all four notes above Middle C with my right hand 1235. In some instances though, crossing over is done to maintain or produce a specific sound or feel, most often legato, and needs to be done to correctly play the piece. This isn't one of those cases though. They just want you to be able to see you're playing a variation of an E7.

GoT

[Reef]

[ QUOTE ]
They're keeping the chord intact for visual purposes. Notating it that way will help you visualize what the chord structure is supposed to sound like. Personally, I would play all four notes above Middle C with my right hand 1235. In some instances though, crossing over is done to maintain or produce a specific sound or feel, most often legato, and needs to be done to correctly play the piece. This isn't one of those cases though. They just want you to be able to see you're playing a variation of an E7.

GoT

[/ QUOTE ]

wow, poker genius AND musical genius.

[CrazyEyez]

Oh whoops, I see it now.

Uhh.....what GoT said.

[tek]

I was going to say it sounded like they want you to do a flashy Liberace move...

[IndieMatty]

That is a cool gift. I once asked for an accoustic guitar for Christmas. I realized that my folks were pretty incompetant with stuff like that and on Thanksgiving I noted..."You know what, I really don't want a guitar."


Needless to say, under the tree that year was a baby blue denim guitar case, with the cheapest JC Penny (no joke $98 from the catolog) guitar, complete with some flowers on it. It looked like something that a gay Johnny Cash (Steve Merritt) would play.

I ended up doing a Honkey Tonk Man on the thing at a bbq.

[andyfox]

The main reason is for visual clarity as to the harmony involved. Note that the left hand outlines either fifths or octaves all the way until four measure from the end, when, beautifully, the harmony changes on every beat, rather than remaining the same throughout the measure.

Note the voice leading: the D and B outer notes of the right hand chord in measures 1 and 2 (counting the first full measure as measure 1) resolve to the C-sharp and A of the chords of measure 3 and 4. Had Chopin not had the crossed fingers in measures one and two, that is, had the pianist play E-D in the left hand, and E-G-sharp-B in the right hand, the voice leading would be less clear.

Once you get used to it, your hands won't cramp up and it will feel natural and pianistic.

[brassnuts]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Indie, I also want a guitar and plan on making a purchace in the near future. My parents know I want one, but I made it very very clear that I want to go to a guitar shop first and test one out before buying it. Which is true, but I really just didn't want them to get me a cheapy. But, I've also wanted to learn piano for some time now, and like I said, this gift was pretty sweet.

Andy, just after a night's rest, I can already detect an inkling of muscle memory, and my fingers aren't having as much trouble contorting themselves today. I also realized that I was sitting too low relative to the keyboard. Adjusting that helped a lot.

[GuyOnTilt]

BTW, Andy's answer is much better than mine. It's been a couple years since I quit formal training, so I'm a bit rusty in all regards. Voice leading didn't even cross my mind, which is kind of sad since it definitely should. Maybe I should buy a keyboard and start playing again. : /

GoT

[turnipmonster]

andy are you a pianist I guess? classical or other?

--turnipmonster

[turnipmonster]

get a keyboard! if there's one thing I honestly can't imagine doing, it's quitting playing an instrument, especially one like piano where you can play just to entertain yourself and you can't lose your chops easily (like trumpet players can).

--turnipmonster

[GuyOnTilt]

get a keyboard! if there's one thing I honestly can't imagine doing, it's quitting playing an instrument, especially one like piano where you can play just to entertain yourself and you can't lose your chops easily (like trumpet players can).

Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure my classical chops are pretty much gone. I can still improv contemporary and jazz really well though. If I wanted to work at classical, it probably wouldn't take me too long to get back where I was, but to get there I'd probably need a private instructor and I don't really care THAT much I guess. I do enjoy just playing and writing though. I almost bought a Triton a few weeks ago, but decided not to. : /

GoT

[Allan]

Just going through a good warm up and scale/arpeggio regimen will do get you back in shape in no time at all.


Allan