To practise piano scales, play them slowly, with the right fingering, hands separately first, then together, with a metronome, and in every key, one at a time. The thumb crossing is the key: the right hand crosses the thumb under after the 3rd finger, and the left hand crosses the 3rd finger over the thumb, and the scale flows when the crossings are smooth.
How do you practise piano scales?
To practise piano scales, play them slowly, with the right fingering, hands separately first, then together, with a metronome, and in every key, one at a time. The thumb crossing is the key: the right hand crosses the thumb under after the 3rd finger, and the left hand crosses the 3rd finger over the thumb, and the scale flows when the crossings are smooth, and the fingers are in the right place, and the hand is level, and the wrist is relaxed, and the scale is the notes, in order, played smoothly, without stopping. Scales are the foundation of piano playing, because they teach the fingers, and the keys, and the theory, all at once, and every piece is made of scales, and chords, and arpeggios, and the scales are the building blocks, and the player who knows the scales can play any piece, because the fingers know the patterns, and the ear knows the sounds, and the theory knows the notes. The C major scale is the first, because it has no sharps or flats, and the notes are the white keys, and the fingering is the simplest, and the player learns it first, and then the other scales, one at a time, in the order of the circle of fifths, G, D, A, E, B, F#, and then the flat keys, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb. The C major scale and the G major scale are the scales most players first practise, and the piano note finder shows the notes on the piano.
How practising piano scales works
Practising scales works by playing the notes, in order, with the right fingering, slowly, until the fingers know the pattern, and the crossings are smooth, and then increasing the speed, with the metronome, until the scale flows, at tempo. The hands are practised separately first, because each hand has its own fingering, and the hand must be solid alone, before it is put together with the other, and the two hands together are the challenge, because they must play together, in time, and the crossings must be together, and the scale must be even, in both hands, and the hands must be together, on the beat. The metronome is the tool, because it keeps the beat steady, and the scale must be even, in time, with each note the same length, and the metronome shows whether the scale is even, or whether the notes are rushed, or dragged, and the player can fix the uneven notes, by practising slowly, until they are even, and then increasing the speed. The scales are practised in every key, one at a time, because each key has its own notes, and its own fingering, and the player must learn them all, and the circle of fifths is the order, because it adds one sharp, or one flat, at a time, and the learning is gradual, and the scales build on each other. The D major scale and the A major scale are the scales the practising is built on.
Worked example — practising the C major scale. Play the C major scale with the right hand, ascending, fingering 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, slowly, with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, one note per beat, and listen for the scale to flow, without stopping, at the thumb crossing, after the 3rd finger, and the notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, and the scale is C major, played smoothly. Now play the scale with the left hand, ascending, fingering 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, slowly, with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and listen for the scale to flow, without stopping, at the finger crossing, after the thumb, and the notes are C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, and the scale is C major, played smoothly. Now play the scale with both hands together, hands in the same direction, slowly, with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and listen for the hands to be together, on the beat, and the scale to be even, in both hands, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute, when the scale is clean, at the current tempo. The key of C major lists the chords the scales are built on.
How to practise piano scales
Practise scales slowly, with the right fingering, hands separately first, then together, with a metronome, and in every key, one at a time, until the scales are smooth, and the fingers know the patterns.
- Play the C major scale with the right hand, ascending, fingering 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, slowly, with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, one note per beat.
- Play the C major scale with the left hand, ascending, fingering 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, slowly, with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, one note per beat.
- Play the scale with both hands together, hands in the same direction, slowly, and listen for the hands to be together, on the beat, and the scale to be even.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major and play the scale of each chord, with the right fingering, and listen for the scales to be smooth.
- Learn the scales in the order of the circle of fifths, C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, and then F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, one key at a time, until all the scales are learned.
Common mistakes
- Practising too fast, too soon — A scale practised too fast, too soon, will have mistakes, because the fingers are not ready, and the crossings are not smooth, and the mistakes will become habits, because they are practised. Practise slowly, until the scale is clean, and then increase the speed, with the metronome.
- Putting the hands together too soon — The hands must be solid alone, before they are put together, because a hand that is not solid will make mistakes, and the two hands together will be confused, and the scale will not flow. Practise each hand alone, until it is clean, and then put them together, slowly.
- Using the wrong fingering — The fingering is 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, for the right hand, and 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 1, for the left hand, in C major, and using the wrong fingers will make the scale hard to play, and the crossings will be in the wrong place. Use the fingers the fingering shows, and the scale will be smooth.
Quick reference
This table shows the major scales in the order of the circle of fifths, with the sharps or flats and the notes for each one, so you can see the order to learn them in, and the notes to play. The circle of fifths adds one sharp, or one flat, at a time, and the learning is gradual, and the scales build on each other.
| Key | Sharps or flats | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| C major | None | C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C |
| G major | 1 sharp (F#) | G – A – B – C – D – E – F# – G |
| D major | 2 sharps (F#, C#) | D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D |
| A major | 3 sharps (F#, C#, G#) | A – B – C# – D – E – F# – G# – A |
| E major | 4 sharps (F#, C#, G#, D#) | E – F# – G# – A – B – C# – D# – E |
| F major | 1 flat (Bb) | F – G – A – Bb – C – D – E – F |
Use the table to learn the scales in order: start with C major, with no sharps or flats, and then learn G, with one sharp, and D, with two sharps, and so on, one key at a time, until all the scales are learned. When you can play all the major scales, hands together, at 120 beats per minute, you have the scales, and the piano is yours.
Frequently asked questions
How do I practise piano scales?
Play them slowly, with the right fingering, hands separately first, then together, with a metronome, and in every key, one at a time. The thumb crossing is the key: the right hand crosses the thumb under after the 3rd finger, and the left hand crosses the 3rd finger over the thumb.
How long should I practise scales each day?
Ten to fifteen minutes, every day, because the scales are the foundation, and the fingers need daily practice, and the scales should be practised in every key, one at a time, until they are smooth, and the fingers know the patterns.
Should I practise scales hands together or separately?
Separately first, until each hand is solid, and then together, slowly, until the hands are together, on the beat, and the scale is even, in both hands, and the crossings are together.
What is the best order to learn the scales in?
The order of the circle of fifths, C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, and then F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, because it adds one sharp, or one flat, at a time, and the learning is gradual, and the scales build on each other.
How fast should I play scales?
As fast as you can play them cleanly, with the right fingering, and the crossings smooth, and the notes even, in time, and the speed should increase, with the metronome, by 5 beats per minute, when the scale is clean, at the current tempo.