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Chapter 6 · Scales and keys

Scale fingering: the thumb under

4 min Lesson 2/4

Key idea Right hand up a C major scale: 1 2 3, thumb under, 1 2 3 4 5. Left hand up: 5 4 3 2 1, finger 3 crosses over, 3 2 1.

Five fingers cannot cover 8 notes, so the hand shifts mid-scale. The thumb passes under the palm, or finger 3 crosses over the thumb. Done well, the scale sounds seamless.

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Right hand going up: the thumb passes under to play F.
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Left hand going up: finger 3 crosses over the thumb to play A.
  • Right hand: up 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5, down 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 (finger 3 crosses over to E).
  • Left hand: up 5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1, down 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 (thumb passes under to G).
  • G major and A minor use the same fingering in both hands.
Try it

Play C major up and back down (C4 to C5 to C4). If you have a real piano, play along with 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5.

Quick check

Question 1/5

Going up C major in the right hand, which note does the thumb pass under to?