Free piano lessons-Fingering Scales

 

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Free piano lessons on Fingering for Piano Scales, Piano Chords, Piano Songs
Learn More about scales and chords in our Intermediate Piano Lessons.

Learn the basic Principles of Fingering
                  and You too can
add your own fingering to your songs.

I am writing this article because I have been reading postings
on sites from piano students, about fingering.  There is a lot
of frustration, and many questions about fingering.

Why aren't students learning the basics of fingering?

LET'S START WITH THE BASICS:
1. Fingering is based on the hand and fingers abilities,
    strong and weak fingers, short or long fingers.
2. Fingering is based on how the piano is built with the
    black notes vs white notes.  Long fingers go on black
    notes, short fingers on white notes.
3. Moving up or down the piano requires the thumb to be
    a pivotal finger, because it is the most agile.
    The thumb works like a door hinge and repositions the
    hand for movement up or down.

When you started with piano, your teacher should have pointed out
the sets of 2 black keys and the sets of 3 blacks.  The next step is to
place your fingers on those keys.  But, WHAT FINGERS?

OK, HERE WE GO:
                                
  Look at your hands and let's think about our fingers.

THE LONGEST FINGERS ARE THE 2, 3 AND 4 FINGERS
Therefore, these fingers are the easiest to reach the black keys.

Place these fingers on the black keys:
1. The 2 and 3 fingers on the sets of 2 black keys
2. The 2, 3 and 4 fingers on the set of 3 black keys

MYTH: NEVER PLACE A THUMB ON A BLACK KEY. 

SHOULD BE:  The thumb is the shortest finger on the hand,
therefore try to avoid placing a thumb on a black key, use
a longer finger if at possible.  But.........there are times that
not using a thumb on a black note will contort the hand and
make certain pasages difficult to play, therefore, use a thumb
on the black key if necessary.

PIANO SCALE FINGERING RIGHT HAND:

Right hand fingering for scales = 1-2-3  1-2-3-4
Use this fingering on Scales: C  D  E  G  A and B,
or scales starting on white notes.

EXCEPTION: F Scale is the exception.  Using the above
fingering would place the thumb on B Flat and it would
be awkward.  All you do is reverse the fingering:
1-2-3-4   1-2-3

When you play Scales in the right hand starting on the
BLACK NOTES, there is a very simple formula:

LET'S USE THIS SIMPLE PRINCIPLE ON SCALE FINGERING:
RULE:  1. the 2, 3 and 4 fingers on the black keys because they are longer.
           2. the thumb goes on the white keys because it's short

HERE'S THE PATTERN for the RIGHT HAND, Ascending:
Go here for left hand fingering.

When playing scales that start on the black keys, how do you finger them?

It's Easy, just place your fingers on the black keys as in the picture above
and that's the finger to use to start the scale.

EXAMPLE:
Use the picture above and start on the finger represented in the picture.
Examples: 
1. B Flat Scale will start on the 4 finger, then 1-2-3, 1-2-3-4 etc.
2. F Sharp Scale will start on the 2 finger.  This scales uses all
all 3 black notes, so you will play the 2-3-4 fingers on the
set of the 3 black notes, thumb goes in the white note slot, B,
then the 2-3 fingers on the set of the 2 black notes, thumb in the slot, E.

THIS PATTERN WORKS ON ALL SCALES: Major, Minor, Blues etc.
Always work scale fingering around the black notes.
                
SEE HOW EASY THIS IS.  NO MORE GUESSING or MEMORIZING WHICH
FINGER YOU USE TO START PLAYING THE SCALES ON BLACK NOTES.

YOU WILL FIND THAT SCALES USING ALL OF THE BLACK NOTES, ARE SO
EASY FOR THE HAND AND FINGERS THAT YOU WILL LOVE PLAYING THEM.


PIANO CHORD FINGERING for the RIGHT HAND:

LET'S LOOK AT OUR HAND AND THINK OUT OUR FINGER RELATIONSHIPS.
1.  There is a big space between the thumb and the 2 finger.
     IDEA:  Play middle C with the Thumb the E with the 3 finger, EASY
     Play middle C with the 3 finger and the E with the 5 finger, Difficult.
     Spread out your hand to the widest distance possible.
1. The thumb and 2 finger have the biggest span between the fingers.
2. Next is the 2 and 3 fingers, they will spread out fairly easy, but not
    the large distance that can be accomplished between the thumb and 2.
3. The 3 - 4 fingers become more difficult, a smaller span.
4. The 4 -5 fingers have the least amount of span and are the most
    difficult for spacing. 

BASIC IDEA FOR CHORD FINGERING for the RIGHT HAND:

Chords are every other note so use every other finger.  1-3-5

CHORD INVERSIONS:  This is taught in our Chord Book.

Using C chord inversions for examples: It's all about spacing.

FIRST INVERSION C CHORD = E - G - C

The thumb and the 2 finger can be expanded the widest. The 4th and 5th fingers expand the least of all the fingers.  Chords are every other notes, so use the 1-3-5 fingers when playing in root position. First Inversion position has a wider gap between the 3rd & the 5th, therefore, we need more space in our hand. Using the fingering of 1-2-5 allows the hand to have more space.

1.  E TO G = 3 note interval  E - F - G, smallest grouping of notes
2.  G TO C = 4 note interval  G - C - E, largest grouping of notes

THE SMALLEST SPACING BETWEEN NOTES IN THIS INVERSION IS
BETWEEN THE E AND G.

THE BIGGEST SPACING BETWEEN NOTES IN THIS INVERSION IS
BETWEEN THE G AND C, SPACING OF 4 NOTES.

1. Start with the thumb on E
2. Between E and G is the smallest group of notes. Do you use the
    2 finger or the 3 finger?  Let's look at the next grouping of notes
    and that will decide.
3. Between G and C is the largest grouping of notes.  Place the 5 finger
    on C.  Now try the 3 finger on G. Creates more stress between the
    fingers.  Now try the 2 finger on G.  This is very comfortable.

FIRST INVERSION CHORDS SHOULD USE FINGERING 1-2-5. 


SECOND INVERSION C CHORD = G - C - E
1.  G to C = 4 note interval, G - A - B - C  largest grouping of notes,
2.  C TO E =3 note interval, C - D - E  smallest grouping of notes

Start with the thumb on G, since G to C is the largest span in the chord,
use the 3 finger on C, and end the chord with the 5 on E. 

SECOND INVERSION CHORDS SHOULD USE FINGERING 1-3-5


CONCLUSION:  FINGERING FOR SCALES AND CHORDS IS A MATTER
OF ACCOMMODATING HOW THE FINGERS AND HANDS WORK NATRUALLY.

   NOW, LET'S APPLY OUR NEW KNOWLEDGE TO A SONG


Every beginning student should be learning chords and how they are
used in music.  Then you can analyze your music as to what chords
and scales are being used and you will know how to finger your songs.

Once you start learning 7 chords and playing more advanced music,
the principles are the same.  Always study the music and create
the fingering to accomodate the hands natural abilities.

1.  The long fingers fit naturally on the black notes, thumb on white
     notes.
2.  What is the biggest reach between the notes and use the fingers
     that will accommodate that span the easiest.
3.  Crossing the thumb over or under moves the hand and prepares for
     new phrasing, then follow the above fingering ideas.

ONE MORE IDEA:  All music, even classical, is analyzed and the fingering
has been added by an editor.  Sometimes the fingering is the best possible
fingering, in some instances there is a better way of fingering.  Fingering
used in music is only suggested fingering, and can be changed.  Stop and
think it out, if the passage does not feel comfortable to the hand, change
the fingering. 

Do you have more questions on music that aren't answered? 
Or is there another article you would like me to write about?
Just send an E-mail to: alana@musicandyou.com


While you're here at Music and You, why not try out the
FREE Sheet Music arranged by Alana, or have fun trying out some
of our free piano lessons. 


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