This is actually something I'm trying to teach myself at the moment. I am, though, struggling to trust my left hand as it leaps from root note to chord....as soon as i stop looking at it i start hitting wrong notes.

Has any one any tips on what i can do to play left hand rag time pieces without being fixated with my hand ?

I have tried closing my eyes and focussing on the position my arm goes to, but that didnt really help.

You could be rushing maybe? Ragtime isn't really that fast so take it steady. Make sure you are touching the key before you press it ( if that makes sense! ) rather than coming down on it from a great height.

I'll glance down now and then if there's a big leap, and I don't consider it too bad a practise It's not a big head movement though, just a quick flick down with my eyes.

I think having my eyes closed might hinder rather than help. Practising the left hand by itself feels odd to me in ragtime. I'd rather play it hands together slowly.

cheers for the advice. Yeh i did find slowing down and playing both hands together more benefical in terms of just getting through it. As a general technique though id love to just be able to play that left hand pattern to any piece i choose to.

You think the more i play the easier itll get and the less likely id be to look at my left hand ? (he asks knowingly )

Try 'ghosting' the jump.
Play the lower note then move to the chord but don't play it.
Try it backwards... chord first then the bass note

Rememebr to play fairly slowly. Lot of people play ragtime much too quickly and it ruins the effect.

Definately!

Some good practise might be to play waltzes.. The three time in the left hand is slightly easier and you don't have to jump down as often as with ragtime, and it might get you used to feeling for the chords/bass note more easily.

thats a really good idea actually

A lot of the chors in ragtime are fairly predictable. It might help to be aware of what key you're in at all times, and know when it's a dominant chord, for example.

yeh, absolutely right but its not the knowledge of the chords or key thats the problem...its getting my fingers to go there accurately each time and still being able to focus on the music.