Scales

[chopinfan_22]

For learning scales, what should you learn about the scales? I mean, the fingerings, doing arpeggios, the triad inversions, and the chord progressions, but what else should I learn along with that?

Thanks

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

First off, you should work on one scale at a time. Practicing the correct fingering, and practicing correctly is the key. Also practice in contrary motion, staccato and legato, etc. Learning chords and arpeggios is also essential. I think that you could just play a scale to remind yourself of it and practice most on the pieces and other technique. Certain pieces have scales in them and Czerny etudes come to mind. Practice those scales. Scales are also important for feeling the key. Maybe a new key signature a week. Anyways, I think that it is very important to study scales that are found in pieces and scales on themselves of course. Hope this helps.

[will]

Learn how they are constructed, learn how they relate to the pieces you are currently working on.

[debussy symbolism]

Also learn the scale triads such as tonic, dominant, etc. Chords are also essential.

[bernhard]

Will and Debussy symbolism have said it all. 

For the excruciating detail on scales, have a look here:



https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2313.msg19807.html#msg19807
(Speed of scales – the important factors in speed playing - an alternative fingering for scales).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2533.msg21955.html#msg21955
(an structured plan to learn scales and arpeggios – includes description of repeated note-groups and other tricks -  complete poem that inspired La fille aux cheveux du lin)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2619.msg22756.html#msg22756
(unorthodox fingering for all major and minor scales plus an explanation)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2701.msg23134.html#msg23134
(Teaching scales – the cluster method and why one should start with B major).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2758.msg23889.html#msg23889
(scales & compositions – the real importance of scales is to develop the concept of key, not exercise)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2920.msg25568.html#msg25568
(how to play superfast scales)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2983.msg26079.html#msg26079
(Best order to learn scales – what does it mean not to play scales outside pieces)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2998.msg26268.html#msg26268
(Scales HT, why? – why and when to practise scales HS and HT – Pragmatical  x logical way of teaching – analogy with aikido – list of piano techniques – DVORAK – realistic x sports martial arts – technique and how to acquire it by solving technical problems – Hanon and why it should be avoided - Lemmings)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3499.msg31548.html#msg31548
(using scales as the basis for free improvisation)

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,2619.msg104249.html#msg104249
(Scale fingering must be modified according to the piece – Godard op. 149 no.5 – yet another example of the folly of technical exercises)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[holberg]

dear chopinfan,

ive read your other post as well and i have seen the list you wanted to learn to play... but do you have any background in playing the piano?
maybe you should look for a teacher.

all the best..

[chopinfan_22]

Ok.... Let me fill you in.

I started playing the piano when I was 6.... I quit when I was 8 (I want to kick myself for that)... I started again when I was 16, and I'm 17 now. I took lessons from my former teacher when I started taking lessons again, then, starting this past monday, began taking lessons from a professor at a local college. Right now, he's having me work on Clair de Lune, Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C# Minor, and Bach's Invention No. 1. I have a book of scales, and at the moment I'm learning F Major. He wants me to learn the scales, the major, minor, augmented, and dimished chords, and the cadences in the root, first, and second positions, as well as arpeggios. In this thread, I'm just wondering what else I should learn along with it... all the degrees of the scale? Obviously learn the key signature at the relative minor key, which is B Flat and D Minor respectively.  But I digress. On a scale ranging from Early Beginner, Beginner, Late Beginner, Early Intermediate, etc. up to Late Advanced... I think I would consider myself Intermediate.

Despite this, my instructor sees no reason why a 17 year old boy with a range of a 10th should not be able to play Rachmininoff's Prelude. He's having learn Clair de Lune because that was the piece that I was last working on, and Bach's Inventions for counting, contrapuntal playing, sightreading, etc. My theory is extremely lacking, but I know the basics... such as how many beats the notes/rests get, and the order of the sharps and flats, and the degrees of the scale (tonic, supertonic , mediant, ect.), and I've just recently been trying to learn all the major keys, and their relative minors.

If you want to know anything else, just let me know.

[Bob]

For learning scales, what should you learn about the scales? I mean, the fingerings, doing arpeggios, the triad inversions, and the chord progressions, but what else should I learn along with that?

Thanks

I say "yes" but one thing at a time.  Whatever the student can handle.  And not too much in terms of keeping the scale work balanced with everything else.

[mike_lang]

.

[pianowelsh]

scale construction and total surety with keysignatures is a must! I tend to assign scales by finger patterns rather than one by one at the intermediate level. If the preparatory theory work is done its nothing more than starting on a different note as the patterns are the same. I do suggest learning scales and starting them on any degree of the scale ie Bmajor starting on G# or something like that as a spot test.  I ask students to practice them in finger groupings to or 'blocks' ie 1,(2,3), 1, (2,3,4), 5 Or 1 to really cement the finger patterns in. Also that way they must know all the notes and not guess because you have to put several down ahead of where you are going to play ie you are sitting on F in cmaj with your thumb the next movement you make will be to put down G,A & B together.  Once they have got this (very quick to learn) I get them practising the fast efficient movement of the thumb - as soon as the group goes down shoot the thumb across to be over the next key.  We also practice the thumb turns in isolation to lighten the thumb, then the whole scale first with a slow 4 pulse then into triplets then into 16th notes then sextuplets then into 32nd notes. for very fast scales we stop on the 8ves and run between them using a metronome to make sure beats in place.