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The Piano Scales Manual!

The playing of piano scales is an important part of the training of any player of the piano.

The fingering will cause trouble in playing piano scales. The human hand was not built to play the piano, or it would have had seven fingers. Since there are seven notes in the scale, all scales are fingered by some combination of 1-2-3 and 1-2-3-4. The question is where to put the thumb.

There are many systems of fingering the scales; but the simplest and the best for the ear player can be simply stated. Put the thumb on the key next above the black key played in the right hand and next below the black key played in the left hand. This not only results in the best fingering of the formal piano scales but is a good principle to follow in all passage work where it can be applied.

The following table gives the fingering for all piano scales. Do not try to memorize the fingering. Learn the principle of passing the thumb in under the hand when the fourth finger is on a black key and when the third finger is on a black key. By holding consistently to this one principle, the hand eventually takes it over as a habit, and the greatest difficulty of fingering is overcome.

Key of - right hand - left hand

C - 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 - 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 1

C# or Db - 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 - 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 4

D - 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 - 2 1 4 3 2 1 3 2

Eb - 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 - 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3

E - 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 - 1 4 3 2 1 3 2 1

F - 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 - 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3

F# or Gb - 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 - 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4

A - 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 - 2 1 3 2 1 4 3 2

Bb - 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 - 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3

B or Cb - 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 - 1 3 2 1 4 3 2 1

The 5 th finger is never used except at the end of the scale.

Scale Habits

Scales should be practiced through several octaves; the fingering repeats in each octave. Practice them as slowly as is necessary to get the correct fingering. You are trying to form a habit in the sequence of your fingers; this is a very complicated habit, and each wrong fingering damages the formation of the habit. Your speed will gradually increase as your fingers learn the sequence. When you feel fairly secure in playing the piano scales with each hand separately, try playing with the two together.

Sometimes it is easier to begin at the middle of the piano and play the hands in data raid recovery direction. The most useful practice, however, is playing them in the same direction an octave apart.

Practice them very slowly without any accent. Then accent every third note and play them for three octaves. Then accent every fourth note and play them for four octaves. This brings the accent out even at the top of the piano scales. Gradually get faster.

Technique

To develop speed and a smooth technique, a few suggestions will be helpful. In practicing the piano scales keep the fingers curved; this makes it easier for the thumb to pass in under the hand. Keep the thumb curved also and bend it far in under the hand when necessary.

Do not raise the wrist up to help the thumb to pass under the hand; and do not twist the hand to right and left any more than is absolutely necessary. Make the thumb do the work. Do not pull the hand to the front when playing white keys and then shove it in to play the black keys. In short, avoid all excess motion.

Remember practice makes perfect. Playing piano scales is no different.

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posted by datdk @ 8:35 AM