getting about the keys

[raven3d]

ok 2 and a bit hours in now and some bits and bats i've been messing with.
It's going to be much easier to ask these questions than sit here forever trying to figure them out.

Q1:
is there a set finger pattern for playing chords? by this i mean would i play C major using fingers 531 and an F major using 521 or does it not really matter and should i use what feels most comfortable for me?
fingers patterns are from the left hand on this view, pinky being 1 thumb being 5

Q2:
playing up the major scale, right hand! thumb being 1 pinky being 5

would i play

c d e f g a b c
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5

Q3:
so as i don't sound such a dork do the fingers have names like they do in guitar?

 

[kanthos]

Q1: I don't know of any, but this is probably a byproduct of the way piano is often taught (i.e. "Learn to play classical pieces with no real connection between the notes you play and the chords and theory which describe them"). I tend to do whatever's convenient for me based on what I'm playing - approaching a chord in different ways may make different fingerings easier.

Usually for a triad, I tend to use 1-3-5 in root position (i.e. C-E-G), 1-2-5 in first inversion (i.e. E-G-C), and 1-3-5 in second inversion (i.e. G-C-E). 1-4-5 might be better here, but most people's third fingers are stronger.

For suspended chords (sus2 and sus4), I tend to use 1-2-5 and 1-4-5.

For 7th chords, it depends on the inversion again: I usually use 1-2-3-5 except for 1st inversion (E-G-Bb-C), where I use 1-2-4-5, because the Bb and C are close together so something like 1-2-3-5 would be awkward.

Basically, it comes down to convenience; if there's a rule of thumb, it's that you use your strongest fingers except when it's inconvenient to do so.

Q2: Yes, although if you want to play 2 or more octaves, use your thumb on the top C (i.e. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5).

Q3: Yes, and 1 through 5 are right; 1 is your thumb.

 

[raven3d]

cheers!
I think its going to probably help my guitar a little to, its much much easier to visualise inversions on a keyboard than on a guitar..

I'll probably be along with more questions later

 

[jpscoey]

Q1:
is there a set finger pattern for playing chords? by this i mean would i play C major using fingers 531 and an F major using 521 or does it not really matter and should i use what feels most comfortable for me?
fingers patterns are from the left hand on this view, pinky being 1 thumb being 5

Q2:
playing up the major scale, right hand! thumb being 1 pinky being 5

would i play

c d e f g a b c
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5

Q3:
so as i don't sound such a dork do the fingers have names like they do in guitar?

Hiya, I'd just like to offer my opinion here so here we go...!

First up - ALWAYS count your thumb as digit 1, whether it be your left or right hand.

Also, if you are playing a 'triad' - ie: a three-note chord with the root note at the base, my advice would be to use the fingering 1-2-4.

The reason I say this is as follows...

A widely used chord sequence is, for example, C-F-G
(this applies to any other key you start from. but it's basically 'root-4th-5th').

If you start off with this fingering you can easily change from C (C-E-G) to F (C-F-A) by lifting off fingers 2 & 4
and naturally placing fingers 3 & 5 (where they're already hovering) on C-F-A to make the F chord.
The G chord is then a simple shift sideways (D-G-B)

These are 'inversions' of the F and G chords but, you will be playing exactly the right notes - and it makes the fingering so much easier.

As you progress & chord changes become more complex, this grounding will make you instinctively adopt the correct fingering that is neccessary.


As to Q2 - your fingering is exactly right - unlesss you want to play 2 octaves or more, in which case you'd go
C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D-E-F
1-2-3-1-2- 3-4-1-2-3-1 etc

 

[raven3d]

thanks for that, i got a decent hammond patch last night, Inspired by the instant deep purple/ speed king vibe i set about learning that.
I really helps having my guitar grounding, i might have mentioned i can't read music and don't have a desire to ever learn to prefering to learn everything by ear (i find this way you develop your own style)

currently its just a grind swapping chords at speed but i'm sure it'll come, all in good time eh!!

 

[kanthos]

Also, if you are playing a 'triad' - ie: a three-note chord with the root note at the base, my advice would be to use the fingering 1-2-4.

The reason I say this is as follows...

Great example of what I meant when I said that you sometimes use alternate fingerings when approaching chords in different ways. If I told you to just play a C triad in root position *on its own*, you'd still want to use 1-3-5, and in many other progressions, 1-3-5 would still be the logical thing to do. I wouldn't blindly use 1-2-4 OR 1-3-5; use what works best.

And just because I have to be picky, a triad is a 3-note chord. Period. Doesn't matter if the root note is lowest or not (which is why you'd use the terms root position, first inversion, and second inversion).