Motor issues/Lack of coordination

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I may have mentioned this in a previous post of mine, but I like playing piano/keyboards a lot. I would do it all day if I could. Though I have the classic issue with fine motor skills. My right hand is pretty much dead weight (Left handed, and total lack of coordination in right hand fingers). I really want to get good at the piano. Is it possible to improve/cure these motor issues in someone with AS? Is there a trick to it, or just "practice, practice, practice"?

Thanks

Yes, there is a trick to learning to play the piano.

Practice a piece of music in this way:

Take a section about 1/2 a page with a logical breaking point.
Practice left hand alone, that section, over and over. Gradually increase speed and expression.
Practice right hand alone, that section, over and over. Gradually increase speed and expression.
Practice both hands, that section, over and over. Gradually increase speed and expression.

Then, tackle the next section, same method.

I use a metronome to calibrate my speed increase and achieve perfect steadiness.
Then I have the piece down so well that I can let loose with maximum musicality.

I write down what I've done each day including metronome markings. Makes it easier to keep track.

This way of learning to play the piano also helps you memorize the piece.

Another tip is to NOT use the pedal as a crutch. Learn to play without the pedal. Then when you know the piece well you can add the pedal.

Learning a piece in this way will train your brain to perfectly coordinate and it will be a joy to play. It's a matter of discipline and patience. But it's fun.

Music connects pathways in the brain that help in other aspects of life. Music also helps math ability.

practice makes perfect. im decent at basketball, but horrible at video games and driving. i guess its because the baskett doesnt move

Do they make left-handed pianos?

I think there's a lot to be said for finger exercises such as those by Schmitt:

http://www.musicroom.com/se/ID_No/0422449/details.html

because they work through the individual sequences of finger movements and combinations of finger movements like a systematic compendium of permutations. That in itself should have Aspie appeal! I would, of course, use the metronome with the exercises.

I don't completely agree with the saying "practice makes perfect". It can even be detrimental. Why? Practice is about reinforcing certain behaviours through habit. The value of the practice is only as good as what is being practised. If you play something with poor hand shape/poor co-ordination/poor rhythm/poor accentuation etc and proceed to repeat that behaviour as a matter of "practice" then you are actually reinforcing the faults of the first playing and making it increasingly more difficult to correct the problem.

Yeah, they do. Well, not pianos specifically, but piano music. Plenty of pianists have lost a hand; and afterwards simply readjusted their compositions to be one-handed. If you're really strongly left-handed, and you don't mind looking for the small minority of left-handed pieces, you could try that. But you'd be sacrificing the variety of music you could access using both hands.

I recall one guy who was famous for his one-handed compositions... I think he lost an arm in a war or something; but I can't remember his name. Any other trivia buffs around here who know?

Ravel composed his "Piano Concerto for the Left Hand" for Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm in WW1. He was the elder brother of the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein

You might be better with a different instrument. Not only do you have to split on hands there are two sets of notes too. We don't do mental split very well.

I play woodwind but I did try to learn piano when I was small.

Coming back to it years later it was useful being able to sight read music.

Well, if the problem is with your fingers then...have you ever thought about playing the drums? I know that requires a lot of coordination but...hey, anythings worth a shot.

I'd like to stick with piano. It's the easiest way to control instruments and synths via MIDI.

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You may experience some very slight improvement with repeated piano practice, however, it sounds like you may have mild cerebral palsy which involves your right hand. The only book I have come across which addresses what you are writing about is a How To (understand) Hyperactivity book (1981) about ADHD Inattentive by C. Thomas Wild where Wild reports a surprising, temporary ability to use both of his hands on a piano a little better (not a cure) due to taking a FDA approved medicine called Tirend (contains caffeine - 100 mg/14 other ingredients). That's the only book I recall on the topic. There is a lot of discussion at some websites about Parkinson's about movement but I don't recall anything which matches the temporary improvement (not a cure) to piano playing which is described in the How To book.