Problem with scales

[zoey94]

I have a problem with scales, some obviously worse than others, a scale like C Major I can play between 120 to 130bpm 4 notes to the beat at my maximum ability but with another scale like the G Major scale when I'm around a certain tempo with the G major scale with my right and left hand around 100bpm 4 notes to the beat, my 4th and 5th fingers strain and don't play the keys properly, the other fingers play notes fully to the keybed but at this tempo my 4th and 5th fingers just cannot play the key into the keybed and there is a strain.

What makes no sense is I use the first section of chopins 10/2 etude as an exercise and can play it faster and better than I can do scales and my 3rd 4th and 5th finger are being used all the time with that piece so why when it comes to scales it doesnt work for me? you might tell me I dont have the finger strength or something but as stated I clearly do because I can manage the first section of chopins 10/2 better than I can with scales so I think it has something to do with my hand position and not making a needed movement or something? If so what is the movement needed for a scale like G Major or C minor or any scale? the black keys make it difficult for me to find the natural motion with something like C minor but with a scale like C Major I can find the motion

Also can someone tell me if practicing 10 to 25 minutes a day on one scale for a whole week, practicing the scale slow and also with rhythms and then going up by 10bpm with the metronome until I can't manage anymore and after that week moving on to another scale for a whole week is very good or not? What is the best practice exercises for getting great, fast scales eventually? am I already doing it and it will just come with time?

[brogers70]

Everybody's first reaction is likely to be to tell you to get a teacher. But, in the meanwhile. it sounds as though you may not be properly aligning your 4th and 5th fingers with your forearm as you play the scale. When you play with your 4th or 5th you need to make sure the finger you are using makes a roughly straight line with your forearm. To do this you need to keep your wrist flexible and let it swing easily back and forth in the horizontal plane so that when you use the 4th and 5th fingers they are lined up with your forearm. What you want to avoid is having your forearm in line with your thumb and your fourth and fifth fingers reaching outward at an angle.

Go slow. Keep your arm and wrist relaxed, and let the wrist swivel to keep whatever finger is playing in line with the forearm.

See if that helps. If I've botched the description, I apologize.

[zoey94]

Thanks! So just to make sure of what you mean, the arm needs to be lined up with the hand and always follow keeping a straight line as the turning motions take place with the hand and wrist instead of the wrist turning and the arm not following and keeping a straight line with the turning hand and wrist?

[brogers70]

Sounds right. As you do an ascending scale with the right hand, for example, your arm will move smoothly to the right, up the keyboard, and your wrist will swivel slightly back and forth in the horizontal plane so that whatever finger is playing is in line with the forearm. The feeling you DON'T want to have is that your fingers are pulling the wrist and the arm behind them as the fingers walk up the keys. Instead, the big motion is with the arm, sweeping up the keyboard, a smaller motion is the hand pivoting at the wrist the keep the playing finger lined up with the arm, and the smallest motion is the finger striking the key.

[zoey94]

Thanks so much! and how are your scales? what's comfortable tempo etc. would like to read about your scale playing

[brogers70]

Thanks so much! and how are your scales? what's comfortable tempo etc. would like to read about your scale playing

Well, I wouldn't take a strangers word for how well they play scales. I'm comfortable going through the circle of fifths at around 110 bpm for 16th note scales. Often I practice them more slowly because my teacher has me focusing on some particular aspect of technique, relaxation of the wrists, focus on the timing of the release of the keys, getting the impulse from the upper arm on downbeats. She really pays no attention to speed per se, she tells me that speed will come on its own as your movements get better.

[zoey94]

Yeah you're right lol but thought I would ask anyway

That sounds about right to me, I think I'm being impatient waiting for speed to arrive when really I guess that it will come on it's own anyway as long as I'm practicing everyday. So do you think practicing one scale per week moving up the circle of 5ths for about 10 to 25 maybe even 30 minutes each day practicing slow, then rhythms then going up with the metronome until I can't play the scale well anymore is good and will bring great scales and speed with time? Or am I just wasting my time?

[brogers70]

Scales (and arpeggios) can be very helpful. Even more helpful is having a teacher to give you feedback. Otherwise you may simply be deeply engraining bad motions by practicing them.

I do scales, arpeggios, and Czerny etudes for an hour every day, always with some point of technique that my teacher has had me focus on, arm weight (or not) relaxation of wrist and fingers, movement of the upper arm, different articulations. And I usually spend a week or two paying attention to that one point while I do the scales. I've never tried the business of gradually increasing a metronome tempo to develop speed. Instead I just work on the scales in a relaxed way, and every once in a while my teacher will say "Double time it" and I suddenly find that I can play them a good deal faster than I had. I think that gradually ramping up speed is often a good way to introduce a lot on unnecessary tension.