I.

II.

General Fingering Rules

1. The fingering always alternates 123 1234 (or 321 4321) so that the same
fingering pattern repeats every octave.
2. The thumb always stays on the white keys, never on black keys.
3. The fourth finger always plays a black key (when there is a black key to
be played in the scale).
4. The fifth finger is only used at a starting place, a stopping place, or a
turning-around place.
5. The augmented second in harmonic minor scales must fit conveniently
under the hand (preferably between 1 and 2 or 2 and 3), except for
Eb/D# minor LH.
6. When working out scale passages in the literature, consider alternatives
that put the fingering patterns in alignment between the hands (thumbs
happening together somewhere in the scale).
The Fingerings
1. These are just the fingering patterns: Feel free to use 5 when appropriate
(first note, last note, turning around).
2. Feel free to revert to traditional fingerings, especially when performing
the melodic minor scale ascending and descending.

3. Major
Key
RH C
LH major

Natural Minor

Harmonic Minor

Fingering Key
12312341 A
14321321 minor

Fingering
12312341
14321321

Key
A
minor

Fingering
12312341
32132143

12312341
32132143
12312341
21432132
12312341
21321432
12312341
14321321
12312341
13214321
23412312
43213214
23123412
32143213

E
minor
B
minor
F#
minor
C#
minor
G#/Ab
minor
D#/Eb
minor
A#/Bb
minor

34123123
14321321
34123123
13214321
34123123
43213214
34123123
32143213
34123123
32132143
31234123
21432132
41231234
21321432

E
minor
B
minor
F#
minor
C#
minor
G#/Ab
minor
D#/Eb
minor
A#/Bb
minor

12312341
14321321
12312341
13214321
34123123
43213214
34123123
32143213
34123123
32143213
31234123
21432132
41231234
21321432

RH Ab
LH major
RH Eb
major
LH

34123123
32143213
31234123

F
minor
C
minor

12341231
21321432
12312341

F
minor
C
minor

RH Bb
major
LH

41231234

12341231
21321432
12312341
(23412312)
21321432
(14321321)
12312341

RH F
major
LH

12341231

RH
LH
RH
LH
RH
LH
RH
LH
RH
LH
RH
LH
RH
LH

G
major
D
major
A
major
E
major
B/Cb
major
F#/Gb
major
C#/Db
major

32143213
G
minor

32143213

32143213

D
minor

21321432
(14321321)
23412312
(12312341)
21321432
(14321321)
23123412
(12312341)
21321432
(14321321)

G
minor

D
minor

21321432
(14321321)
12312341
21321432
(14321321)

Melodic Minor
(ascending)
Key
Fingering
A
12312341
minor 21321432
(14321321)
E
12312341
minor 14321321
B
12312341
minor 13214321
F#
23123412
minor 43213214
C#
23123412
minor 32143213
G#/Ab 34123123
minor 32143213
D#/Eb 31234123
minor 21432132
A#/Bb 41231234
minor 21432132
(21321432)
F
12341231
minor 21432132
C
12312341
minor (23412312)
21432132
(14321321)
G
12312341
minor
21432132
(14321321)
D
12312341
minor
32132143
(14321321)