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Fingering guidelines for parallel sixths...


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Hey there, this guitarist's Covid and beyond project has been to deepen my lifelong relationship with piano--technique, independence,  harmony, and beyond. Have to say it has been a great and challenging experience. I've been playing out on keys for over a year now (only originals though; I don't see ever myself as likely to be someone else's keys person...). Samples available upon request, lol.

Anyway, it became apparent to me pretty early that being fluent in parallel thirds and sixths in both hands is a pretty important thing. For thirds, Hanon was a good start and though different keys present different challenges for these aging joints, the Hanon approach of having one thumb-and-forefinger third per scale makes sense to me.

regarding sixths, my body tells me thumb and pinkie all the time is not the way. I experiment with with other ways but can't see to find a fundamental principal of employing the ring finger (and sometimes forefinger). Is there a general principle out there? A soft rule?

 

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I usually play the upper note as legato using normal fingering (5-4-3) and lazily stick with the thumb on the lower note (not caring how legato it is since the listener hears the upper note).   But you can get a legato going on the lower alternating 1 and 2 if it’s important to you. 
 

Check out Chopin Op. 25, No. 8.  Definitely study it hands apart to build a method for parallel 6ths. 
 

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Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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It depends on whether you are needing to play legato (no silence between notes) or staccato (silence between notes).

For staccato, where I lift my fingers completely off the keys inbetween parallel sixths, I often use the same fingering (i.e. 1-5) up and down the scale.

For legato, where I try to keep my fingers in contact with the sixth until the next sixth is struck, I will use different fingering (i.e. 1-3 -> 1-4 -> 2-5, etc.).  Which fingers you use when depends on the hills and valleys of the particular scale you are working in, and your own personal preference - as long as the result is a smooth seamless flow of sixths, you are free to choose.

So now, if you are wanting to practice scales using parallel sixths, you have to do each scale one time staccato, and one time legato.

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Depends on the passage and how quickly you are playing. For serious legato there's a lot of 2-5 to 1-4. For fast runs in C it can be just wrist and 1-5.

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Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37

 

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