Teaching finger numbers to piano students are an important part of piano lessons. Not only do they give young and beginner students security in what finger to play a note with, they also give advanced students and even concert performers an insight into how to play phrases.
Right And Left Hand Piano Finger Numbers
For each hand the number assigned to each finger will be the same. Your thumbs will always be finger number 1. Your index fingers are 2, your middle finger is 3, the ring finger is 4 and your pinkies will be 5. When a pianist sees a number written above a note in their music, the composer or editor is letting the performer know what finger to use.
My Child Only Knows Piano Finger Numbers
Sometimes a parent might be concerned that their child only knows expresses that they know a finger number and not the name of a note. This concern is common but rest assured your piano teacher has a plan. Young piano students often gravitate to whichever element that makes sense to them when first learning how to read music. Even when this is the case, the student who can’t express the names of the notes knows more then they are letting onto.
Less Is More When Teaching Piano Finger Numbers
Finger numbers don’t go away, they gradually just appear less in music. At the onset of lessons, numbers are found almost on every note but as student’s progress, finger numbers just fade away until all that’s left is proper finger number indications. The purpose of these numbers outside of teaching is to let the pianist know where to put their hands. A series of notes can sound and be expressed differently if played with different positions.
The original composers don’t always indicate piano finger numbers. Music editors, most of whom were pianist, have offered their suggested fingerings to the classics. Piano teachers often have preferences to specific editions of music.
If you’d like to learn more about finger numbers it’s simple. Ask your piano teacher to help!