Chromatic scale: piano fingering and how to practice it

Chromatic scale is part of “The Virtuoso Pianist, Part II (Nos. 21–43): exercices transcendants” by Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900). Main focus: run through all twelve semitones with a fixed fingering (3 on the black keys). In our transcription it is in C major, in 4/4 time, and 4 bars long. Suggested tempos: start at ♩ = 50 to learn it, practice at ♩ = 76 and work up to the target of ♩ = 100. Difficulty 3/10 (beginner).

The pattern and its fingering

First bar of our transcription, note by note, with the fingering the app shows.

Right hand	C–C♯–D–D♯–E–F–F♯–G–G♯–A–A♯–B–C–C♯–D–D♯ fingers 1-3-1-3-1-2-3-1-3-1-3-1-2-3-1-3
Left hand	C–C♯–D–D♯–E–F–F♯–G–G♯–A–A♯–B–C–C♯–D–D♯ fingers 1-3-1-3-2-1-3-1-3-1-3-2-1-3-1-3

■ right hand (finger above) · ■ left hand (finger below)

What it trains

Run through all twelve semitones with a fixed fingering (3 on the black keys).
Speed and lightness with a closed, compact hand.

How to practice it

Keep the 3rd finger close to the black keys; the thumb barely moves.
Go up with sharps and come down with flats: read the spelling, not just the key.
Transpose the starting point to begin on other notes.

Tempo ladder: ♩ = 50 → ♩ = 63 → ♩ = 76 → ♩ = 88 → ♩ = 100. Only move up a step once the take comes out clean; in the app, the progressive metronome does it for you.

Composer	Charles-Louis Hanon (1819–1900)
Work	The Virtuoso Pianist, Part II (Nos. 21–43): exercices transcendants
Difficulty	3/10 · Beginner
Key	C major
Time signature	4/4
Bars	4
Suggested tempos	learn ♩ = 50 · practice ♩ = 76 · target ♩ = 100
Where the target tempo comes from	estimated: difficulty 3/10 → 6.8 notes/s on the dominant note value (sixteenth note) → ♩ = 100. No confirmed composer's metronome mark.
Transposable	yes, to all 12 keys
Status in the app	Available
Copyright	public domain: Hanon died in 1900

Every fingering is in the piano scales and arpeggios chart.