The Best Piano Exercises (Part 2) - Major Scales with C major fingering

Hi, this is Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com and VirtualSheetMusic.com with another technique video for you. Sometimes, you want to build strength and you don't want to learn a whole bunch of music. Last time, I showed you a triad exercise that, boy, you just go through that, it takes maybe three, four minutes, and you feel it because it strengthens the hands. Well, today, I've got something that is equally important and it's a little bit different. Today's subject is playing all your scales, all your major scales with the C major scale fingering. It sounds crazy, doesn't it? Why would you every want to do a thing like that?

Well, here's the secret. If you've ever played complex counter point like Bach Fugue's and such, sometimes you have to use fingering and it's very non intuitive because normally, you try to find the fingering, that everything lays under the hands. You don't even want to use the thumb on black keys unless you're playing octaves or chords, and there're certain things that just feel good. You don't really want to cross with your fourth and fifth fingers. You try to cross with third and fourth fingers but sometimes in music, it's so complicated that you have to do all kinds of strange reaching.

And boy, if there's any good way to work on the flexibility of your fingering and crossings that are awkward and unusual, try playing for example, a D flat major scale but use the C major scale fingering. That's right. Instead of starting with the third finger in your left hand and the second finger in your right hand with the thumb crossings on the white keys and such. No! You're going to play that with C major scale fingering starting with five in the left hand and one on the right hand, crossing after three notes to the right hand, to the thumb, and etc. And here is what you end up with.

To be able to play it smoothly and with fluidity takes some doing. You'll get used to playing non standard fingering which as I said, in complex music, it's not always exactly what you want, but the music necessitates some awkward types of hand positions. If you can play all your major scales with the C major scale fingering, it's a really wonderful way to work on this and get comfortable playing all the keys with all the different fingers. Try it out. I'm interested in your comments for those of you who try this. Thanks for joining me. Once again, this is Robert Estrin at LivingPianos.com and VirtualSheetMusic.com.

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