Is hitting the more right-handed keys on the piano necessary to gain the same volume?
I'm just getting to the point that I can play some tunes by Classical composers and, on one piece by Haydn, which plays both hands somewhat to the right of middle-C, it seems that I need to hit the keys being played by the right hand significantly harder to get the same volume. In fact, it seems that, if I don't, the keys played with the right hand are nearly overwhelmed.
So, I guess, in general, would it be expected that the right-hand keys were pressed a little harder?
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As the melody is usually in the r.h. it is usually played a little louder (more heavily) than the l.h. If there are several notes played in the l.h.,a chord for example, then that will overpower the r.h. notes, as they are drowned out by the l.h.
It could be your piano, or possibly you are heavy handed with your l.h. It's all a bit relative, and experience will tell you which hand to up or down the volume on.
I am a lefty and I always find playing almost all instruments including piano a bit difficult for the exact same reason as your question explains.
Generally musical instruments are designed favourably to the right-handed people, because they represent the majority.
So I think whether your music is played on the right side of the middle C or not, you are expected to play the right-hand a bit stronger than the left.
This depends very much on the actual piano, and also on the acoustics of the room it is in. Opening the lid of an acoustic piano will reduce the muffling of high notes. There is usually some way to open the top of an upright piano, as well as a grand. Storing music books etc on top of a piano doesn't improve its sound quality!
If you were playing a Steinway model D or a similar "concert grand", it's unlikely you would feel there was any imbalance between the hands over that range, especially considering that Haydn's keyboard only extended for 2 1/2 octaves above middle C, which is a long way from the top note of a modern piano.
On a Yamaha grand designed and voiced for pop music rather than classical, you might find the right hand was louder than the left. (All models of Yamaha pianos tend to be "loud" in the treble in my experience, at least when they are new)
On a worn-out 50-year old cheap upright, you might well find what you described.
All of the above is talking about acoustic pianos. If your is digital, anything might happen, depending on quality the amplifiers and speakers or headphones, as well as on the piano itself.
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