Piano scale fingering difference between one and multiple octave target

Question

I'm a piano beginner and trying to practice scales correctly. What confuses me is that all guides mention how important it is to practice scales, but none are explaining the difference in fingering when one aims to practice only one octave, or multiple.

E.g. the D major scale for the left hand. Guide happily recommends to start with the 5th on D, the pinky finger. Yes great, that is easy until I want to go over more than one octave, because then I get confused - when I reach D again and I want to go on, the fingering doesn't fit.

I figured out that actually I have to start with my index finger on D, then thumb on E, fourth on F#, third on G, index on A, thumb on B, third on C# so I land again on D with my index finger.

I'm afraid if I learn the "easy" fingering for only one octave, I will teach my muscle memory incorrect stuff.

So my question is: Shouldn't I practice - even if I do only one octave - the (in my opinion correct) fingering for being prepared to go beyond an octave?

Answer 1

You're fine practising the way you do for one octave.

Then for multiple octaves, you need to use thumb on the D, and 'move over' so that your ring finger is on the adjacent E, just like it was in the 1st octave. That can (and does) carry on for as many octaves as you wish. Always playing D with the thumb.

While there is actually 'recommended' fingering published by the various exam boards, in an exam, the candidate can use whatever fingering they like, as long as the audible end product is good - the actual fingering is never judged or marked. Just as playing pieces, we're all different in our physical size, stretch etc, so whatever suits best is what should be used.

Answer 2

The use of finger 5 in scales is just a matter of convenience/convention when starting (left hand) or ending (right hand).

For both hands imagine a continuous, infinite scale. Each octave would start (left hand) or end (right hand) with the thumb rather than the pinkie. It's a bit awkward in practice to start or end a scale that way, but try it a few times, and it will be clear how to play multi-octave scales. You can then put finger 5 back in for the first or last note.

In terms of traditional fingerings, this only applies to major and minor for C, D, E, G, A, plus F (left hand) and B (right hand). All other scales avoid finger 5 entirely: C#/Db, D#/Eb, F#/Gb, G#/Ab, A#/Bb, plus F (right hand) and B (left hand).