q and p — the top corners
You learn the q and the p: your pinkies reach one row up to the corners.
How to find the key
- Stretch your left pinky from the a up to the q.
- Stretch your right pinky from the semicolon up to the p.
- Then come back to the home row.
1234567890
qwertyuiop
asdfghjkl;'
zxcvbnm,./
shiftshift
A worked example
qqq ppp
- Rest your fingers on the home row.
- Reach up with your left pinky from the a to the q.
- Tap it three times and go back to the a.
- Press the space bar.
- Reach up with your right pinky from the semicolon to the p.
More examples
qp pq qp
- Tap the q with your left pinky.
- Tap the p with your right pinky.
- Return to the home row each time.
quip pop
- Type quip: the q, then the u, the i and the p.
- Press the space bar.
- Type pop with your right pinky and right ring finger.
Watch out
You lift your whole hand to reach the q.
Let only the pinky reach. Your other fingers stay down.
Tips
- In English the q is nearly always followed by the u.
- Go back to the home row softly.
Why it works
The q is above the a and the p is above the semicolon. They are the outer keys of the top row, and the pinky is the shortest finger. A small, careful reach is enough.