A scale goes from one key to the key that is an octave above that key. It consists of eight tones. There are different types of scales. Some of them are major scales and some of them are minor scales. Major scales have been described as sounding happy, while minor scales are said to sound sad or gloomy.
If you spend a part of your practice time playing scales, you build muscle memory in your hands. This means that, after much time practicing, your hands go more easily to notes in the scale you are playing at any given time. You only have to see the piano sheet music or think of the melody and your hands know what to do.
To talk about scales, you must talk about keys. There are two kinds of keys when you are learning to play the piano. There are the physical blocks of ivory, or some look-alike material, and wood. There are also keys that scales or songs are played in.
You may hear a singer who is about to give their big performance lean over to the piano player and whisper “The key of C please”. The singer is telling the piano player where he or she wants the pianist to being on the keyboard. The keyboardist will know which keys to begin with as well as the chords that will need to be played to accompany the singer. Playing in the correct key is a vital part of any good musical piece.
When you are learning scales, you can do it without learning all the key signatures. (Key signatures are the written notation of the keys, such as the key of C or the key of G.) You can begin by playing a C scale. A major C scale is all done on the white keys. Begin with your right hand in the Home Keys position. Remember that your fingers are numbered 1-5, with the thumb being 1.
Begin playing following the 1-2-3 pattern. Once you have completed this pattern you have keyed the notes C, D, and E on the piano. When you get to your ring finger in the count, place your thumb on the F key by sliding it under the other fingers. Once your thumb is there, reposition your other fingers in order and begin the sequence again. You will be playing 1-2-3-1-2-3-4-5, or C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. You have done it. Your first scale has been played. Be sure to take some time to practice what you have learned.
If you would like to learn to play the C scale using your left hand, begin by placing your little finger directly on the C that is below the middle C. Place your other fingers in order from one to five traveling up the keyboard. Push the keys in order, 5-4-3-2-1. As you get to one, pull your middle finger over your pointer finger and put it on the next available key. Begin again by playing 3-2-1 from that position on the keyboard. When you are finished you have played C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C or 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1.
Combining the functions of both hands at the same time is the next step once you have spent some time practicing with each individual hand. You will be playing the C below middle C using your pinkie on your left hand just as you are using your right hand thumb to play the middle C. Travel up the scale using both hands. The task may seem a little challenging until you have gotten over having to maneuver one hand over and the other under to finish the scale. After you practice you will find that it comes much easier.
After you have mastered this scale you will find that it is much easier to grasp the other major scales. Be sure to concentrate on the order of the half steps and the whole steps that occur in a major scale. If you are following the right order up the major scale you will be playing like this: starting note-step-step-half step-step-step-step-half step. Keep in mind as you follow these steps that there are no black keys found in between the B and C and the E and F so they are considered to be half steps.
Your scale can be played from any point on the keyboard. You only need to select a starting point and you are ready to begin. You can begin on a black key or a white key, it doesn’t matter as long as you are following the steps that were described above and are playing a scale that consists of eight notes. You may even want to begin the scale with the key on the furthest left and play the scale until you reach the last key on the piano. All you need is some practice and you will find that your fingers are flying down the keyboard playing major scales.