It’s a really common mistake that piano learners completely ignore the finger numbers marked in piano music.

A lot of times they ask, “Is this okay? Do I really need to follow the fingering in the music?”

The short answer is:

Yes!

Yes, playing with correct finger numbers is a really important part of learning music on the piano.

While there can be some flexibility with which fingers to use, in general, you’ll want to study the suggested fingering and learn it the correct way.

Let’s explore this a little deeper.

How Finger Numbers Work

First, make sure that you understand how finger numbers work in piano music.

At the piano, our fingers on each hand are numbered 1-5, starting with the thumb.

Since we start on the thumb in each hand, the numbers appear as a mirror image of each other. Most people understand this, but when you get to the piano, it’s pretty common to flip the left hand fingers around and number them 1-5 from left to right, instead of starting on the thumb.

This is a common mistake, but if you notice yourself doing it, make a point to correct yourself and rethink the left hand finger numbers.

What You Might See In Your Music

Here is what you can expect to see for finger numbers in sheet music.

A lot of times, the composer or editor will give you a starting place, but they won’t label finger numbers on every single note.

Generally, however your fingers fall from that original starting point should work. Then, you’ll see a new number in places where you need to switch to a different finger or play a different finger than the next consecutive one.

In this arrangement of “Piano Man” by Billy Joel, you’ll see that you are set up to start on finger 2 in the first measure. There is another 2 right away in the second measure because you will have to move your finger 2 to a different key. You don’t see any numbers again until the end of the second line. The suggestion of using a finger 4 there is helping you prepare to reach the C that is coming up.

Sometimes, finger numbers will appear early in a song, but if that same musical notation repeats later on, the finger numbers are omitted the next time. This makes it really important to learn them correctly the first time. You can write them in yourself in later sections of music if you have trouble remembering them.

You might see two numbers on the same note with a dash in between. This means that you’ll have to switch fingers once the note has sounded. This will allow you to free up more fingers for something coming up in the music.

You can see an example of where to change fingers at the end of the first line of “Chanson Triste” by Tchaikovsky. In this case, you’ll arrive on a finger 3, and replace it with a finger 5 before releasing the note.

Another thing you might see is an alternate fingering. You’ll probably see some normal fingering suggestions close to the notes; then in parentheses, you’ll see another option.

When you have alternate fingers marked on the page, try them both out and see which one suits your hand the best.

It’s Okay To Make Changes

The size and shape of each person’s hand is a little bit different. Some suggested fingerings might not be comfortable under your hand and it’s definitely okay to make changes that work better for you.

Once you make a change, though, write it into your music so you can remember to use it every time.

That brings us to the next point:

Consistency Is Most Important

Staying consistent with fingerings is really important at the piano. Ignoring the fingerings and playing something different each time you practice is really counterproductive.

Be diligent about learning the correct fingerings early on and using them every time.

Once again, it’s okay if you changed a fingering to something that works better for you. Just make sure to stick with it once you’ve made the change.

What Not To Do

There can be a lot of flexibility with fingerings, so you might find that several different fingering options would work in the same passage. In general, if you have options, you can find the best fingering that works for you. However, here are some things you’ll want to consistently avoid:

-Running out of fingers. It’s pretty common for pianists to be playing a passage of notes and not have enough fingers for the span of notes. If this happens, avoid scooting your last finger over from key to key in order to reach those extra notes. Instead, find a way to rework the fingering so that you can reach all of the notes gracefully and efficiently.

-Using unconventional finger crossings. Learning scales will help you understand all of the most common ways that fingers can cross over and under each other. These fingerings that occur in scales will also show up over and over again in all genres of piano music. In each hand, your thumb can easily cross under fingers 2, 3 or 4, but not 5. Similarly, Fingers 2, 3 and 4 can all easy cross over the thumb, but finger 5 will rarely cross over. You won’t ever find your thumb crossing over another finger, only under. And, other fingers will only cross over the thumb, not under.

-Pecking for notes. Some people type with the “hunt and peck” approach. This doesn’t work well in typing at a computer and it doesn’t work well at the piano either. Most fingering suggestions are really well thought-out and will set you up for success. Using random fingers in a disconnected way will lead to slow progress and a lot of frustration.

-Avoiding certain fingers. On each hand, all 5 fingers are generally used equally. Some people will approach the piano using only their 3 tall fingers in the middle, avoiding the shorter thumbs and pinkies. If you use a rounded hand position, you’ll be able to place all of your fingers in a level position on the keys. This is ideal for playing the piano.

What To Do If There Are No Finger Numbers Written In The Music

It’s very common to come across music with absolutely no finger number suggestions in it. Over time, you’ll feel comfortable reading music and working through fingers as you go, but it’s okay if you need to write in your own finger numbers at first or to ask a teacher for fingering suggestions.

One of the nice things about fingerings is that there are a lot of consistencies that you will notice in all kinds of music.

Early on in your piano study, you might feel like you need a lot of guidance on which fingers to use, but as you learn more and more music, you’ll start noticing that fingerings can be really predictable. As you improve at sight reading music, you can learn to anticipate the best fingering to use on the spot and you may only need to write in a handful of specific fingerings.

So, if you’re wondering if fingerings are important to follow, that should clear things up for you! Yes, definitely follow finger suggestions in your music or find an alternative that works better for you.

🎹 Ready to practice? Head to Musicnotes.com to grab some piano sheet music arrangements!

This post was written by Megan, piano teacher and author of Pianissimo: A Very Piano Blog. Visit her website for more piano related blogs for teachers, parents, students, and all things piano.