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11. Rhythmic independence

1

This variation on the scale is designed to develop rhythmic independence between your left and right hands. A metronome or simple drum beat in your DAW will help with this one. Get into the starting position for the two-handed, fivefinger scale as shown previously and play through a few times as normal. 2

Now the tricky part. Keep your right hand going in its regular rhythm, but play the notes in the left hand twice as long and half as often – if the right hand is playing eighth notes, play quarter notes in the left, or one note in the left hand to every two in the right. Effectively: left hand = half time, right = full speed. 3

Once you’ve got the hang of this – it’s tricky, it may take a while! – switch so that the left hand plays regular eighth notes and with quarter notes in the right. Again, playing to a timing guide like a metronome keeps things regular, giving you a rhythmic template to focus on while you develop hand independence.