How to Do Hand Over Hand Crossings

There is nothing more exciting to young music students than the thought of playing their first "grown-up" pieces. The first "two hands" song and the first "crossover" piece catapult child pianists from "baby music" to mature, adult compositions.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Place your hands on the keyboard and play a chord or arpeggio with your right hand only. Your left hand should remain loose, lightly touching the keys but not pressing down.
2. Use your eyes to locate the same chord or arpeggio that you are playing with your right hand one octave up.
3. Cross your left hand over the top of your right hand to play the chord or arpeggio that you spotted with your eyes. This position might feel awkward, so practice this cross-over motion several times to get comfortable.
4. Try crossing over your right hand to the same chord or arpeggio two octaves up. Move your body as necessary to make the reach.
5. Practice with several different chords or arpeggios until your cross-over hand can automatically find its notes and get back to position. Increase your speed and accuracy as much as you can.
6. Attempt to play music that contains hand over hand positions. You won't always find it easy, but with diligent practice and a little creativity, you may find you can master even this "adult" challenge.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have trouble reaching your cross-over hand's position, try quickly sliding or shifting down the piano bench so that you are reaching from the hand that is already playing, rather than trying to reach with the hand that still has to play.
• For some people with broad chests and short arms, the hand over hand crossing is simply impossible to reach. Try to quickly switch the positions of your hands so that they don't have to cross over each other. Remember to soften the chord that you should have played with your crossover hand so that the integrity of the piece remains intact.