A big problem a whole lot of new piano or keyboard players have is learning to play scales. I am repeatedly asked what use do scales have and why should we be spending time learning them? The major motive for playing scales is to get your fingers and brain accustomed to playing in particular patterns for each different key signature.

 

The idea is that if you learn a specific scale then you will find it simpler to play a piece of music written in that key as the finger movements will mainly incorporate only the notes of that particular scale. If you master a scale and then perform a piece of music in the same key you will find the finger movements exceptionally familiar. In theory if you have learned each and every one of the scales in every key then you should be at ease playing pieces in most keys.

 

Frequent practice is the only sensible way to master your scales. Playing your scales can be tedious occasionally but if you use them as a warm up exercises to your daily practice then they can become a little more convenient. With 5 or 10 minutes each day you will have an adequate amount of time to get your fingers moving and to hammer home those scale patterns. See the Learn piano website for more information and help on learning piano along with some remarkable evaluations on home study courses and a free chord-sheet and beginners guide to piano playing.

 

You will learn so much more comprehensively if you use a metronome whilst practicing your scales. Keep in time as much as you can with the metronome and if you run into problems keeping up then just slow it down until you are more at ease. You need to set your metronome at a velocity that will permit you to play the scales over and over again without hesitation. You might also see the following site for supplementary information on learning piano at home:

How to learn piano

 

Fortunately you won’t have to master all of the scales at once. You can learn then one at a time. The principle scales are good to start with, C, F and G and possibly later on D, E and A. You can spend a fair few days or even weeks just mastering one new scale. You do however have to keep playing the scales you have previously learned or they will become difficult to play again.  Play the scales you already know at the start of each day’s practice before going on to learn more scales. You also need to assure that you are using the appropriate fingering for each scale, check with your piano course or teacher for this.

 

To practice the scales you really should try to start playing them very slowly in the beginning. Learn a scale initially with one hand and after that with the other and make certain that you start and finish on the right finger. When you encounter difficulties you can basically slow down the speed and play them really slowly. Then you only need to keep on playing it time after time. You can begin to play it a little faster as you get familiar with it and it is feeling more comfortable. There is a video review of the absolute best piano course available here:  How to learn piano

 

You will see that after a few minutes of playing a scale, once you have it slow enough to play without a flaw then it will get second nature to play and you will not even have to think about it. It is absolutely possible to be able to teach yourself all of the scales and have them become second nature in a period of only few months.

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