I'm currently working through Lesson 38 in the rookie bootcamp and I've been trying to follow through with being able to play a lesson with to 100% first with the fingering numbers turned on, then with the note names turned on, then both turned off. With everything in a fairly stationary 5 finger position, I was beginning to wonder how someone eventually learns to play pieces without knowing the fingering ahead of time. I know there are some lessons coming up starting at lesson 53 for trying "extended position" and hand position changes at Lesson 60, but previewing those lessons (reading the content without trying them), it looks like it really is just "hey, moving your hands/fingers here for this sample".
Is there a theory or something that can help with learning how to get to optimal fingerings for when sheet music and other apps don't provide it?
Is it through learning the scales and understanding how your hands move up and down the keyboard for a scale?
Is through understanding different cords and their fingerings to be able to help with more melodic pieces?
Is it just through a lot of trial and error when learning to play a new piece?
Is it just something that comes naturally once you have enough experience/practice time/level of content you've consumed/played?
I'm really just trying to figure out if this is something that is explained further in either the bootcamp lessons or the unlocked course (which I haven't tried yet).
Thanks!
Learning the theory behind finding an optimal fingering?
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andrewwegierski
- Posts: 783
- Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 4:37 pm
Re: Learning the theory behind finding an optimal fingering?
This is a great question for the community. For a detailed answer from me please email support@playgroundsessions.com, I check that email every morning. And throughout the day.
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sw1tch73ch
- Posts: 539
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 1:23 pm
Re: Learning the theory behind finding an optimal fingering?
There isn't any real set theory, but there are books on fingering - I don't own any and therefore have no specific recommendations. Fingering can be unique to the individual.
All the fingerings in the program are based on an average hand. It is not necessarily optimal because smaller hands will have trouble reaching an average stretch, and big hands can have challenges fitting in general. Learning your best fingering is mostly just getting your brain and hands and muscles used to playing on the keyboard and knowing where the keys are. Remember, any finger can play any key. It will be up to you to figure out your best way to move from key to key. That may be all down the road a bit and right now you still need to practice it to get there. It seems like a "chicken or the egg" sort of problem.
One thing that a lot of people do recommend is learning and practicing scales. They are all about moving your fingers and hands across the keyboard. Soon also there will be Hanon exercises that do much the same thing. Look for those. But scales and Hanon are not the do all be all for fingering either. Mostly because I don't think there is a "do all be all" theory. Each musician is unique and will develop their own eye for it.
Finally, the most important, I think, is to practice recognizing the keyboard and where your fingers might best fit any given piece. Look at the finger numbers in the app and study them for a minute. Don't play, but look at what they did, which finger gets the lowest note, which gets the highest and how the fingers flow between. It isn't always exactly what you'd expect perhaps - especially in later lessons, so pay attention and read the music before playing the music.
All the fingerings in the program are based on an average hand. It is not necessarily optimal because smaller hands will have trouble reaching an average stretch, and big hands can have challenges fitting in general. Learning your best fingering is mostly just getting your brain and hands and muscles used to playing on the keyboard and knowing where the keys are. Remember, any finger can play any key. It will be up to you to figure out your best way to move from key to key. That may be all down the road a bit and right now you still need to practice it to get there. It seems like a "chicken or the egg" sort of problem.
One thing that a lot of people do recommend is learning and practicing scales. They are all about moving your fingers and hands across the keyboard. Soon also there will be Hanon exercises that do much the same thing. Look for those. But scales and Hanon are not the do all be all for fingering either. Mostly because I don't think there is a "do all be all" theory. Each musician is unique and will develop their own eye for it.
Finally, the most important, I think, is to practice recognizing the keyboard and where your fingers might best fit any given piece. Look at the finger numbers in the app and study them for a minute. Don't play, but look at what they did, which finger gets the lowest note, which gets the highest and how the fingers flow between. It isn't always exactly what you'd expect perhaps - especially in later lessons, so pay attention and read the music before playing the music.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==
-- jbs --
-- jbs --
Re: Learning the theory behind finding an optimal fingering?
Thank you! I was anticipating something similar to your answer. I definitely have a ways to go before I start figuring out my own fingering patterns...and lots and lots of practicing to do as well.
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lucidmusicinc
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Thu May 30, 2019 1:14 am
Re: Learning the theory behind finding an optimal fingering?
I'm not a qualified person to try to answer this question but from my observation it has to do with 'reading ahead,' and seeing where in the 'phrase the melody reaches it's highest point before descending again. So your thumb, finger one plays the beginning of the phrase if the melody/arpeggio etc goes up, middle finger if it goes up and down again and so-fourth. If you train your eyes to read ahead, a little like reading words and recognising groups of letters instantaneously as words you can accurately guess which finger, depending on the scale ought to begin the phrase.
Scales practice is good, especially playing broken chords and other patterns. Technique guides written by Czerney and others can give you some sense of muscle memory for playing phrases with complicated fingerings.
Scales practice is good, especially playing broken chords and other patterns. Technique guides written by Czerney and others can give you some sense of muscle memory for playing phrases with complicated fingerings.