Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

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mgardner
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Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by mgardner » Sat Jun 15, 2019 11:40 pm

Hope someone can explain the purpose of this finger assignment in "Chords Practice - Triads (Intermediate)" under "Courses."
Lesson #7 (C Major Triads) and the #13: 1-3-4-5 with C/G. In the first measure, it says 1 3 5 but much easier to use 1 2 5 instead. Is this typo or are we practicing moving the middle finger?

Also lesson #14 (B Major Triads), #13 (Human Nature Challenges) in the 8th measure, the 3rd note (A/E) uses 1 3 5. It's much easier to use 1 2 5 for me. The same pattern to follow in the 12th measure, but this time it's 1 2 5. What's the difference?

Please help!!!

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sw1tch73ch
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by sw1tch73ch » Sun Jun 16, 2019 4:59 pm

I haven't gotten there yet so I don't know what is going on. But a C/G will have two white notes between the G and the C. I heard a rule of thumb, that may or may not be the thing here, where if there are two white keys between the thumb and next finger, to use the 3 finger, and if there is just one white note, to use the 2 finger. So if the chord were A C E (A Major) then you use 1 2 5. But C over G is 1 3 5.

What is the triad in that 12th measure? is it another A/E ?
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

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andrewwegierski
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by andrewwegierski » Thu Jun 20, 2019 3:12 pm

Hi there,

In Lesson #7, segment #13, that is a mistake. C/G should always be 1 2 5.

The reason is the space between G and C is the interval of a 4th, and it's easier to use 2 and 5 to cover that.

In Lesson #14, segment #13 A/E should also be 1 2 5. Same reason.

As a rule of thumb, there are 3 different types of chords you'll play in each hand. Root position, first inversion, and second inversion.

Root position LH - 1 3 5
First inversion LH - 1 3 5
Second inversion LH - 1 2 5

Root position RH - 1 3 5
First inversion RH - 1 2 5
Second inversion RH - 1 3 5

Note where the exceptions of 1 2 5 are because of the intervals and the way your hands mirror themselves.
Andrew Wegierski

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Music Arranger

support@playgroundsessions.com

mgardner
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by mgardner » Mon Jul 08, 2019 12:43 pm

Thank you for the information!!! I am glad to find out it was OK to use the fingers that was easier for me. :)

mgardner
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by mgardner » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:09 pm

Just came to another problem and having a difficult time getting my fingers move. In Bootcamp (Intermediate) Lesson #60-3 for RH Melody E-Flat, notes go from D -> C -> B -> A in measure 30 and fingers are listed as 3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 1 which means I have to move my thumb from B to A really quick. Using the same finger for different notes was never mentioned in any of the lessons so far and having a hard time understanding about this move. Is this normal???

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sw1tch73ch
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by sw1tch73ch » Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:07 pm

There should have been mention of that. It is relatively normal, depending on the notes leading up to that sequence. I have had that a couple of times where the thumb has to scootch quickly from one note to the next from one beat to the next, or faster
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

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mgardner
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by mgardner » Thu Jul 11, 2019 4:50 am

Thank you sw1tch73ch for the information! I made myself to get used to that fingering and finally got 100% on that song (Bootcamp Intermediate #60-3) but coming to #60-7 and #60-8, it was impossible. Keys are changed from E-flat to F-major starting from #60-7 and this fingering doesn't make any sense to me on F-major. No way I could have gotten 100% if I had to stick to "3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 1" method (obiously I had to use fingers I was comfortable with).

When you get a chance, would you take a look at that lesson and tell me what you think of this??? I'd like to know if I am the only one who's having a hard time with this.

Swampfox
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by Swampfox » Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:07 am

I'm a bit behind you in the lessons and have only been playing piano since March but I'll risk giving an opinion based on previous experience with another instrument.
When playing a run of notes, especially sequential ascending or descending notes, it's usually good to stick to or close to the fingering one would use playing the scale. Generally, playing scales becomes ingrained and 'under you fingers', so you don't really need to think about it much and it feels natural. So unless there's some other reason, ie some transition before or after the passage, that makes it awkward, I would personally think that sticking to an easy fingering would be best.

As for the transposition issue. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to stick to the same fingerings if one transposes from one key to another. One reason,among several, to transcribe a song to another key is that it's easier to play in a different key, especially for pieces composed on a different instrument. Granted, sometimes songs are transposed for other reasons such as the vocalist range doesn't work well with the written key, or your playing with an instrument that is keyed differently, like a horn, and it's just generally easier for the more flexible instruments to accommodate, but it's also commonly done to make an otherwise nearly impossible piece approachable. I don't know if that is as true on piano, it seems to me to be a very flexible instrument, but it is clearly true on other instruments. The bottom line, to me, is that once you transpose a piece you play it like it was composed in that key and finger it accordingly.

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sw1tch73ch
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by sw1tch73ch » Thu Jul 11, 2019 1:26 pm

mgardner wrote:
Thu Jul 11, 2019 4:50 am
Thank you sw1tch73ch for the information! I made myself to get used to that fingering and finally got 100% on that song (Bootcamp Intermediate #60-3) but coming to #60-7 and #60-8, it was impossible. Keys are changed from E-flat to F-major starting from #60-7 and this fingering doesn't make any sense to me on F-major. No way I could have gotten 100% if I had to stick to "3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 1" method (obiously I had to use fingers I was comfortable with)
One trick I use is to play the key with one finger, like the thumb, but as I get ready to play a different key with that same finger, to use a different finger to hold the first key as I move. It depends on the fingers, the thumb is the most difficult to accommodate that way, but it is also definitely permissible to use your own fingering if you need to.
== Just keep playing. Just keep playing. Just keep playing, playing, playing! ==

-- jbs --

Swampfox
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Re: Questions about Finger Position: Typo or Reasons Behind?

Post by Swampfox » Thu Jul 11, 2019 8:09 pm

sw1tch73ch wrote:
Thu Jul 11, 2019 1:26 pm
mgardner wrote:
Thu Jul 11, 2019 4:50 am
Thank you sw1tch73ch for the information! I made myself to get used to that fingering and finally got 100% on that song (Bootcamp Intermediate #60-3) but coming to #60-7 and #60-8, it was impossible. Keys are changed from E-flat to F-major starting from #60-7 and this fingering doesn't make any sense to me on F-major. No way I could have gotten 100% if I had to stick to "3 -> 2 -> 1 -> 1" method (obiously I had to use fingers I was comfortable with)
One trick I use is to play the key with one finger, like the thumb, but as I get ready to play a different key with that same finger, to use a different finger to hold the first key as I move. It depends on the fingers, the thumb is the most difficult to accommodate that way, but it is also definitely permissible to use your own fingering if you need to.
IMO, the hard part would be playing the Bb with your thumb especially immediately after using the thumb on another note. I would think fingering would be easier using another finger on that note even if it meant changing the fingering on the passage, but again I'm a novice.

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