Tetrachord scales

[amanfang]

This is a dumb question that I should know the answer to, but I don't....

Are tetrachord scales played with 4 notes in each hand?  Like first 4 notes with LH and last 4 notes with the RH?

[maryruth]

Yes.  You work your way around the circle of 5ths.

First four notes of C pentascale combined with the first four notes of G get the C major Scale:
CDEF  GABC
L.H.      R.H.

First four notes of G combine with the first four notes of D gets the G major scale
GABC    DEF#G
L.H.          R.H.

This "method" of scale learning is particularly useful with kids who
1.  Transfer to me after being stuck in a positional method for a long time
2.  Students who have trouble with spacial relations

It also generally helps make sense of the whole scale thing.  Some kids are really slow just to learn the first 5 notes of each major scale.  After suffering through all those five finger positions, when they can start stringing them together around the Circle of 5th it's like a revelation.  Then once they get the scale with two hands it's much easier to teach a one octave scale with one hand and the thumb passing under. 

Some kids don't need to learn the Tetra chord route--others benefit from it!

[amanfang]

I'll also assume that you use 2, 3, 4, and 5 and leave out the thumbs? 

It is for a non-major college class.  The syllabus says that the student must play all scales in tetrachord style.  I learned scales 2 octaves HT when I started, and hadn't even heard of this tetrachord thing.  I am teaching privately so the student can test out of first semester.  So he has to be able to do everything on the syllabus.