Identifying and playing major scales is a “major” part of playing the piano (pun intended). I tend to teach my students about Major Scales when I introduce the Linear Circle of Fifths. I call it a Magic Wand because of all the information it provides students in one easy to remember tool. You can listen to my teaching method of the Magic Wand in a three-part series starting with episode 013
Listen to the full episode here
Another tool teachers use to teach Major scales is a formula using whole steps and half steps. A half step is moving from one piano key to the very next key. Starting on C and moving to the black key, C# is a half step. Moving from C# to the white key, D is also a half step. If you’re not familiar with the names of the piano keys, check out PPP003.
White Key Scales
The typical scale finger pattern for the right hand is 1 2 3 – 1 2 3 4 5.
The pattern is reversed for the left hand 5 4 3 2 1 – 3 2 1.
This pattern works for almost every scale beginning on a white key. The only exceptions are F for the right hand and B for the left hand. The way the black keys land on these two scales require you to use a different finger pattern. You can see the solution in the sheet my teacher gave me, pictured above.
Black Key Scales for Right Hand
When playing scales that include black keys, the aim it to avoid placing your short thumb on a high and hard to reach black key. Use your longer fingers to play the black keys. If you place right hand finger 2 and 3 on a set of two black keys and fingers 2 3 4 on a set of three black keys, these are the same fingers that will begin those scales.
Finger 4 will begin the B♭ scale. Finger 3 will begin the E♭ and A♭ scales. Finger 2 will begin the D♭ and G♭ scales.
Black Key Scales for Left Hand
The left hand is even easier than the right hand because every black key scale begins with finger 3 except G♭.
More Music Theory Episodes
If you’d like to learn more about using scales to build chords and make music, you might enjoy these previous episodes.
PPP067 Three forms of minor scale
Final Thoughts
Be sure to jump in the March Pianogram Challenge! Follow the daily prompt and share a photo or video of your interpretation of that prompt. Follow the hashtap PPPpianogram to see what other people are sharing. Remember March 28 is the 88th day of 2020 when we will be celebrating Piano Day!
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