Fingering for Bach's Prelude No. 1

[clarke]

Hi all,

I'm Ian, just starting to learn the piano. I am now seeing a piano teacher for an hour each week and she has given me Bach's Prelude No.1 to learn.

I was wondering how to go about learning the fingering for parts she hasn't shown me yet. I don't want to go away learning the piece and then to have to undo it all when I see her next due to incorrect fingering. Is there some sort of set of rules that I can use?

Thanks

[ranniks]

Which parts of the piece do you have difficulties with?

[clarke]

Hi ranniks,

I don't find any of it overly difficult, if I just "wing it" and do whatever fingering feels comfortable. I'm about halfway through learning it and I guess the sharps are the more difficult, e.g. the G to Gdim7. But as I understand, I could be developing bad habits for faster play.

Interestingly I just looked up a youtube video where the guy uses different fingering to my teacher. Here:

Does this mean it varies teacher to teacher?

[j_menz]

Does this mean it varies teacher to teacher?

It varies pianist to pianist.  There is no objectively correct fingering, just ones that best suit you particular hand.

For this piece, just play the whole figure as a single chord and you'll see what's comfortable. That's the fingering you should use.

[clarke]

Interesting, thanks.

Good tip, I'll give it a go.