How Do You Know What Fingering to Use When Playing a Song?
- Diana Mascari
- Oct 26
- 5 min read
Whether you’re playing songs or classical pieces, fingering matters. When you choose fingering that fits your hand and the shape of the melody, your fingers begin to “remember” the movements. This muscle memory allows your playing to become more confident, accurate, and expressive. Instead of thinking about every note, you’ll be free to focus on rhythm, tone, and musical feeling.
Most classical editions (Bastien, Schirmer, Alfred, etc.) already include suggested fingerings. So in this article, I’ll focus on what to do when you are playing a song, where the fingering often isn’t provided.
Let the Lyrics Guide the Melody
Songwriters write their melodies in phrases, because singers need places to breathe. When you look at your sheet music, the lyrics show you where each phrase begins and ends—and that’s the key to choosing effective fingering.
Step 1: Look at One Phrase at a Time
For each phrase:
Find the lowest note → place your thumb (1) on it.
Find the highest note → place your pinky (5) on it.
If the whole phrase fits comfortably within your five fingers, practice until it flows smoothly. This gives you a natural “home position” for the phrase.
If the melody covers a wider range, you may need to skip notes or use thumb-under (as in scale fingering) to move comfortably through the phrase. That’s perfectly normal.
The most important thing: Work one phrase at a time.Not the whole song. Not even the whole line.Just one phrase.
Where to Change Fingering Between Phrases
When you move from one phrase to the next, look for one of these opportunities:
Repeated notesWhen a note repeats, you have a chance to change to a new finger as you begin the new phrase.
RestsThe easiest time to shift! During a rest, place the correct finger on the next phrase’s starting note.
Sustained notes (ties or long tones)This is where substitute fingering comes in. While holding the note, quietly replace the finger holding it with another finger. Organists use this all the time—and pianists can too. It gives your hand a fresh position for the next phrase.
These small, purposeful adjustments lead directly to smooth, expressive playing.
Good Fingering Supports Memorization
When your fingering is consistent and comfortable, your hands remember the path of the melody. This makes memorizing songs much easier and more reliable.
If you'd like support with memorization, here’s a helpful article:
Left-Hand Accompaniment Patterns: Use Consistent Fingering
While the right-hand melody requires more decisions, the left hand benefits from stable, repeatable patterns. Here are some common accompaniment patterns my adult piano students use:
Pattern | Fingering | Link |
Oom-Pah | 5 on bass, 3-2-1 for chord | |
10th System | 5-2-1 (Root-5-10) | |
Rolling 10ths (Flowing Style) | Same hand position in motion | |
Shuffle Bass | 5-2-1-2-1-2-1-2 on Root-5-6-5-7-5-6-5 | |
Beguine Bass | C chord: 2-1-1-5 pattern | |
I-vi-ii-V Turnaround Walking Bass | 5-2-1-4-5-2-1-4-5 | |
Walking Bass | (Varies) |
The beautiful part is that these fingering patterns stay the same no matter what key the song is in.
Bringing It All Together
Choose fingering phrase by phrase
Use repeated notes, rests, and sustained notes to shift smoothly
Keep left-hand patterns consistent
Let your hands build muscle memory
And allow that memory to support expression, flow, and confidence
Whether you’re playing at home, for family, or preparing for a recital, good fingering helps the music feel natural and yours.
Ready to Reawaken Your Piano Playing?
Whether you’re returning to the piano after years away or coming from another instrument, you don’t need to be an expert to begin. All it takes is curiosity, patience, and the right guidance—and that’s where lessons make the difference.
I’ll help you build confidence, use the metronome with ease, explore left-hand accompaniment patterns, and discover ways of playing that feel both natural and musical.
Piano lessons with Diana Mascari are designed specifically for adults like you—curious, motivated, and ready to enjoy music on your own terms.
Why not give it a try?
Your musical journey can begin today.
Ready to Begin Your Own Composing Journey?
I specialize in helping adults—whether you’re returning to music or starting fresh—discover the joy of writing your own pieces. With clear, step-by-step guidance, I’ll show you how to take your musical ideas, no matter how small, and shape them into compositions you can hear, share, and truly be proud of.
When you take composition lessons with me, you’ll learn more than just how to write music—you’ll gain insights that make you a stronger, more confident pianist. Composing and playing naturally enrich each other, opening fresh possibilities at the keyboard and beyond.
It’s time to explore your creativity—and let your music take shape!
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🎵 Let’s explore the best path for your musical journey—together.
About Diana Mascari
American Composer & Jazz Pianist
Teacher of Piano & Composition for Adults
Diana Mascari
American Composer, Author, and Jazz Pianist
Teacher of Piano & Composition for Adults
For more than 47 years, Diana Mascari has taught piano to hundreds of students, enriching their lives by supporting each person’s unique musical voice. She created the Transformational Approach to Piano (TAP), a flexible system that helps students go beyond traditional methods to gain colorful insights, confidence, and joy in their playing.
Diana holds two Master of Music degrees from the New England Conservatory, taught keyboard harmony to music majors at Boston University, and served as music director of a multicultural Presbyterian Church for four decades.
As a performer, Diana has appeared as a solo jazz pianist and with her ensembles at colleges and jazz clubs throughout New England—often featuring her own compositions. As a composer, she explores the intersection of jazz and classical traditions, weaving together structure with the spontaneity of improvisation. Her works have been performed across Europe, Japan, and the Eastern United States, moving audiences with their timeless sense of beauty and emotion.
Diana’s vibrant personality infuses everything she does—teaching, performing, and composing—while inspiring her students to reach their musical goals and enjoy the piano on their own terms.
