Lesson 2 of 5
Fingers and hand position
Pianists do not think in finger names. They think in numbers, one to five on each hand, and those numbers appear all through written music. Ten minutes here saves months of tangled hands later.
- How pianists number their fingers, one to five on each hand
- Why the two hands mirror each other
- What C position is, and how to set both hands in it
- How to sit, shape your hands, and stay free of tension
About ten minutes of reading, a keyboard exercise you play yourself, and a ten question quiz at the end.
The numbering
Each hand numbers its fingers one to five, starting at the thumb. Thumb is 1, index is 2, middle is 3, ring is 4, and the little finger is 5. Both hands use the same numbers, so the two thumbs are both 1 and the two little fingers are both 5.
This trips people up for exactly one reason: on the right hand the numbers run left to right, and on the left hand they run right to left, because the thumbs face each other. Hold both hands above the keys and the two 1s meet in the middle.
More on this: the keyboard layout.
Why the numbers matter
Written piano music prints small numbers above or below notes. Those are finger numbers, and they are advice from someone who has already played the piece: use this finger here and your hand will be in the right place for what comes next.
Ignoring them works for three notes and then punishes you. A melody played with whichever finger happens to be free runs out of fingers mid phrase. The numbers exist to stop that, and on this site the falling blocks carry the same numbers.
More on this: the practice room, where the falling blocks carry the same numbers.
C position
C position is the classic beginner home. Right hand: thumb on middle C, and the other four fingers resting on D, E, F and G, one key each. Left hand: little finger on the C below middle C, with the other fingers on D, E, F and G.
In this position each finger owns one key, so five notes are playable without moving your hand at all. Most first tunes, including the ones in the practice room, sit inside it. When a piece needs more than five notes, the hand shifts or a finger crosses, but that is a later lesson.
More on this: the five minute walkthrough.
Sitting and hand shape
Sit tall at the middle of the keyboard, far enough back that your elbows hang slightly in front of your body. Forearms level with the floor, wrists level with the hands, neither drooping nor arched.
Now the shape: curve your fingers gently, as if a small bubble sat under your palm that must not pop. Play on the fingertip pads, not flat fingers. And keep everything loose. Tension is the real enemy at the piano, and no exercise is worth practising with clenched hands.
The number chip on each glowing key tells you which finger to use. The app cannot see your fingers, so you are on your honour. Press Hear the demo to watch first.
Loading the exercise…
Exercise complete. Nicely done.
- Thumb is 1 and little finger is 5, on both hands
- Right hand C position: thumb on middle C, fingers on D E F G
- Left hand C position: little finger on the lower C, thumb on G
- Curved fingers, level wrists, loose hands. Pain always means stop and check
Read these four lines again before the quiz and you will almost certainly pass it first time.
Ten questions from this lesson, one at a time, four answers each. You get ten minutes, the same pace as a real theory test, and every answer is explained whether you get it right or not. Score ten out of ten and you are ready for the next lesson.
Questions
About this lesson
Is the thumb really a finger in piano counting?
Yes. Piano numbering counts five fingers per hand with the thumb as number 1. This differs from string instruments, where the index finger is 1 and the thumb is not numbered, which is why guitarists often stumble on piano fingering at first.
Do I have to follow printed finger numbers exactly?
As a beginner, yes, treat them as instructions. They place your hand so the next notes fall under your fingers. Advanced players sometimes adapt fingerings to their own hands, but that judgement comes from experience with the standard ones.
What if my hands are small?
C position asks each hand to cover only five neighbouring white keys, which nearly all hands manage comfortably, including children. Wider stretches come much later, and there are established fingering solutions for smaller hands when they do.
Should my fingers hurt after practising?
No. Mild tiredness in the hand is normal for a beginner; pain is not. Pain usually means tension, flat fingers, or a collapsed wrist. Stop, shake your hands loose, check your posture and hand shape, and shorten the session rather than pushing through.
← Lesson 1: The keyboard map · All lessons · Lesson 3: Steps, skips and your first melody →
Want the short version instead of the lesson? Piano finger numbers: a beginner guide is the short reference for the numbers themselves.