Estimated reading time 3 minutes
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Why Color Code the Fingers for Music Learning?
Have you ever gotten confused on the fingering for a piece of music? Has your student been unable to use the correct fingers? The main technical issue for both keyboard and guitar is fingering. Correct fingering allows for smoother playing and faster response time. Color coding the fingers for music learning enables special needs, LD, ASD, and ADD students to accurately finger the music.
This article uses technical musical terms. For definitions, see the Glossary at the end of the post.
Traditional Fingering
Hand Icons (churien.deviantart.com/art/hand-template-blank-272630198) by Churien is licensed under CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). Modified by Geoffrey Keith.
The score has an array of numbers in it: finger numbers, measure numbers, and counting numbers.
- However, LD students with dyscalculia find the barrage of numbers overwhelming.
- Students become particularly confused by finger numbers.
- The finger numbers, written above or below notes in the score, helps the students know which finger to use.
- Both thumbs are labeled number one.
- However, the LD student’s penchant toward reversals means that many students reverse the order of the left hand finger numbers.
- Namely, they see the right hand thumber as finger #1, but they see the left hand pinky as also being #1.
Simple hand icons with finger numbers may be enough to help some students. Nevertheless, color coding the fingers for music students helps combat mix-ups.
How to Color Code the Fingers for Music Learning on Keyboard and Piano
Color code the notes in the score:
- First, color code the notes on the instrument (more on this in the next post).
- Then, color code the student’s fingers to match the notes on the score and instrument.
- This pulls everything together.
Over the years, I have tried many methods for color coding the fingers:
- First, I tired yarn, but it kept falling off.
- Next, I tried chenille pipe cleaners, but they poked the student’s fingers.
- Then, I tired girl’s colored hair bands, but they cut off the student’s blood flow in the fingers.
- Finally, the dad of a special needs student suggested using colored masking tape. He recommended 20 ‘SLIM’ Colors (see the Glossary below for a link).
However, some students have bought other brands of colored masking tape.
- If the tape pack has enough colors that roughly match the color of the notes, that will be good enough.
- Buy the colored masking tape and apply it to the student’s fingers in lessons and during practice.
The glove is an in-school application.
- The masking tape is too slow to apply during class.
- However, a non-latex glove can be pre-colored before class.
A white cloth glove can work as a substitute.
How to Color Code the Fingers for Music Learning on Guitar
Hand Icon (churien.deviantart.com/art/hand-template-blank-272630198) by Churien is licensed under CC BY (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0). Modified by Geoffrey Keith.
On guitar, the thumb supports the hand while playing, but does not play any notes.
- Therefore, the left hand fingers have different numbers compared to piano fingering.
- The picture below shows how to color code fingers for music on the guitar.
- Each finger can play more than one note.
- Therefore, each finger has more than one sticker.
The photo shows the stickers applied for the first three strings.
Conclusion
Color coding the fingers for music lessons is an effective multisensory teaching strategy. It gets really good results by reducing the student’s confusion.
It’s an easy and inexpensive way to give your LD, autistic, and other special needs students success.
© 2020 Geoffrey Keith
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