I’m learning to play piano and I want to know if there’s any exercises I can do to improve my playing with the left hand. What I mean is that I cant play one rhythm with the left and another with the right, is there any way to help me?
Anyone can learn to do that- you just need to practice. It’s frustrating at first, but that just means you’re learning.
Find a book of simple beginners’ pieces. (Unfortunately, it will probably be aimed at 6-year olds and have an embarrassing cover- put duct tape on the front or something if that bugs you.) You want the pieces to be easy to read, so that you can focus on your hands. Work through the pieces slowly and consciously, as slowly as you need to. It might feel lame or something to be working that slow- but that is how everyone has to start a piece. There is not a single musician in the world who sounded the same on his first day of practice, as he does in performance.
Learn each hand separately so you can understand what it sounds like. ‘Counterpoint’ comes from Latin ‘puncta contra puncta’, ‘point against point’ or note against note. It basically means having two independent melodies that sound nice together. When you understand how the melodies sound on their own, it will be easier for you to play them together.
Then, once you have an idea of what each melody should sound like (which probably won’t take very long) play slowly, hands together, getting used to the different feeling. Playing hands separate and playing hands together are very distinct from each other, so don’t get intimidated if it’s really rough at first.
If you start to become tense or frustrated, stop and do something else. If you start to get tired, if your mind starts to wander, stop.
The only valuable practice is conscious practice, when you are alert enough to engage yourself in your music. You’re better off practicing for an alert, active 30 minutes a day than a sort of mechanical, hazy 4 hours. Your endurance, like your skill, will come with time.
Make a recording of your practicing every week- you’ll like seeing how much you’ve improved and it can motivate you when you hit a rough spot. You’ll see how far you’ve come, and you’ll appreciate your victories.
Hope this helped.