When is it too late to revise fingerings in the process of learning a piece?

[perprocrastinate]

I never really put too much thought into this, but this question occurred to me when I was polishing a piece today, and noticed a better fingering for a certain passage. Is it just best to use the fingering I was using, since I had practiced it a fair amount already, and if it doesn't cause me any problems, or is it always best to go with the optimal fingering?

This question may not have a general answer, so I'll post excerpts of the passage in mind if needed.

[cbreemer]

You'll have to let your fingers make that decision on a case by case basis. It the new fingering is
considerably easier and natural-feeling, and it does not take huge concentration to change, then do it. In my case often a fingering is so ingrained that I just can't seem to change it, and I stick with it even though I know it's clumsy. I remember my former piano teacher saying she sometimes had crazy (I took that to mean sub-optimal) fingerings too and just accepted them. I really depends on how long you've played it like that. HTH !

[outin]

Seems to depend on a person. For me it's never too late and I do this frequently. In most cases I don't find it difficult to relearn fingerings.

[chopinlover01]

If you discover a new fingering that fits better under the hand, it should be intuitive to the hand. Meaning, it often replaces the first fingering instantly upon discovery.

[ted]

Never too late for me, with the proviso that the musical result is also improved, or at least becomes no worse. Unfortunately I have found, at least for me, that musical interest is not always proportional to ease or logic with fingering. It would be nice if it were but it isn't, especially in strongly rhythmic playing, where sometimes a really odd fingering produces exceptional effect. Provided it does not lead to confusion, I see nothing wrong with maintaining two or more fingerings for variety of musical result.

[gyzzzmo]

If you somewhat understand how muscle memory works and how to 'deal' with it, theres no reason why not to change the fingering if it works better for you.

[louispodesta]

I never really put too much thought into this, but this question occurred to me when I was polishing a piece today, and noticed a better fingering for a certain passage. Is it just best to use the fingering I was using, since I had practiced it a fair amount already, and if it doesn't cause me any problems, or is it always best to go with the optimal fingering?

This question may not have a general answer, so I'll post excerpts of the passage in mind if needed.

Debussy NEVER wrote fingerings in his pieces for the specific reason is that everyone has uniquely shaped hands.  Duh!

So, the general rule is that when you initially learn a new piece, the VERY FIRST thing after you have played through a piece is to determine which of the so-called recommended fingerings (usually placed there by editors/publishers) should be changed/modified according to the morphology of your own hand.

Granted, there are original score fingerings which make total sense, but, in the final anaylsis, if some particular passage is just not happening, then "experiment" around with a new one to try and solve your problem.

Good luck to you and congratulations on your initiative.

[iansinclair]

I find that I experiment with fingerings for quite a while while I'm learning a piece, and usually the best one for my hands will fall naturally in place.  But... sometimes I get well along and find that that just isn't so -- often for an interpretive reason, rather than a technical one.  Then I will change it.

However, if I really really know a piece -- part of my concert repertorire at the time -- I at least find it's a little risky to change the fingerings at that point, even if they aren't optimal.  The reason for this is that the fingering I have practiced so much is really fully automatic, and if I change it I have to tink about it -- which in the heat of performance may create some rather silly (or nasty!) mistakes.

But all that's me; your experience, as they say, may vary!

[lostinidlewonder]

However, if I really really know a piece -- part of my concert repertorire at the time -- I at least find it's a little risky to change the fingerings at that point, even if they aren't optimal.  The reason for this is that the fingering I have practiced so much is really fully automatic, and if I change it I have to tink about it -- which in the heat of performance may create some rather silly (or nasty!) mistakes.

I agree. Once your performance is over revise fingerings of course. You shouldn't even think about fingering if a performance is near focus on more important issues.

[louispodesta]

I agree. Once your performance is over revise fingerings of course. You shouldn't even think about fingering if a performance is near focus on more important issues.

I did not state the obvious with my prior post, but I do now.

If ANY pianist has a problem with a particular fingering, then, if that problem persists, then DO NOT PLAY THAT PIECE IN RECITAL OR PERFORMANCE!!

Okay?

[iansinclair]

I did not state the obvious with my prior post, but I do now.

If ANY pianist has a problem with a particular fingering, then, if that problem persists, then DO NOT PLAY THAT PIECE IN RECITAL OR PERFORMANCE!!

Okay?

Okay.  Don't shout.  And I agree -- but I maintain that it can happen that, after a piece has been "in rep" for a while, one might find a better fingering (not because of a problem -- one is playing it, technically at least, perfectly -- but because it may make a desired interpretation clearer) and want to shift to it.  And I see no harm to that.

[louispodesta]

Okay.  Don't shout.  And I agree -- but I maintain that it can happen that, after a piece has been "in rep" for a while, one might find a better fingering (not because of a problem -- one is playing it, technically at least, perfectly -- but because it may make a desired interpretation clearer) and want to shift to it.  And I see no harm to that.

Of course.