Learning an instrument can be a challenging but also rewarding pastime. If you’re a student of piano, learning piano scales can help lay the foundation for developing your skills as well as give you a better understanding of music, since most songs are based around the movement of scales. Learning piano scales can even get you started composing your own songs!
Scales, chords, and related piano exercises are a fun and useful addition to your daily practice ritual. The primary scales are the 12 major and 36 minor scales (natural, harmonic, and melodic). Learning piano scales will help you develop finger awareness and muscle memory, keyboard familiarity, confidence, technique, and an understanding of music composition. With a thorough knowledge of the scales, developing a high level of proficiency on the piano will be much easier!
How Many Scales Are There in Piano?
There are a variety of scales in piano, each with a unique sound and feel.
- Major scales are the most commonly used, and they have a bright, cheerful sound.
- Minor scales have a more melancholic sound.
- Blues scale piano options tend to have a funky, bluesy feel.
- A pentatonic scale piano is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the more familiar heptatonic scale that has seven notes per octave. Pentatonic scales are very common in folk music from around the world, and they are also frequently used in rock, pop, jazz, and other genres.
Each scale has its own unique pattern of notes, which is what gives it its characteristic sound. The number of scales in piano is virtually limitless, as there are an infinite number of ways to combine notes to create new scales.
As a result, pianists can always find new sounds to explore. Whether you’re looking for a bright major scale or a mellow minor scale, there’s sure to be a scale that’s just right for you. Use a piano scales chart to help you out.
Are you ready to start your next journey as a piano player? Sign up for piano lessons – and get an idea of what you might learn in those lessons by watching this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah-fdExgBrY
What Piano Scale Should I Learn First?
As a beginner, you might be wondering what piano scale you should learn first. While there are many different scales that you could choose from, the best place to start is with the major scale.
The major scale is the most basic and commonly used scale in Western music. It consists of seven notes, each separated by a whole step (two frets on the piano). To form a major scale, you simply start on any note and follow this pattern of whole steps and half steps: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half.
For example, if you start on C, the notes in the C major scale would be C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. As you can see, the major scale consists of only natural notes (no sharps or flats). Once you have mastered the major scale, you can move on to learning other scales such as the minor scale or chromatic scale.
With a little practice, you’ll be playing scales like a pro in no time!
The Major Scales Piano Players Should Know
The major scales are usually the first ones you’ll learn. To begin, work on a single octave, up and down the scale and focus on the fingering of each note first using your left hand, then the right. Once you’re comfortable, extend the range to include a second octave, and then practice using both hands simultaneously.
The major scales are all created using the same formula. It is:
WS = whole step HS = half step
WS – WS – HS – WS –WS – WS – HS
Starting on any note and using this formula will give you the major scale for that note. When practicing scales, use the Cycle of Fourths. This is a pattern of moving root notes the interval of a fourth to the next scale.
Begin playing the C major scale, move to F major, then Bb major through the cycle. Next, reverse the pattern and the cycle counterclockwise (C major, G major, D major scale piano, A major scale piano, etc.) to master the Cycle of Fifths!
Fourths and fifths are strong intervals found throughout Western music. By working on these scales in patterns of fourths and fifths, you will begin to develop your ear and recognize the intervals in any music you are playing.
As you’re playing the major scales, listen to the notes. Because they are built using the same formula, they share the same sound relationship. This is the “intervallic” relationship of the major scales.
Minor Scales
Mastering the major scales will then help you as you learn the minor scales. There are three variations: the natural, harmonic, and melodic. The natural minor is also called pure minor. The harmonic and melodic minor scales are variations built from the natural minor.
Some examples of minor scales piano include:
- E minor scale piano
- A minor scale piano
- C minor scale piano
The relative minor scale is the minor scale sharing the same key signature as its related major scale. The relative minor is formed from the 6th degree of the major scale and shares that major’s key signature.
C MAJOR SCALE PIANO: C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
Counting the first C, the note A is the 6th degree of the C major scale. A minor is the relative minor for C major.
C MAJOR RELATIVE NATURAL MINOR SCALE – A MINOR: A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A
This is the formula to determine the natural minor scale for every major key. There are two variations on the natural minor scale, the first being harmonic minor. The harmonic minor scale is based on the natural minor with the 7th degree raised 1/2 step.
A HARMONIC MINOR: A-B-C-D-E-F-G#-A
The third minor scale variation is called melodic minor. The melodic minor scale consists of the natural minor with the 6th and 7th degrees raised 1/2 step when playing up the scale; when descending the 6th and 7th degrees are lowered 1/2 step, so you play the natural minor scale descending.
A MELODIC MINOR ASCENDING: A-B-C-D-E-F#-G#-A
A MELODIC MINOR DESCENDING: A-G-F-E-D-C-B-A
What is the Hardest Piano Scale?
Music enthusiasts often debate what the hardest piano scale is. Many people believe that it is the chromatic scale, which consists of all 12 notes in an octave. This scale is notoriously difficult to play because it requires a great deal of finger dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
Others believe that the hardest scale is the double harmonic major scale, which contains some unusual intervals. This scale can be challenging to play in tune, and it can be tricky to hear the correct relationships between the notes.
Ultimately, there is no definitive answer to this question; it depends on each individual’s level of skill and experience.
Nonetheless, both the chromatic scale and the double harmonic major scale are generally considered to be among the most challenging scales to play on the piano.
How Do You Memorize Scales?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how best to memorize scales, as different people learn in different ways. However, there are a few useful tips that can help make the process a bit easier.
First, it can be helpful to break the scale down into manageable chunks and focus on memorizing one section at a time. Additionally, it can be helpful to practice regularly – even if it’s just for a few minutes each day.
Finally, it can also be helpful to create a mental or physical map of the scale, so that you have a reference point to refer back to when practicing.
By following these tips, you should be able to memorize scales more effectively and become a better musician as a result.
Piano Scales: Challenging but Important!
Learning piano scales is an important part of your practice. You will develop technique,and finger control by memorizing them. Slow methodical practice can help you to memorize these scales and develop muscle memory. Begin by working on and memorizing the major scales, then use the formula to figure out the related natural minor scales. It can also be helpful to get some manuscript paper and write them down. Keep the major and related minor scales together to reinforce their connection.
Of course, if you study privately, you can ask your piano teacher for help. They’ll be thrilled that you’re showing an interest in the building blocks of Western music! Your teacher can also offer you tips for learning piano scales, variations on practice patterns, and more based on what they’ve learned through their own studies. Now… get to work!
Photo by Bill Ward’s Brickpile
Megan L.