3 ways to place your fingers properly on piano keys - wikihow

How to Place Your Fingers Properly onPiano KeysThree Methods: Right-hand fingers placement

Left-hand fingers placement Playing Scales

Are you starting to learn playing the piano by yourself, but can't quite figureout how to properly place your fingers on the piano keys? This article willguide you through the recommended proper finger placement on thekeyboard.

1 Memorize the piano finger numbering system. Fingers arenumbered to make it easier to write down finger placement on

sheet music. It also helps explaining proper piano finger placement.The numbering of fingers is the same for both left and right hands. Thenumbering system is as follows:

The thumb finger is number 1.The index finger is number 2.The middle finger is number 3.The ring finger is number 4.The pinky finger is number 5.

1

2

3

4

Start at Middle C.

Put finger 1 on the middle C note key.

Put finger 2 on D, 3 on E, 4 on F, 5 on G. This is known as theGoing up pattern.

Play the notes C-D-E-F-G using the current finger placement.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Right-hand fingers placement

3 Ways to Place Your Fingers Properly on Piano Keys - wikiHow http://www.wikihow.com/Place-Your-Fingers-Properly-on-Piano-Keys

1 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15

56

7

8

Move finger 1 to the right, and below the other fingers justwhen your finger 5 starts to go down to hit the G note key.

Pass finger 1 under finger 5 to play the next A note.

Repeat the five finger order outlined before so that finger 2presses B, 3 on C5, 4 on D5, and 5 on E5.

Repeat the previous pattern until you reach the end of thekeyboard.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Start at Middle C.

Put finger 1 on the middle C note key.

Put finger 2 on B3, 3 on A3, 4 on G3, 5 on F3. This is known asthe Going down pattern.

Play the notes C4-B3-A3-G3-F3 using the current fingerplacement.

Move finger 1 to the left, and below the other fingers justwhen your finger 5 starts to go down to hit the F note key.

Pass finger 1 under finger 5 to play the next E3 note.

Repeat the five finger order outlined before so that finger 2presses D3, 3 on C3, 4 on B2, and 5 on A2.

Repeat the previous pattern until you reach the end of thekeyboard.

Method 2 of 3: Left-hand fingers placement


2 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15

12

3

4

5

Your 5th finger should generally only be used for starting orending a scale, not passing tones. In other words, you should

cross your 1st finger under your 3rd or 4th finger, not the 5th.

For a C scale, right hand example, you will play C, D, and Ewith fingers 1, 2, and 3, then pass finger 1 under the 3rd to

play F, G, A, B, and C with 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Reverse this comingback down. (Note that ending on your 5th finger here is fine.)

If you are continuing up more than one octave, you will crossyour 1st finger under the 4th, changing from B to C ready to

start over with the same pattern on the next octave.

For the left hand going up, you want to cross your 3rd fingerover your first going from G to A. Continuing another octave,

you'll cross your 4th over the 1st from C to D. It makes more sense tothink of the mirrored fingerings, but playing up with your right and downwith your left is not the norm. (Note that beginning on your 5th fingerhere is perfectly acceptable.)

This crossing under fingers 3 and 4 (or over with fingers 3and 4) may not seem important on the all-white-keys C scale,

but when you start working on other keys, its importancebecomes clear, so starting these good habits while learning thiseasy scale will pay off in the long run. (In most keys, you will alwaysbegin with your left hand on your 5th finger and end with your righthand on your 5th finger.)

Can you helpus

rate articles?

Can you tell usabouthaircare?

Can you tell usaboutcooking withtuna?

Can you tell usabouttreating jockitch?

Method 3 of 3: Playing Scales

We could really use your help!

Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No


3 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15

Start first by only using the five fingers to play either C-D-E-F-G

(right hand), or C-B-A-G-F (left hand). Practice playing the notesgoing upward (to the right), then downward (to the left) then both.After your fingers are loose enough, start practicing going 10 notes

up or down.

When you place your hand on the keyboard, make sure your fingers

form a paw-like shape instead of being flattened out. That would

give you more flexibility and help you create better sounds.

When you play black keys, it is, however, advisable to flatten your

fingers out, and at times, push your fingers forward. This would help

you reach out to play more notes with proper dynamics, especially

when you want to play a chord with 4 or 5 notes.

Piano

Stickers or a key sheet for knowing the keys (if needed, for youngbeginners only)

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 193,238times.

FeaturedArticle

Categories: Featured Articles | Piano and KeyboardIn other languages:

Espaol: colocar tus dedos correctamente en las teclas delpiano, Deutsch: Die richtige Fingerstellung auf denKlaviertasten, Portugus: Posicionar os Dedos Corretamente nasTeclas de Piano, Italiano: Posizionare Correttamente le Dita sulPianoforte, :

Tips

Article Info

Things You'll Need


4 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


5 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


6 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


7 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


8 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


9 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


10 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15


11 de 11 27/05/2015 2:15

3 ways to place your fingers properly on piano keys - wikihow

Documents