Learning and retaining instrument fingerings

[nafmeadmin]

Hello, I had a quick question for the forums.
I am having a hard time retaining fingerings for other instruments. I read them out of the back of the Standard of Excellence Books but I forget them and they don’t stick. Any suggestions?

[nafmeadmin]

The only way to get better with fingerings is by practicing them on a real instrument. Simply reading them might be okay for a few people, but likely not for most. Muscle memory is the way beginners learn fingerings, and you are in essence a beginner. After a while, you will recognize patterns among brass instruments or woodwind instruments, which can be helpful, but you need to know what fingerings feel like in your hands and not just your brain.

[nafmeadmin]

I have found that having the real instrument in my hands and playing scales is the best way to help learn new fingerings in a more musical context. Muscle memory is everything.

[Author]

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