# Independence

Interactive version: [`independence.html`](independence.html).

The right hand is the melodic lead. It sings, and it is allowed to move on any part of the beat. The left hand is the harmonic foundation and the rhythm: the root, then the fifth, and a pulse that does not copy the tune. [Melody and chords](melody-and-chords.md) put both hands on one loop. These twelve exercises are how the hands learn to keep their own jobs.

Every exercise is in C. Learn the left hand alone, then the right hand alone, then both. Start at 60. If a hand copies the other hand's rhythm, go back one exercise. The right-hand thumb stays on middle C. The left-hand pinky plays the root; when a fifth is asked for, the thumb plays it.

## The same time

### 1 · Land together

Both hands play once, on beat 1, and hold the bar. The right hand sings E, D, E, F. The left hand is the root. The hands still share a rhythm.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C, finger 5 | E, finger 3 |
| 2 | G | G, finger 5 | D, finger 2 |
| 3 | Am | A, finger 5 | E, finger 3 |
| 4 | F | F, finger 5 | F, finger 4 |

### 2 · Root and fifth

Beat 1 is the root, finger 5. Beat 3 is the fifth, thumb. The right hand plays two chord tones on those same beats.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C then G | E then G |
| 2 | G | G then D | D then G |
| 3 | Am | A then E | C then E |
| 4 | F | F then C | C then F |

## One hand holds

### 3 · The right hand walks

The left hand plays the root once and holds it. The right hand plays two notes. When the second note sounds, the left hand stays down.

| Bar | Chord | Right hand |
|-----|-------|------------|
| 1 | C | E then G |
| 2 | G | D then G |
| 3 | Am | C then E |
| 4 | F | C then F |

### 4 · The left hand keeps time

The right hand plays one note and holds it: E, D, E, F, over C, G, Am, F. The left hand plays the root on beat 1 and again on beat 3. If the right hand restrikes on beat 3, it copied the pulse.

## Different rhythms

### 5 · Never on the same beat

Left hand on beats 1 and 3. Right hand on beats 2 and 4. Count “left, right, left, right.”

| Bar | Chord | Right hand, beats 2 and 4 |
|-----|-------|---------------------------|
| 1 | C | E then G |
| 2 | G | D then F |
| 3 | Am | E then C |
| 4 | F | F then D |

### 6 · Four against two

Count 1 2 3 4. The right hand plays every count. The left hand plays the root on 1 and on 3.

| Bar | Chord | Right hand |
|-----|-------|------------|
| 1 | C | E F G E, fingers 3 4 5 3 |
| 2 | G | D E F D, fingers 2 3 4 2 |
| 3 | Am | E D C D, fingers 3 2 1 2 |
| 4 | F | F E D C, fingers 4 3 2 1 |

### 7 · Eight against one

The right hand plays C D E F G F E D in eighths, fingers 1 2 3 4 5 4 3 2, the same eight notes every bar. The left hand plays one root and changes it: C, G, A, F. Keep the scale when the root changes.

## A tune on a foundation

### 8 · The pattern stays

The right hand rocks E G E G every bar, fingers 3 5 3 5. The left hand changes C, G, A, F underneath it.

### 9 · Hot Cross Buns

The tune from [Simple melodies](simple-melodies.md). The left hand plays one root for the bar. Bars 1, 2, 3, and 5 are C. Bar 4, the four D's, is G.

| Bar | Chord | Right hand |
|-----|-------|------------|
| 1 | C | E D C— |
| 2 | C | E D C— |
| 3 | C | C C C C |
| 4 | G | D D D D |
| 5 | C | E D C— |

### 10 · The downbeat belongs to the left hand

Beat 1 is the root, alone. The right hand enters on beat 2.

| Bar | Chord | Right hand, from beat 2 |
|-----|-------|-------------------------|
| 1 | C | E D C |
| 2 | G | D E D |
| 3 | Am | E D C |
| 4 | F | F E D |

## The challenge

### 11 · Hold through the change

The right hand starts a note on beat 3 and holds it. On the next beat 1 the left hand changes root, and the melody note is still down. Do not restrike it.

| Bar | Chord | Right hand |
|-----|-------|------------|
| 1 | C | E from beat 3, held across |
| 2 | G | D from beat 3, held across |
| 3 | Am | C from beat 3, held across |
| 4 | F | F from beat 3, held to the end |

### 12 · Ode to Joy

The tune, including the long-short-long bar, over a left hand that plays root then fifth in every bar. The left hand does not learn the melody's rhythm. On the dotted bar, the short note is the right hand's alone, and the left hand still plays on beat 3.

| Bar | Chord | Left hand | Right hand |
|-----|-------|-----------|------------|
| 1 | C | C then G | E E F G |
| 2 | G | G then D | G F E D |
| 3 | C | C then G | C C D E |
| 4 | G | G then D | E, dotted; D, short; D, held |
| 5 | C | C then G | E E F G |
| 6 | G | G then D | G F E D |
| 7 | C | C then G | C C D E |
| 8 | C | C then G | D, dotted; C, short; C, held |

The next page stretches the Am chord into the [minor scale](minor-scale.md). Faster patterns with no tune in them — scales, two-against-one, the long arpeggio — stay on [Exercises](exercises.md).