Scale Fingering Chart

19.06.08 23:51

Guide to Learning Piano:

Scale Fingering Chart
Robert T. Kelley
Note: Use these fingerings with caution. The fingerings given here may not be the fingerings most
commonly given in piano method books, but they are the most physically practical fingerings. In the case
you have to play scales for judged competitions, you may want to revert to the "accepted fingerings"
given in that competition's guidelines.
I. General Fingering Rules
1. The fingering always alternates 123 1234 (or 321 4321) so that the same fingering pattern
repeats every octave.
2. The thumb always stays on the white keys, never on black keys.
3. The fourth finger always plays a black key (when there is a black key to be played in the
scale).
4. The fifth finger is only used at a starting place, a stopping place, or a turning-around place.
5. The augmented second in harmonic minor scales must fit conveniently under the hand
(preferably between 1 and 2 or 2 and 3), except for Eb/D# minor LH.
6. When working out scale passages in the literature, consider alternatives that put the fingering
patterns in alignment between the hands (thumbs happening together somewhere in the
scale).
II. The Fingerings
1. These are just the fingering patterns: Feel free to use 5 when appropriate (first note, last
note, turning around).
2. Feel free to revert to traditional fingerings, especially when performing the melodic minor
scale ascending and descending.
Major
Key
RH
LH
RH

C major

G major

Fingering
12312341
14321321
12312341

Natural Minor
Key
A minor

E minor

Fingering
12312341
14321321
34123123

Melodic Minor
(ascending)
Fingering
Key
Fingering
12312341
12312341
A minor
21321432
32132143
(14321321)
12312341
12312341
E minor
14321321
14321321
12312341
12312341
B minor
13214321
13214321

Harmonic Minor
Key
A minor

E minor

LH
RH
D major
LH

32132143
12312341
B minor
21432132

14321321
34123123
13214321

RH
A major
LH

12312341
F# minor
21321432

34123123
43213214

F# minor

34123123
43213214

F# minor

23123412
43213214

RH
E major
LH

12312341
C# minor
14321321

34123123
32143213

C# minor

34123123
32143213

C# minor

23123412
32143213

RH
12312341 G#/Ab
B/Cb major
LH
13214321 minor

34123123
32132143

G#/Ab
minor

34123123
32143213

G#/Ab
minor

34123123
32143213

RH

31234123

23412312

http://www.robertkelleyphd.com/scalfing.htm

B minor

31234123

31234123
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Scale Fingering Chart

19.06.08 23:51

RH F#/Gb
LH major

23412312 D#/Eb
43213214 minor

31234123
21432132

RH

23123412

41231234

C#/Db
LH major

A#/Bb
32143213 minor

21321432

RH
Ab major
LH

34123123
F minor
32143213

12341231
21321432

RH

31234123

12312341

Eb major

C minor

LH

32143213

RH

41231234
Bb major

LH

32143213

RH

12341231
F major

LH

21321432
(14321321)

D#/Eb
minor
A#/Bb
minor

41231234
21321432

D#/Eb
minor

31234123
21432132

A#/Bb
minor

41231234
21432132
(21321432)

F minor

12341231
21432132

F minor

12341231
21321432

C minor

12312341
(23412312)
C minor
21321432
(14321321)

12312341
(23412312)
21432132
(14321321)

12312341

12312341

G minor

23412312
(12312341)
G minor
21321432
(14321321)

D minor

23123412
(12312341)
D minor
21321432
(14321321)

32143213

31234123
21432132

21321432
(14321321)

G minor

12312341
21321432
(14321321)

21432132
(14321321)
12312341

D minor

32132143
(14321321)

Return to Guide to Learning the Piano

Return to Pedagogical Resources
Return to Robert Kelley's Music Website
2001 Robert T. Kelley. All rights reserved. Copying of this document is permitted for classroom and
private educational purposes only. On all copies the web address, author's name, and copyright notice
must appear.

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