Balance between the hands – free course

Voicing does not only concern the right hand. The balance between the two hands changes constantly: sometimes the melody moves to the left hand, sometimes both hands converse as equals, like two voices in a Bach invention. A pianist must be able to give each hand an independent volume.

Why it is difficult

The brain loves symmetry: when one hand plays loudly, the other tends to follow. Moreover, the left hand plays in the bass, where the strings are longer and more resonant; with equal force it easily covers the right. Finally, for most people the dominant hand (often the right) is more "talkative".

Exercise 1 — crossed dynamics

Play a one-octave C scale hands together, right hand f and left hand p.
Swap: left f, right p.
Next level: crescendo in one hand and diminuendo in the other at the same time.

Exercise 2 — melody in the bass

Here the melody is in the left hand: the right hand plays repeated pp chords on the weak beats. Listen to the bass as if it were a cello.

M:3/4
L:1/4
Q:1/4=80
%%staves {RH LH}
V:RH clef=treble
V:LH clef=bass
[V:RH] !pp!z [EG] [EG] | z [FA] [FA] | z [DG] [DG] | z [EG] [EG] |]
[V:LH] !mf!C,3 | F,2 A, | G,2 B,, | C,3 |]

Exercise 3 — a dialogue between equals

In a round such as Frère Jacques played with two hands (the left entering two bars after the right), each entry of the theme should be slightly highlighted, then step back when the other hand takes the theme.

Common mistakes:

A left hand that is too heavy in the bass (especially with the pedal, which amplifies the low register).
A right hand that always "follows" the dynamic of the left.
Listening only to the hand with the melody: you must listen to the overall result.

Tip: record yourself and listen from a distance (in another room). Balance is judged better from afar than at the keyboard, where you mostly hear the middle and upper registers.