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This is an excerpt from "The Typewriter" by Leroy Anderson:

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I can't find a comfortable fingering for the middle bar. Since the final note in the previous bar is a C, fingered with a 4, I find myself having to play the G# with 1, which is uncomfortable for me. If I change the C fingering to 3, I get to the G# with a 2, then not knowing what to use on the B, since no options seems to match the rest of the passage.

Do you have any recommendations?

2 Answers 2

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I would use 3 rather than 4 on the C. Starting with that note: 3-2-1-2-4-1-2-3-1

Another option is playing further into the keyboard; that should make it somewhat more comfortable to play the G# with 1.

You shouldn't worry about "matching the rest of the passage"; play what is most effective.

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  • I'd prefer a variant of this answer, 4-3-1-2-3-1-2-3-1
    – Babu
    Jun 2, 2012 at 2:12
  • @Babu Hmm, I'd still end with 4-1-2-3-1 at least, I think the G#-B as 2-3 would be awkward.
    – user28
    Jun 2, 2012 at 18:41
  • There are arguments both ways, but it really shouldn't be an awkward stretch, even for small hands. In favor of your variant, we can see 4-note descending patterns, and it makes sense to start each group of 4 with the same finger. However, depending on how fast the piece is, you may want to optimize the fingering to reduce lateral wrist movement and finger substitutions. My variant keeps the middle finger on the same note, theoretically allowing for it to be played faster with (infinitesimally) less chance for a mistake.
    – Babu
    Jun 2, 2012 at 23:38
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Yes. Use 1 on G# and get used to it. If you use 2 on G# it makes a mess, but you can still keep 1 and 2 on A and B and only move 2 down for the one G#.

If you can't spread 2 and 3 so much you can use 4 on the 4th 8th-note of the bar.

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