How to Play a Scale going up the Piano

Piano hands

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A scale is a succession of notes on the piano. When you play a scale there is 8 keys that you have to play but you only have 5 fingers. This is how the pros do it. Playing scales will limber up your fingers, impress your friends and improve your thinking as you work out how to do it. Master a scale with both hands at the same time is your ultimate goal. This is for a scale going up with the right hand. There is a another technique for the scale going down and the left hand.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Piano
Fingers

Step1

First hold up your hand and while looking at it mentally give your fingers numbers. It is easier to explain a scale when you assign your fingers' numbers. Your thumb is No. 1, pointer is No. 2, the index is No. 3, the ring finger is No. 4 and the pinky is No. 5.

Step2

Also, although it is not necessary to know this to play a scale the keys will be in this order. C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C (The musical alphabet goes from A to G and starts all over again, but since we are doing a C scale we will start with the C.)

Step3

First with your right hand, find middle C on the piano. If you are not sure where it is then put your body right in the middle of the piano and find the two black keys. Place your No. 1 finger, on the left black key of the two black keys and let your thumb slide down to the first white key on the left. That is your C. Now you are in position to play.

Step4

Going up the piano (right) push down No. 1 finger, No. 2 finger, then No. 3 finger. Tuck your thumb, No. 1 finger under the palm of your hand and reaching towards the right find the forth (F) key, and press it down while your hands rotates over the top of your thumb, then the 2nd finger pressed down the G (the 5th key), the No. 3 finger on the 6th key, the No. 4 finger on the seventh key, and the No. 5 finger on the 8th key.

Step5

There you have it, you have used 5 fingers to play 8 keys. Practice slowly without making mistakes and your speed will increase and you can amaze your friends.

Tips & Warnings

Going down the scale with the right hand takes different fingering. As it does for the left hand going up and down. See my other videos for that explanation.