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Fingering and 12th Street Rag

PostPosted: 12 Oct 2017 07:45
by Hugh-AR
I have mentioned this before but am bringing it up again because I want to ask you a question about it (see Poll above).

'Relax', place your right hand on a tabletop and 'drum' your fingers (and thumb) on the tabletop. In which direction do your fingers naturally go? Do they run from little finger (pinkie) to thumb (ie. right to left)? Or do they run from thumb to little finger (ie. left to right)? I first realised that people did this differently when I was sat at a bar with my Dad and he started 'drumming' his fingers absent-mindedly on the bar-top. His fingers automatically ran from little finger to thumb; whereas I run from thumb to little finger. I find that most people, almost without exception run their fingers from little finger to thumb.

So here is my question. Which way do your fingers run? Please put your answer in the Poll.

Now you might think this is a bit trivial .. but far from it! When playing fast pieces on a keyboard/piano I find it easy to do if the melody is running from thumb to little finger (ie. to the right). So I have no difficulty playing In The Mood. But right to left? A nightmare .. and I just can't do it! The most obvious piece I can't play is Twelfth Street Rag. The fingers go from right to left, and no amount of practice helps when trying to play this piece.

Now here is that Twelfth Street Rag played effortlessly on the piano by Michael Sands.



Hugh

PS. Once you have voted you will see the results of the poll to date; and return to this topic from time to time to check how the Poll is going.