Four tips for playing scales

Playing scales is good for developing technique. I am not saying that one should sit at the piano and practice scales and exercises for hours to get results. That would be very boring, but if you look at these points, you will acquire great technique in just a few weeks.

1. Scales train the fingers to do their job evenly and smoothly.

Playing scales is good for developing technique. I am not saying that one should sit at the piano and practice scales and exercises for hours to get results. If you look at these points, you will acquire a great technique in just a few weeks. The scales train the fingers to do their job evenly and smoothly.

Each tone on a scale must be played with effort, energy, and enthusiasm. The listening ear is trained to hear the exact volume of sound. Having an accurate knowledge of the notes on the scale and using the correct fingering, that is, using the thumbs and the third and fourth fingers, will help you to play it by heart.

2. When playing scales, each hand will practice alone.

What happens is that if you don’t take the time to practice the hands separately, the right hand will stifle the left hand (or vice versa). Pay attention to the rhythm of playing a scale. Start with the C major scale. Later, with time and lots of practice, learn the variations of sixths, thirds, and counter movements.

3. The tones of the scale should be played with equal force.

When you use your thumb, there should be additional pressure and with the second and third fingers there will be a certain amount of restraint, but then you will continue with the fourth and fifth fingers with additional force as you press the keys.

It seems that most people have a problem with their thumb playing scales. Often times, the thumb hits the keys too weakly, so you’ll want to press the key from above in a downward motion. Practice five ascending and descending tones very slowly at first. Most importantly, pay close attention to the rhythm and touch of each tone as you bend your thumb and go under the third finger.

4. Be aware of the movement of your muscles.

A great difficulty when it comes to playing scales is the step over and under the fingers. You’ll want to roll your lower arm with a sideways motion of your hand across the keyboard. It is easy to do, but it will be difficult to do when your hand is bent sideways.

You must feel very relaxed when playing scales. Your piano performance will become smooth and undulating. When both hands are combined, you will hear the tones of the two hands more evenly.

If you review these points, watch both hands and practice scales a little every day, in a few weeks you will acquire a great technique that will help you play the scales in a much better way.