Major Scale Piano Finger Grouping Explained | Standard Fingering | Beginner Piano Scales | Berklee

When starting out on the piano you may notice how your hand (most likely) doesn’t have the required amount of fingers capable of completing a simple major scale? If you play the C scale starting from your thumb on “C,” and don’t prepare your fingering, you’ll find yourself with your pinky on G, leading to an awkward transition to the remaining three notes. That’s why adequate fingering is crucial knowledge for smooth piano playing. In this video, which comes from Berklee Online’s Piano Scales 101 course, jazz pianist Suzanna Sifter teaches a technique called “finger grouping” in which the player alternates between the different fingering combinations that completes a scale and/or the octaves above. It is a great resource for beginner pianists to hone their fundamental techniques for both right and left hands.

ABOUT SUZANNA SIFTER:
Suzanna Sifter is a jazz pianist, author, and educator who has been on faculty at Berklee College of Music for 30 years. She holds a BM from Berklee and a Master’s Degree from New England Conservatory. Suzanna has released five recordings as a leader, composer, and arranger: “Flowers for You,” “Awakening,” “The Illumination,” “Sophisticated Lady,” and the play along CD to her book, “Berklee Jazz Keyboard Harmony: Using Upper Structure Triads.” The second edition of Suzanna’s book was released through Hal Leonard/Berklee Press in 2015.

About Berklee Online:
Founded in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education, offering the renowned curriculum of Berklee College of Music at a fraction of the cost through award-winning programming and instruction. Contact an Academic Advisor today:
1-866-BERKLEE (US)
1-617-747-2146 (international callers)

Beginner Piano | Piano 101 | Free Piano Lesson | Online Piano Lesson | Suzanna Sifter | Hal Leonard | Berklee | Berklee Online | Berklee College of Music

[an_internet_user]

Thank you, as a beginner, the power I feel to be able to do this feels amazing.

[Frozen_Gopher]

Your “most important moment” comment on the left hand came out of nowhere. Why is it? What is it? Where did that come from?

[Feldspar__]

In her exmample of C major: Use your thumb on C. Use your thumb on F. repeat

[James-omyo]

Couldn't hear it, put volume to max, realise headphones are connected so I unpaired the Bluetooth at exactly 26 seconds...