Independence

Independence Between the Hands: One Part in Each Hand--The Heavy and Light Hand

Playing a one-octave scale up and down slowly and repeatedly may seem too easy to be of value. However, applying the three listening skills offers a real challenge that is critical to your success as an organist:

• Perfect legato in one hand (“heavy” hand)
• Precise releases in another (“light” hand)
• Alternation of heavy and light lines every four measures, every two measures, and so on, until finally you alternate every two beats.