One of the most important obstacles a new pianist can have is learning piano scales. Many ask if scales are really essential and if so , what function do they really serve. Scales themselves aren't melodically pleasing or varied and their only real purpose is prepare your fingers and your brain into playing certain patterns dependent on the key of the scale.
The idea is that if you learn a specific scale then you will find it simpler to play a bit of music composed in that key as the finger movements will mainly incorporate only the notes of that specific scale. If you have committed that scale to memory and then you try and play a piece in the same key you will find the movement between the notes to be familiar. The theory is if you learn all of the scales (12 major and twelve minor) then you'll be able to play more easily virtually any piece of music.
The only real way to learn the scales is to systematically play them over and over. This may become a bit of a pain but you may use it as a type of a warm up to your practice sessions. You may want to dedicate 5 or ten minutes each day at the beginning of your practice to just playing scales.
You will learn much more thoroughly if you employ a metronome as you are practicing your scales. Keep in time as much as you can with it and if you have issues keeping up then simply slow it down till you are comfortable. Repetition over and over is the way to truly learn your scales so set the metronome so you can do this easily.
When you are just starting out you don't have to learn every one of the scales immediately. Work through them little by little. Begin with the main ones which are C F G then progress onto E An and D for example. Spend 1 or 2 days or weeks focusing on learning a whole new scale. Once you've learned it you need to keep playing it regularly else you'll forget it. Start each session by playing the ones you already a few times before going on to doing the new ones. Don't forget to consult your home learning course or your tutor to make sure that you are using the proper fingering as this is quite vital.
To really practice them you must start to play the scales slowly at first. Use just one hand and ensure you commence with the correct finger. Then try with the other hand. If you are fighting with getting the right notes then slow it down again, really slowly. Then simply keep repeating over and over. Once you are comfortable you may want to notch up the metronome bit by bit.
You will find that after a few minutes of playing a scale, once you have it slow enough to play perfectly then it'll become 2nd nature to play and you will not even have to consider it. Over a period of 1 or 2 months you might successfully integrate all of the scales into your brain with only a few minutes regular but strict practice every day.
The idea is that if you learn a specific scale then you will find it simpler to play a bit of music composed in that key as the finger movements will mainly incorporate only the notes of that specific scale. If you have committed that scale to memory and then you try and play a piece in the same key you will find the movement between the notes to be familiar. The theory is if you learn all of the scales (12 major and twelve minor) then you'll be able to play more easily virtually any piece of music.
The only real way to learn the scales is to systematically play them over and over. This may become a bit of a pain but you may use it as a type of a warm up to your practice sessions. You may want to dedicate 5 or ten minutes each day at the beginning of your practice to just playing scales.
You will learn much more thoroughly if you employ a metronome as you are practicing your scales. Keep in time as much as you can with it and if you have issues keeping up then simply slow it down till you are comfortable. Repetition over and over is the way to truly learn your scales so set the metronome so you can do this easily.
When you are just starting out you don't have to learn every one of the scales immediately. Work through them little by little. Begin with the main ones which are C F G then progress onto E An and D for example. Spend 1 or 2 days or weeks focusing on learning a whole new scale. Once you've learned it you need to keep playing it regularly else you'll forget it. Start each session by playing the ones you already a few times before going on to doing the new ones. Don't forget to consult your home learning course or your tutor to make sure that you are using the proper fingering as this is quite vital.
To really practice them you must start to play the scales slowly at first. Use just one hand and ensure you commence with the correct finger. Then try with the other hand. If you are fighting with getting the right notes then slow it down again, really slowly. Then simply keep repeating over and over. Once you are comfortable you may want to notch up the metronome bit by bit.
You will find that after a few minutes of playing a scale, once you have it slow enough to play perfectly then it'll become 2nd nature to play and you will not even have to consider it. Over a period of 1 or 2 months you might successfully integrate all of the scales into your brain with only a few minutes regular but strict practice every day.
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