Scales

[littletune]

Well I'm sorry... I know my question is probably stupid and annoying but I would just really like to know something   
Hmm... well because it's like: last year I was playing scales just one octave up and down... and this year I was playing scales two octaves up and then one octave with one hand up and with the other down and then together down again... (I was playing only Major scales). But last year I only did Major scales till E-flat major and then it was the end of the year, and this year I played till A-flat major and then it was the end of the year... so I never played D-flat major and G-flat major and C-flat major at all! And I think I should! But I'm not sure about fingering for those three scales...  could anyone tell me?  I know it must be annoying... but I just really wanted to ask, cause I would really like to play those three too (if I played all others)! So well if someone has time to write the fingerings for those three scales it would be really great! 

[m1469]

Hi Littletune,

It's not an annoying question!  Actually, those three scales have the exact same fingering as each other (though they start in different places on the keyboard), since they all have something in common:  They all use all 5 of the black notes!  So, the way I think of it is that the fingers which you use on the black notes stay exactly the same:

RH -  2-3 on the group of two, and 2-3-4 on the group of three.
LH -  3-2 on the group of two, and 4-3-2 on the group of three.

You use your thumb for all white notes (which change from scale to scale) except in the following cases:

RH - 5 on the top (the highest octave) of every scale when it's white (Cb)
LH -  4 to begin the scale when it's white (Cb)

Otherwise, you continue the black note pattern I wrote above when it begins and ends on black notes.  The same fingering applies even to any mode which shares the same key signatures .

[nystul]

Those three scales actually are easier to learn and easier to play smoothly than the others!  With those groupings of black keys the hand is in the right spot almost automatically.  You just have to make sure your thumb hits the correct white key and not the one adjacent to it.

[littletune]

Thank you m1469 for explaining! I tried it today and I think I get it... and the way you explained it it seems very logical...  So thanks! 

Thank you too Nystul for the comment! Yes the D-flat major that I tried today didn't seem so difficult Because I was having really a lot of problems learning the A-flat major  Don't know why. 

[m1469]

Great!  Let us know how it goes .