Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Finger Fitting Faux Pas

Well not really a faux pas, I just like the alliteration.

I have noticed in certain passages where the R 3rd (or 2nd or 4th) finger must play a white key in between two black keys, my finger does not fit well and the black keys move slightly. I manage to play the note without sounding the adjacent black keys, but They move slightly and I am wondering if this is unique to my technique or my piano or neither of the above.

An example is while practicing the Bach Invention in D min, BWV 926, measure 33 - C#-Bb-G-C#-Bb-G where I play 1-5-3-1-5-3. I have noticed this at other times as well.

For reference, I am about 5’10’, 165, fit with average sized fingers, and the piano is a S&S A3. This does not pose an issue on my Boston 118. Are the black keys too closely spaced, or too wide, on the S&S? Is this something that is different in newer pianos? I imagine the difference is only 1-2 mm but it’s enough to notice it.

Anyone else notice this? Maybe I should stop cracking my knuckles? Lol

It really doesn't matter if you touch and even move adjacent keys slightly, as long as they don't actually sound.

I have slim fingers but my fingers do brush against the adjacent black keys when playing the white key between them. It reassures me that my finger is exactly where it should be .

Can you play further out on the white key?

Glad to see that my fingers are no larger than those of a Scottish mountain, Ben!

Boo, not sure as I’m not in front of the piano this second, but with the progression on that little invention somehow I seem to drift towards the back. I’ll see later on.

I have this problem, too, on my teacher's Hamburg Steinway C. My third finger especially will catch the sharps on either side of the white key and cause them to sound. I've tried playing further out on the keys (not always practicable) and even turning my hand sideways. And like you, it's something I noticed especially in playing Bach where fingering in pursuit of a true legato can become very odd.

I discovered some time ago that the width of sharps varies a little from maker to maker. There is no standard, apparently. A mere millimeter of extra space and my fingers fit fine. My August Förster has slightly narrower sharps, for which I'm grateful.

Also historic fortepianos had smaller keys, I believe.

I notice this when doing the finger exercise you provided Craig:

C E G C
C Eb G C

Playing the G after the Eb with the right results in both F# and G# moving slightly. I can keep them silent but they both move. I would not say my fingers are particularly thick.

By the way my regulation while playing those exercises has improved a lot, rhythm and volume. I think it helps when I'm practising legato arpeggios.

Kevin

Maybe I ought to break out the rasp!

Glad you're enjoying that exercise! I think it was in an etude, but I don't know who wrote it. I should ask my teacher. Funny, I only notice the issue when hitting the G between when the preceding and next note are black keys. I don't think I notice it in the exercise above - I probably play farther back on this one. But I'll check.

If you play that sequence of 6 notes with your wrist higher and make a counter-clockwise circular motion with your wrist, does that still happen? My 4th finger rests on the Ab and my 2nd finger brushes across the E and F.

It's a matter of practise.

I play an old Pipe Organ with much "fatter" sharps than my piano, or my Allen Digital Organ - and on the Pipe Organ, they sound accidentally with just the slightest touch. When I first started playing that organ, I was often getting a stray note sounding, but I've learned to keep fingers more upright, and more straight on as I play into the black notes. My teacher's YAMAHA had fatter sharps than my GROTRIAN and that took a bit of adapting to.

The next time I’m cursing a composer for assuming that all pianists can reach a major tenth comfortably (I have to stretch to play a ninth), I will try to remember this thread.