Moonlight Sonata

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to play "Moonlight Sonata, 1st Movement" by Beethoven?? It's like you need 3 hands or something... Anyway, help is greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!!

If you're referring to the sixteenth notes, you don't need three hands, just a good reach with your 5th finger in the right hand. That's the way I played it and the way I mostly see it played, although some say you should use your 4th finger, too. I've tried it that way, but my hands simply aren't large enough to comfortably play like that.

I believe you're referring to the voicing, which is done in three parts. The triplets in the right hand will also play the melody above them. But the melody switches between right and left hands.

What I did and do when I play is at first do one line at a time until you got that one mastered, then you go on and do then some thing. as for the three hands, you just got to strech your hands. There is one part it is hard for me to get both notes because they are so far a part but I am getting to where I can almost do it. It just takes time.

N-

moonlight sonata mvmt 1 was the first major peice i learned. i found it rather easy to memorize due to the repetative and clockwork nature of it. 3 hands? lol not so much. im working on a video of it right now and you can watch my hands and see i only have two

hmm i as talking tyo a friend of mine and we reckon tat ta song was written for rgan cause tat etra hand could very well b pedals f an organ played with both feet merely cause its 1 note and its a seperate melody. i reckon this wuld make the song simple to play then

My advice is simple
Take it slow!
learn it slow!

that is all

Amen! And warm up before you practice it, because it does require quite the stretch -- at least for me. Thank God it's not meant to be played at breakneck speed!

It's a beautiful piece, and I agree -- the voicing is what makes it so.

Yes, this is one of my favorite classical pieces; it is so dark sounding. I admit it is difficult to reach when something is bigger than an octave! Just keep stretching haha. I suppose it helps to have bigger hands. Obviously meant to be played slow, but sometimes I like to play it very fast... my hands are exhausted after playing this one fast!!!