Piano Fingering with Fermata

[eheilner]

Dorico places the fingering closer to the note and the fermata above. This looks funny to my eyes, but maybe this is standard. Thoughts?

Screenshot 2025-07-18 at 15.32.13.png (8.38 KiB) Viewed 51 times

[John Ruggero]

This is always a sticky case because both symbols want to be close to the notes. So it's done in various ways, all somewhat unsatisfactory.

Yours looks funny because both symbols are too far from the note head. You might put the number closer to the top staff line to get both symbols closer. Or place the number to the left of the note head. Or place the number over the fermata.

Incidentally, is your finger number a little taller than one space, not including the staff lines? If so, you might reduce it a little. Also, the traditional finger numbers are small versions of the font used for numbers used for the time signatures. Their very heavy appearance makes them easier to read and stand out more when placed on the staff. I use the Maestro Times Signature numbers at a 50% reduction.

fingering and fermata.png (31.17 KiB) Viewed 42 times

[MichelRE]

I much prefer John's 1st version, with the fingering to one side. to me it seems to most standard as far as piano writing goes.

[John Ruggero]

Here are some examples, all taken from Beethoven's sonata op. 31 no 3, which is filled with fermatas:

Casella 1.png (195.81 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Casella 2.png (57.6 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Schenker 1.png (126.39 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Schenker 2.png (38.51 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Schenker 3.png (36.19 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Peters 1.png (124.41 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Peters 2.png (35.1 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Arrau.png (109.47 KiB) Viewed 8 times

Schnabel.png (131.62 KiB) Viewed 8 times