How to Learn Scales on the Piano

The thought of learning scales on the piano can overwhelm students. A scale is a series of notes, following one after another. The intervals or spaces between the notes will determine the type of scale, be it major, minor, jazz or blues. Each type of scale has its own sequence of spaces between the notes, and these spacings give each type of scale its unique emotional feeling or color. Learning scales is probably the best way to improve technique and train your fingers to do what you tell them to do.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tutor book

1. Look at the keyboard. If you play all the white notes from C to C, that is the scale of C major. You have progressed up the keyboard by skipping all the black notes. C to D is a whole-step or tone. If you play C to C sharp, that is a half-step or semitone.

2. Understand that all major scales work in the same pattern. They are composed of a series of five whole and two half steps in the following sequence: whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C.

3. Remember this sequence and try playing a G major scale. It works fine playing all the white notes until you get to E, where you need a whole step in the sequence. So you need a black note, which is F sharp. The final note of the scale is a half-step from F sharp to G.

4. Finger C and G major scales as follows: 1(thumb), 2 (index finger), 3 (middle finger), 1 again, (hook your thumb underneath your middle finger to accomplish this), 2, 3, 4, 5.

5. Learn about minor scales next. There are 3 different types of minor scales, just to add to the confusion! These are called natural minors, melodic minors and harmonic minors. The sequences of notes are different from the major scales and produce a different feeling or emotion to the music. Each minor scale is related to a major scale and is called the relative minor. Go down the keyboard 3 half-steps from C. This is A. A minor is the relative minor to C major. All minor scales start 3 half-steps lower than the relative major.

6. Play all the white notes from A to A. This is A natural minor and it uses the same notes as the relative major of C, (no black notes on the keyboard). The sequence is whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step. All natural minors follow this sequence.

7. Study the following pattern of notes in harmonic minor scales. They are formed by lowering the third and sixth notes of a major scale. A harmonic minor is A, B, C, D, E, F, G sharp, A. The sequence is whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step plus a half step, half step. As you can see, this harmonic minor piano scale is different from the other minor scales in that it has a whole step plus another half step between the sixth and seventh notes of the scale. All harmonic minor scales use this sequence.

8. See this next sequence for melodic minor scales. Unlike all the previous scales, the melodic minor is different going up the scale to going back down again. Ascending (going up) in the key of A minor is A, B, C, D, E, F sharp, G sharp, A. Descending (going down) is A, G, F, E, D, C, B, A. Going down this scale is the same as the natural minor. The sequence ascending is whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. Descending is the same as the natural minor.

9. Practice all these scales, starting on different notes and working them out from the sequences.

10. Realize that this is just the beginning. There are many other types of scale. But you're off to a good start!

Tips & Warnings

• It is a better idea to practice for a few minutes each day, rather than a long time once a week.
• Buy a good tutor book from your local music shop.

[MariaBak]

on 10/1/2007 As a piano teacher, I thought you gave clear, accurate steps (no pun intended) to follow to make scale-playing easier. Great job!