Where do you place your fingers (y-axis) on keys when your thumb or pinky is on a black key or white key?
I'd like some feedback on some keyboard diagrams I'm making. I'd like to indicate where you would put your fingertip (fingers 1-5) on the y-axis if you were to play certain chords depending on if the thumb (1) or pinky (5) is on a black or white key. These aren't proper chords. It is just a draft to test for finger height.
How high up do you generally play on the piano if your thumb or pinky is on a black key?
If you think you'd put them elsewhere, could you download the image below and send me an image with a red circle where you would place your fingers instead?
At the moment I am only considering statically playing one chord rather than a piece of music. It will be a chord dictionary for the beginner, so there are no other complex considerations like what the previous or next chord will be.
My assumption was that the position of your fingers is maintained, you simply move your hand up or down vertically and press down if the key is to be used.
Would you say that you curl your longer fingers (2,3,4) more when your pinky or thumb is on a black key, so that your fingers don't reach as far up as they normally would with the fingers extended? I have a sense that you either have to press harder with longer fingers (2-4) when they reach the top of the keys, or you shorten the extension so that you have a longer lever for the piano key, thus reducing the effort you need to press it. If one does use the curling method when fingers are near the top, which fingers would curl the most? What percentage would you reduce the outstretched fingers by? Would the length be 90% of the normal length, say, when the thumb and pinky are on the white keys? Or would you curl them 90% when the pinky is on a black key, and 80% when the thumb is on a black key?
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I don't really think too much about precise 'Y axis' position.
I try to maintain a good hand position with fingers curved. But my hand is small so I have to uncurl to reach full octave chords.
If I have to place my hand deeper into the keys - closer to the fall board - and leverage on the keys decreases, I compensate by using a stronger touch.
So, alignment of the Y axis isn't the main concern. Good hand shape and touch are the focus, at least for me.
But, most importantly, this comment...
At the moment I am only considering statically playing one chord
rather than a piece of music. It will be a chord dictionary for the
beginner, so there are no other complex considerations like what the
previous or next chord will be.
...really concerns me.
This seems contrary to the whole point of fingering technique.
Except for 5 finger position and full octave chords - which have standard fingerings - the entire topic of finger is about preparing for what comes next.
This Y axis concept may be counter-productive.
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