Piano Techniques - Fingering *****Listen to LET IT GO from FROZEN on the Piano!!!!*****

For the next topic in the book Improve Your Piano Playing, Dr. John Meffen moves on to talk about piano techniques. The first technique he discusses is fingering.

Fingering is the act of articulating your fingers to play notes on the piano. There is rarely one correct fingering because it really depends on you and what makes you comfortable (Meffen 42). It also depends on your hand size, finger span, and ability to reach. Appropriate fingering is important because it "allow[s] smooth and accurate movement[s] to be accomplished" (Meffen 45). This way, you can play beautifully and sound amazing without having to worry about your fingers tangling up. It is meant to be simple and helpful, so the transition to your next move is effortless and flawless (Meffen 46).

To practice good fingering, Meffen shares a strategy from Chopin, a famous pianist and composer. Chopin said "Standard fingerings for scales and arpeggios form a strong, safe, and memorable basis. (Meffen 47). Meffen agrees with Chopin's teachings and adds on that fingering used from a scale or arpeggio can be helpful when playing any composition. (Meffen 43). Here are videos of me practicing some scales and arpeggios to help improve my fingering.

                                Arpeggios                                                               Scales

Now that I have practiced, I can apply what I learned to a song. Notice how the precise fingering helps my left hand move up and down the piano.

Let It Go - Frozen

QOTD: What do you think sounds better, scales or arpeggios?

Citation: Meffen, John, Dr. Improve Your Piano Playing. New York: Allworth Press, 2007. Print.