Bass Ackward

I've been feeling pretty frustrated with my piano progress lately. I know I'm having difficulty with coordination and playing both hands at the same time. It occurred to me that everything I've learned to play so far, while it IS with both hands, one hand pauses at least briefly while the other plays. I haven't tackled anything super fancy yet that would warrant both hands playing at exactly the same time.

Stuck in a rut, I went for my weekly lesson today (which was half an hour longer than usual since she was sick last week) and she started me playing some new things. Sharps and Flats ... Key of G ... stuff I haven't seen before. I admit, I kind of cheat most of the time and play ahead in the book on Tuesday nights to get a feel of whatever is next on the syllabus.

Anyway, she full-on busted out laughing at me today! And I'm like, WTH? When she laughs, she tries to talk and then it's even funnier because her Filipino accent is so thick! She finally gets a grip and is able to explain to me what she finds so hilariously funny: evidently I had played the opposite. Meaning, I was playing the notes meant for the treble clef with my LEFT hand, and vice versa. She said it was interesting to her that my brain worked that way. I've always felt I should have been left handed.

*bing* LIGHT BULB MOMENT.

In all my 7 years at Champs, I dealt with what I then called "Numeric Dyslexia." I didn't even know if that was a real thing because it was never a problem when I was in school, but I had ... something. I taught myself 10-Key and while I was punching numbers all day long, I saw them jumbled up in my head - I even thought them out of order, but somehow I would enter them correctly into the register according to what I was seeing. Imagine all the trouble I would have caused if I was putting them in wrong?! So long, Head Cashier. The only time I really noticed it since I left Champs was with phone numbers. If you were to give me your number, I'd probably say it back to you wrong, but I'd write it down or put it in my phone correctly. Apparently, this "dyslexia" if you will, is still with me and it's applicable to numbers, as well as reading music ... but not in anything else.

Weird right? So maybe that's why I'm having such a hard time now?

Cubstar, Clarissa with 2 less letters :), who's been playing piano about half her lifetime, suggested that I try playing a piece very slowly not worrying about the tempo until I get used to it. She said it would be years before my eyes, hands, and mind work together to put a piece together easily. Years?! *clasps hands together with a big smile and intake of breath* Can't WAIT! It really does seem to help though, thanks Cubby!

Love Theme from The Godfather, I will nail you.