How do you play the chromatic scale - do you use the 4th finger ? ( i mean when playing the fastest you can, with the Right hand)

a friend told me about this, and i wanna know if its considered better. until now i played only with the first 3 fingers when going up the scale.

It's the most common way that you're playing your chromatic. There's nothing wrong as long as you get the desired results. In my younger days to help developing my weak 4th and 5th fingers I practice chromatic scales using only 3, 4 and 5th fingers. I could not go very fast using these fingers. This was for training purposes only.

^ That's what Chopin's Op.10 no.2 Étude is about.

yes , i played the second etude as well for that practice.

thanks

Chopin's 1st Scherzo in B minor - there is a 4 or 5 octave chromatic scale at the end. Until that I hadn't really worked on chromatic scales. I tried to use just the traditional 3 fingering in my hannon book, but it just wasn't fast enough. I had to re-write the fingering for both hands. It starts on C# (both hands play it)
--------
left hand: 3,1,3,2,1,4,3,2,1,3,2,1, then repeat
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right hand: 2,3,4,1,2,3,1,2,3,4,1,2,3,1,1,2,3, 1,2,3,4,1, then repeat
--------
this was what I used in this instance, but the passage itself really determines what fingering to use

What? You don't need to use 4 in chromatic scales, I've been playing Piano for 11 years, and I've never needed to use it - even with the b minor Scherzo.

Whats the point of using the 4th finger anyway?

it just made it easier... and I did need to... I couldn't get it even enough or fast enough w/o coming up with a different fingering for it... it's more efficient though... try it.

that and it was my piano teacher who fingered it... she's a CIM grad and teaches for a living and has taught at colleges.

I think the fingering has to suit the individual and the conformation of the hand. Following is the so-called French Fingering:

RH: 2313123131312

LH: 4313213131321

Following is the so-called English Fingering:

RH: 2313123123412

LH: 4313214321321

Of course they're reversed for descending

German:

RH: 2312123131312

LH: 1213212121321

Those are the three basic choices. Experiment and see which works best for you. Personally I use the French fingering--3rd finger on all the black keys. Seems simpler and velocity is easily gained. The German is used less frequently so it seems.

Reaper Man,

Some people find using the 4th finger is more facile and comfortable for them.