Another analogy for Bernhard

[Spatula]

Recently, I've been practicing Chopin's Sonata Nr 1, 4th Movement and in the first few bars where there are four notes chords decending, there is a spot where odd fingering is required in bar 7 to get from the G in the RH with four note chords and then switch to finger 4 on the F#. (by the way is this a good fingering?) .  At first I was fiddling with what fingering to use, but I found that I couldn't quite get the phrase up to reasonable speed even HS, but the problem was that I've been practicing with wrong fingering and potentially a speed wall would rear it's ugly head. 

So here is the analogy:

Proper fingering is like ironing clothes.  Now as we iron, we want to keep a solid crease that is only one fold and one line, to make it look sharp and professional.

But if we don't pay attention, we might be creasing the line and adding new ugly lines to the shirt and pants where it's not supposed to be.

Same with piano.  Proper fingering is what makes the piece "sharp" in a sense that it's a solid foundation for higher speeds.  The more your practice that passage with proper fingering, the sharper it'll be. Now doing screwy fingering will put the hand where it's not suppose to be, and will mess up your piece.


Now as I have said before, fingering is something where I have to drill but I want to get the fingering down and packed.  I test this by starting the piece from the beginning so the fingers are not "handicapped helped" and do not have the immediate recognition of new fingering patterns when I reach that particular passage.  If my fingers defaulted to the wrong fingering patterns again, then I knew I didn’t have it.  If my fingers were to “see and distinguish” right patterns, then I knew I could have more faith in my fingers, so to speak.

And I need to always be aware that most of the time, the fingering notations provided on the sheet music by the composer or editor or whomever, is probably the best fingering.  Take note for example the bar 16, where the legato passage starts.

It says 5 on E flat, thumb on C, then 2 on B natural.  Now you try that and you’ll find the tendency to play 5 on E flat, 2 on C and then 1 on B natural.

However I did it the intuitive way, that is the natural tendency and found myself already hitting a speed wall at about MM 150 with my HS. If you see the following 2 notes after that, they are D and G.  Now what I found through personal testing and trials is that the purpose of the odd fingering is to allow the muscles to not stretch so far ESPECIALLY during very fast tempos (this is obvious but always overlooked when slow play is involved, the muscles are not tensed like they are at presto tempo).

For the score, go here: https://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/sn4.pdf

Then go to PAGE 14!

So the moral of the story is to follow the fingering provided unless you can ABSOLUTELY disagree with their fingering and find one that is both economic, ergonomic (as in terms with both hands), and efficient (economized), and effective. 

What do you say Bernie?

[janice]

 
What do you say Bernie?

LOL--You're welcome for the nick-name Bernie!!

[Sketchee]

Now as I have said before, fingering is something where I have to drill but I want to get the fingering down and packed.  I test this by starting the piece from the beginning so the fingers are not "handicapped helped" and do not have the immediate recognition of new fingering patterns when I reach that particular passage.  If my fingers defaulted to the wrong fingering patterns again, then I knew I didn’t have it.  If my fingers were to “see and distinguish” right patterns, then I knew I could have more faith in my fingers, so to speak.

Not really a direct response,  but a comment from my own perspective.  I personally don't "memorize" the fingering or even do it by repeating the feel for the fingering.  Instead, I try to understand why they used that particular fingering. Once I know why the piece should be fingered that way and understand that concept, I play the right fingering. What I actually memorize is the notes themselves.  If the fingering is there because my hands need to be ready for what's after that, then I'm thinking about where I need to go.  The same idea applies if the fingering is for a particular effect or for speed.  I think that's also helpful to me for applying techniques to other passages and when a piece has no written fingerings I can just pull from prior knowledge.  YMMV though