How to Play the A Minor Scale for the Piano

Minor scales are a series of eight whole and half steps beginning with the first note in the scale. The A minor scale doesn't use any sharp or flat keys and is relative to the C Major scale. For this exercise, play the scale using your right hand.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Piano or keyboard

1. Begin on the first note of your scale--this is the note in the scale name. For this exercise, A is the first note. Strike the key with your thumb to play A.

2. Move up one note to B, the next white key to the right of A. Play this with your index finger.

3. Move another note to the right to play C. Strike this note with your middle finger.

4. Move another two white keys to the right to play both D and E. To play D and E you want to move your thumb under your middle finger so that your hand is repositioned three keys to the right from where you began. You play D with your thumb and E with your index finger.

5. Continue along the scale to play F and G. Play these notes with your middle and ring finger.

6. Sweep your thumb under again, this time passing your ring finger, to continue the scale. Alternately, play A with your pinkie to prepare to play the scale in reverse. You have just played a full octave of the A minor scale.

7. Practice the scale by either continuing up the piano or play the scale in reverse to get back to the first A note you played.

Tips & Warnings

• The A minor scale is related to the C major scale and only uses the white keys. If you forget where to start, find middle C and move to the left two white keys to find A.