Essential Tips on How to Play Piano Scales

This article outlines one of the first building blocks of playing the piano by demonstrating how to play piano scales. Each note on the piano is the first note of a scale, which are groups of eight successive notes known as octaves. Each octave comprises just seven letters of the alphabet and each scale starts on a different letter, from A to G. (Of course, A to G measures only seven notes, the eighth is the first note an octave higher).

The easiest scale to understand is C Major. It's easiest because it contains only white notes and has no sharps or flats (black notes). For example, on locating Middle C, the white note to its right is D, the next white note is E, then F and G. Because the letters of notes only go up to G, the next note starts from the beginning of the alphabet and is A, the seventh note is B and the eighth is C an octave higher.

So the scale of C Major is as follows (all white notes):

C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C

A MIRACLE OF DEXTERITY

Of course, one of the problems with scales of eight notes is that you only have four fingers and one thumb on each hand. So how do you play all eight notes smoothly, one after the other, with the same hand?

The answer is simple:

Play C with the thumb of your right hand, D with your first finger, E with your second finger. Next, tuck your thumb under your hand to play F, leaving you free to play each of the remaining notes of the scale with consecutive fingers.

To get back again, when you get to your thumb, place your third finger over it to complete the scale.

Try it and see how easy it is. Practice this trick and see how smoothly you can get the notes to flow from one to the next.

Congratulations! You've just played your first scale.

There are 12 major scales in all:

C Major (no sharps of flats)
G Major (1 sharp)
D Major (2 sharps)

A Major (3 sharps)
E Major (4 sharps)
B Major (5 sharps)

F sharp Major (6 sharps)
D flat Major (5 flats)
A flat Major (4 flats)
E flat Major (3 flats)
B flat Major (2 flats)
F Major (1 flat)

Although each major scale is different and contains different combinations of sharps and flats, the overall shape of the sound produced is identical in each case.

If you can hear that identical overall sound after you've learnt all the major scales, you've taken a huge leap forward in terms of playing music by ear.

This article can only give you the barest insight into how scales work. But by taking the time to learn more about the rudiments of music, you'll discover countless invaluable tricks like tucking your thumb under your hand (as above), which will make your playing so much easier and more enjoyable, as well as more about how different sounds produce different effects.

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