Jump to content

Fingering For The Less Dominant Hand On The Ec


Randy Stein

Recommended Posts

REVISED:

 

In one of the tunes my group, the Squeezers, perform, there are a couple of measures with runs of four 16th notes played at about tempo of 110. While normally this shouldn't be an issue in this case the two runs are both on the same hand:

Left hand: B-G-E-B The fingering for the left hand is; 2nd-1st-3rd -2nd

Right Hand: A-F#-D-A The fingering for the right hand is 1st-3rd-2nd-1st

However I am not ambidextrous so it is much easier and cleaner on my right hand.

So I got back to basics taught to me by my teacher Boris Matusewitch. First, obviously, practice slowly until there is muscle memory in your playing and then gradually increase the tempo. Also, slightly accent the first note of the run. Be careful not to overplay or speed up and don't extend the bellows too much to balance of the instrument.

 

At rehearsal the other day I felt good about how I played but still need to keep up the practice.

 

rss

Edited by Randy Stein
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the things I find odd about the EC is that I feel as if my left hand is the 'lead' hand despite being right handed. Possibly because many beginner tunes are in G maj, I suppose. I'm surprised not to feel any disadvantage to playing left handed notes. Maybe it's just hidden in the vast depths of my other beginner's incompetencies!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In one of the tunes my group, the Squeezers, perform, there are a couple of measures with runs of four 16th notes played at about tempo of 110. While normally this shouldn't be an issue in this case the two runs are both on the same hand:

Left hand: B-G-E-B

Right Hand: A-F-D-A

The fingering is the same pattern for each; 2nd-1st-3rd -2nd.

 

Sorry but I'm slightly confused by this, assuming that all of the notes are on the stave except the right hand D which is immediately below the stave. Bearing in mind that I am entirely self taught and left handed B-G-E-B (depending on what came next of course!) would probably be 2-1-2-1 and A-F-D-A on the right hand would be 1-2-3-1. I am much better at getting 3 behind 1 on the same row with my right hand than 3 behind 2 on my left, how weird is that?

 

What I really can't get to grips with is how you are playing A=440 with your second finger and the F below it with your index finger, that sounds impossible so I must have misunderstood something along the way!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

In one of the tunes my group, the Squeezers, perform, there are a couple of measures with runs of four 16th notes played at about tempo of 110. While normally this shouldn't be an issue in this case the two runs are both on the same hand:

Left hand: B-G-E-B

Right Hand: A-F-D-A

The fingering is the same pattern for each; 2nd-1st-3rd -2nd.

 

Sorry but I'm slightly confused by this, assuming that all of the notes are on the stave except the right hand D which is immediately below the stave. Bearing in mind that I am entirely self taught and left handed B-G-E-B (depending on what came next of course!) would probably be 2-1-2-1 and A-F-D-A on the right hand would be 1-2-3-1. I am much better at getting 3 behind 1 on the same row with my right hand than 3 behind 2 on my left, how weird is that?

 

What I really can't get to grips with is how you are playing A=440 with your second finger and the F below it with your index finger, that sounds impossible so I must have misunderstood something along the way!

 

yeah..i revised the notes. sort of did this on the fly from what I thought I remembered but that wasn't such a good idea. Went back to the music and played it so now my revision may help with any confusion including my own....

rss

Link to comment
Share on other sites

yeah..i revised the notes. sort of did this on the fly from what I thought I remembered but that wasn't such a good idea. Went back to the music and played it so now my revision may help with any confusion including my own....

rss

 

 

Now I'm mightily intrigued by your right hand 1-3-2-1 fingering and what it may bring to the party. I'll have to give that a try, thanks for starting a very interesting thread!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In one of the tunes my group, the Squeezers, perform, there are a couple of measures with runs of four 16th notes played at about tempo of 110. While normally this shouldn't be an issue in this case the two runs are both on the same hand:

Left hand: B-G-E-B

Right Hand: A-F-D-A

The fingering is the same pattern for each; 2nd-1st-3rd -2nd.

 

Sorry but I'm slightly confused by this, assuming that all of the notes are on the stave except the right hand D which is immediately below the stave. Bearing in mind that I am entirely self taught and left handed B-G-E-B (depending on what came next of course!) would probably be 2-1-2-1 and A-F-D-A on the right hand would be 1-2-3-1. I am much better at getting 3 behind 1 on the same row with my right hand than 3 behind 2 on my left, how weird is that?

 

What I really can't get to grips with is how you are playing A=440 with your second finger and the F below it with your index finger, that sounds impossible so I must have misunderstood something along the way!

 

yeah..i revised the notes. sort of did this on the fly from what I thought I remembered but that wasn't such a good idea. Went back to the music and played it so now my revision may help with any confusion including my own....

 

The pre-revision version is what's quoted in tallship's post. Here's the revised bit:

Left hand: B-G-E-B The fingering for the left hand is; 2nd-1st-3rd -2nd

Right Hand: A-F#-D-A The fingering for the right hand is 1st-3rd-2nd-1st

 

Which leads me to note that in neither the first version nor the second is the pattern of buttons the same for both hands, so I'm not sure Randy's comparison is valid. I wouldn't expect (and we don't see) identical fingerings in the two hands, so neither would I expect equal facility in executing the different fingerings. (Might be the case, but no reason why it should be.) If the right-hand sequence were c-A-F-c, on the other hand, I would normally use the exact same finger sequence as for the left-hand B-G-E-B (2-1-3-2, in fact). In that case I do think it would be reasonable to compare the facility of the different hands.

 

But whether for "identical" fingerings or for a more general comparison of the two hands in terms of facility and comfort, it can be useful to compare every detail of your "posture", i.e., the relative positions of all the parts of your body, because they interact with and affect each other. "Posture" -- at least as I'm using it here -- isn't just whether you're "standing straight" (not leaning to the right or left), but whether one shoulder is slightly higher than or forward of the other, whether your elbows are equally distant from your torso, equally raised, equally forward or back, etc. Or whether your wrists are equally bent. Even whether your knees are equallly bent or your pelvis is slightly tilted or twisted.

 

They're all interconnected. A tilt of your pelvis can cause a tilt of your shoulders, which can cause you to hold your elbows at different distances from your body, which can produce different angles to your wrists, which can subtly affect the ease with which you move your fingers in various directions. I speak from experience. There are certain left-hand fingering sequences that I have long found difficult. By very carefully adjusting the above-mentioned details so that my left side more closely matches my right side, I've found that I can play these sequences more quickly, accurately, and smoothly. Old habits are hard to break, so it looks like it's going to take a lot of practice before I can maintain the new position without conscious concentration, but I can also tell that it's worth the effort.

 

For you, Randy, and for others, I won't claim that this approach will necessarily bring great improvement. But it might, and I think the chance is worth at least giving it a try

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...