Hitting Two Keys with the Same Finger?

[ryankmfdm]

 Is this a huge faux pas? Have you ever done or do you ever do this? 

 I'm working my way through this little Beethoven piece that calls for the left hand to simultaneously depress D4, C5, and D5. I'm assuming that the fingering most would use would be 521. However, this is seriously uncomfortable for my hand and difficult to execute in the heat of playing. I discovered that I could pretty easily hit both the C and D with my thumb.

[stravinskylover]

It is actually quite common in many of the more advanced pieces to require the thumb to play two notes at the same time. Don't worry about it.

[g_s_223]

Many "seventh" chords (like the one you describe) are in fact expected to be played with the two adjacent tones played by the thumb (of either hand). And in fact on either white or black keys.

So no problem!

[liszt1022]

Chopin's Prelude op. 28 no. 7 features a chord with A#-C# played with the right thumb (if you don't want to roll it)

[stravinskylover]

Chopin's 3rd Scherzo has a opening where the thumb has to play a D# and F# in the left hand.

[iansinclair]

Organists do it all the time.  Sometimes intentionally...

Seriously, it's fine.  The trick to it is to get the two keys to strike evenly; that's harder than it seems.  But if you can do that, it's quite acceptable.

[ryankmfdm]

 Thanks, guys! I appreciate the help.

[andrewuk]

The third movement of Prokofiev's third piano concerto has scale-like passages where fingers 1-4 have to play two notes simultaneously.

https://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_No.3,_Op.26_%28Prokofiev,_Sergey%29

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Also if you have to play a white and a black key at the same time with one finger, you gotta like hook the black key so when you play the white key, they'll sound at the same time.

[invictious]

Depends. If you play a minor / major second with one finger, it is not all that impressive.

If you manage to play minor / major thirds and wider intervals with one finger though...

[chopinfrederic]

Is this a huge faux pas? Have you ever done or do you ever do this? 

 I'm working my way through this little Beethoven piece that calls for the left hand to simultaneously depress D4, C5, and D5. I'm assuming that the fingering most would use would be 521. However, this is seriously uncomfortable for my hand and difficult to execute in the heat of playing. I discovered that I could pretty easily hit both the C and D with my thumb.

I've ever done this (my hands are small). It's ok to press two keys with the same finger.

[richie3846]

I've done it for ever and find it reduces the strain in your hand when playing chord-heavy pieces. We're not all built like Rachmaninov you know!

[louispodesta]

It is actually quite common in many of the more advanced pieces to require the thumb to play two notes at the same time. Don't worry about it.

Most correct - and, many scores put brackets around those two fingers to show you that it is not only okay, it is recommended.  Further, there are some single notes (black keys) where if I have to reach for a black key in my right hand, I strike the note with my third finger, with my fourth finger welded to it.

Finally, if in doubt, per my video, most pianists in the 19th century would have rolled the chord.  In one particular section of the Brahms Intermezzo Op. 118 No.2, I actually take two notes with the thumb and roll the rest of the chord.

The point, as stated numerous times in Earl Wild's Memoir, pianists, of the 19th and early 20th centuries, regularly re-arranged certain chords to better fit their particular hand.  And, no one said anything about it!

Enjoy my video.

[j_menz]

many scores put brackets around those two fingers to show you that it is not only okay, it is recommended. 

In intermediate repertoire (where such requirements are rarer or assumed to be less well known) that is true, but most scores there is no such marking. Indeed, there is often enough in the way of notes, accidentals and so forth that additional "helpful" markings would simply make the score too messy.

[louispodesta]

In intermediate repertoire (where such requirements are rarer or assumed to be less well known) that is true, but most scores there is no such marking. Indeed, there is often enough in the way of notes, accidentals and so forth that additional "helpful" markings would simply make the score too messy.

And, this addresses the OP's question, how?

In my rather large score and recorded library, it does not classify a piece in terms of beginning, intermediate, or advanced.  Therefore, when I look at a particular measure of say the Brahms Opus 118, No. 2, I don't ask myself whether or not it falls into your or anyone else's classification.

The last time I checked, this  forum was supposedly dedicated to becoming a musician sufficiently enabled to becoming just that, a musician!

Therefore, your attempt to classify, what the OP originally proffered, is inaccurate.
 

[j_menz]

And, this addresses the OP's question, how?

By noting that the enquired about use (ie, using one finger for two notes) is appropriate even where it may not be specifically indicated in the score, as it often is not (despite your suggestion to the contrary). 

[1piano4joe]

Hi ryankmfdm,

I have only done this in two Chopin preludes. The one in A major and the one in C minor. I seriously doubt that this is a faux pas since there really isn't any other way to play the chords in these without resorting to either dropping notes or rolling the chords. I recommend you check these out and see what I mean.

You are doing nothing wrong, Joe.