Descending Scales - fingering

[ggpianogg]

Hi guys,

Sorry I'm bugging everyone with my topics; unfortunately, since I just bought a piano, I'm not capable of getting a piano teacher (they are quite expensive in relation to the wages here in Poland), so for the next few weeks or even two months I have to manage on my own, hope no one minds.

So my question is: when playing scales DESCENDING, do we use the same fingering as for the scales ascending, only in reverse? Or is there a completely different fingering for descending scales?

[stevebob]

Even if the utility of Hanon is otherwise questionable, it's a handy reference for scales (and their fingerings) in all the keys.  They start with Exercise #39:

The Virtuoso Pianist, Part II

[Bob]

Yes, for major.  Minor can vary.

[roseli]

when descending, your left hand fingering goes to the right and the right one goes to the left. : )

[peterjmathis]

Pretty much, though as Bob said minor varies.

[samasap]

Hello,

With Major scales, you have a fingering pattern that you can follow, So ascending doing two octaves it is: - 3, 4, 3, 5. so descending, it will be the same pattern, but obviously, the other way around!
An example of what I mean by this is: - (basing on c major two octaves...)
RIGHT HAND: - C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C (THIS IS ASCENDING)
                     1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5

DESCENDING: - C B A G F E D C B A G F E D C
                      5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 1

Your also find that this fingering pattern is the same for minor harmonic scales, like d minor, g minor and a minor.
Its also the same pattern for contrary motion scales.

Hope you find this useful.

[ggpianogg]

Thanks everyone, each post was helpful. Appreciate your time.

[Bob]

The only other thing I'm thinking of is that on the top and bottom of the scales, you can kind of "round off" the ends -- By that I mean you can use a fingering that makes sense and not necessarily carry out the same pattern because it's the very top or bottom of the scale and you're turning around again.  One of those scales isn't popping into my mind now, but it would be like using 5 on the RH on the top of the scale instead of moving the thumb over to hit that topmost note.  If it's the top of the scale, it really doesn't make sense to do all that work.  Just use 5 and the hand is already in position to go back down.

[theodore]

How can one get an even scale in both a good ryhthm and in equal volume ??

My problen is that I rush on notes when I use fingers 3 4 and 5 and I also decrease in volume for those same fingers. This is for both ascending and descending scales.