Piano Scale Fingering

I have always used specific piano scale fingering for major and minor scales.

There's no magic formula or science to it; I truly believe that we use a particular fingering pattern for one simple reason - it's just down to common sense, what works, and is easiest to play.

The fingering I'll show you here is standard - used in music theory and scale books around the world.

Fingers Chart

First of all, I thought it would help if I showed you a picture of 'which finger is which':

Now let's start with the piano scale fingering that most students learn first, for the 'easier' major scales, like C, G, D, A, and E Major; and A, E, and D Minor.

Right Hand, One Octave:

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Right Hand, Two Octaves:

1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5

Here is the right hand C major scale, in one octaves and two, to show you how the fingering matches the notes (finger #1 is always the thumb):

Left Hand, One Octave:

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Left Hand, Two Octaves:

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

More "tricky" Finger Patterns

Left Hand, One Octave:

4-3-2-1-4-3-2-1

Left Hand, Two Octaves:

4-3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-4-3-2-1

The fingering for F Major would be this:

Right Hand, One Octave:

1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4

Right Hand, Two Octaves:

1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4

Left Hand, One Octave:

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Left Hand, Two Octaves:

5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3-2-1

Right Hand One Octave:

2-1-2-3-1-2-3-4

Right Hand Two Octaves:

2-1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4

Left Hand One Octave:

3-2-1-4-3-2-1-2

Left Hand Two Octaves:

3-2-1-4-3-2-1-3-2-1-4-3-2-1-2