Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum fingering once again

Hi I am a beginner. I have read posts about fingering but still I've got a problem.

I learn fingering for scales. But how shoud I learn a song when there is no fingering marked on a sheet music?

Shoud I use intuitive method?
However, I can't imagine how would I play "fur elise" without proper fingering.

That is where a good teacher comes in. They show you their fingering that they probably learned from their teacher and so on down the line. After awhile you understand the concepts of fingering and you eventually put in the fingering that suits you. It may be the same as your teachers or a little different.
Now if you don't want a teacher you can always find fingering on the World Wide Web. Why not learn good technique first instead of trying to fix bad technique. it takes so much longer.

Thanks. As I thought.

One more thing.

How shoud I play dotted eight note?

1 and 2 and 3 and 3 and 4 and for 4/4 playing sixteen, eigth, notes and dotted quarter nates is fine but what about dotted eight note?

Do you have any methods?

One way or another (i.e., however you're counting), a dotted eighth note has the value of three sixteenth notes.

Steven

Hi ERZ,

From one beginner to another, use the thumb, index and middle finger on the starting notes as a general rule (i.e. 1, 2, &, 3); save 4 and 5 (ring finger and pinky) for the additional notes that need to be played. In other words, use the 1, 2, & 3 for the lower notes and save some fingers for the higher notes.

Practicing scales starting at middle C will help with the fingering. Some of it is intuitive and some takes some preparation/practice. I like the intuitive fingering… that is to use the fingers that are the most comfortable and flow smoothly the best for you.

For example, many piano players use 1, 2, & 3 almost exclusively by employing the thumb under or thumb over method; 4 and 5 are auxiliary standby’s to use as needed.

There is no one fingering format that fits all.

Hope this helps.

Rickster

Do we dare mention swing here, or places where the dotted eigth is held longer?

I durst not.

Steven

thanks

How shoud I play chord B Eflat Gflat for LH
ofcourse without thumb
Is 5 2 1 correct?

"Correctness" has to be considered in the context of what comes before the chord and what follows it.

Steven

a teacher would help, but it's not necessary the reason for a teacher. there're a plenty of resources on the principles of fingerings, which you can learn by yourself. search on net for such information, also, you may find it in some piano related books.

i remember that when i started learning myself, i read about fingerings and realized then how important it is to playing piano. so, i tried making up fingerings myself, when there's no fingering reference on music, and adjusting it if it's not working well. that's the way i learned how...

but to learn how to do it quickly as a beginner, first you want to learn from the edition/score with fingerings, which will teach you the principles and ideas of fingerings. as you learn from the existing fingerings, you can then find out if such fingerings are good for your hands or not, or whether such fingerings are good for slow or fast tempo, so that you can learn and make adjustment for your hands, and eventually know how to fingering music yourself.

Thanks. I do whatever I can. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time for a teacher now.

How shoud scales written above notes help me with fingering?