Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum When practicing scales, do you count or say key designations

Howdy all, hope everyone is having a good morning!

I am just seeking advice here on practicing scales.

When practicing scales, should I be counting 1,2,3,1,2,3,4,5 or saying the keys in my head, meaning C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C or just going by feel? What do you all do? I am not sure if counting in that manner is cluttering my mind unnecessarily.
I am so new to scales that no matter what I do at this point it isn't coming out even yet, but do you have any opinion on what you think is better or is there a method preferred by teachers?
Thank you for any help!

I'm not sure what everyone else does, but I do one of two things:

I'm either thinking "whole-step, whole-step, half-step, whole-step, whole-step, whole-step, half-step" (or, across the pond, that would be "tone, tone, semitone, tone, tone, tone, semitone"). That's for a major scale -- obviously the various minors have different patterns, as do all the modes.

Or else I'm thinking in terms of scale degree: "tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, leading tone, tonic"... which, in movable-do, could also be "do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do".

Caramba, I have just learned finger numbers, I just learned those terms a few days ago (tonic, etc) but I haven't tried to use them yet, that would currently make it way more difficult for sure Thank you for your opinion though! If that is the way that I should be going with it, than I suppose I will Does anyone else have an opinion on it? Thank you!

I would definitely not think of finger numbers, note names, my next meal or whether the gas has been left on. Your focus should be on correct action, even tone and even time.

Playing the correct keys with the correct fingers will be well established in the first minute or two at one note per second or slower until it is automatic.

Why are you practising scales?

I hope you're not doing them as finger exercise. They don't work 4 & 5 sufficiently for that.

The action of the muscles controlling the fingers need very careful training. Scales are best left until you've been playing for a year or so and have a number of other repertory pieces in your fingers. Playing with a restricted movement such as in scales has a high percentage of instilling in your technique a bad habit that may later cause injury or reduced facility. It is better to learn more pieces requiring a more widely divergent finger action so that your fingers will learn to settle on an average, versatile and flexible action.

If you have a teacher I would suspect the first few lessons would be spent ensuring you sit correctly at the piano and that your arm was more involved in controlling your fingers. They might point out the difference between playing harpsichord or organ, that both use the fingers, and piano, which involves far more use of the arm. My first lessons, and I'd already been playing a while, were all about making the instrument sing and getting the arms to work properly. My introduction to scales was technical support for learning Mozart's K. 545 some six months after starting lessons. They were a tool rather than an exercise and it was all about managing the wrist and arm instead of turning the hand and thumb.

The Russian school begins by using only the middle finger of each hand alternately to learn this arm motion and use the fingers more through the bone alignment from the shoulder than through finger motion in a still hand.

Without a teacher scales might be better left. Exams require that scales are learnt very early. I am opposed to this idea. Scale playing should be for a more etablished technique especially when a teacher is not involved.

If you want finger exercises you can investigate Hanon (where scale playing comes in well into the second volume and is itself best left to after a year's playing) or Czerny.

If you want to stick to music Bach's Inventions provide excellent finger training when played hands separately (hands together is another matter and best left a few years). Bartok's Mikrokosmos is very progressive. There is more.

Caution: I'm not a piano teacher. Get other opinions.

I AGREE. I returned to piano after being self-taught as a child, 35 years later. It took a while before I had a teacher to work with. I was cautious in general but I thought at least I could do scales. I even used a book that taught "how" for the motions. The only thing that I practised consistently every day for about 8 months was scales, and music that contained scales. My left hand started to be numb. I stopped.

The first fix to my technique when I started with my teacher was in chords. I learned how to move the arm and hands, how to feather with the wrist, and how to have some "give" in the fingers after impact. I played pieces mostly with chords, because here I can use the technique that was going properly.

I've been meant to start working on scales. It is slowed down and delayed, because first I have to undo the habits that are ingrained from that time of working on scales. The minute I tried to start a scale, everything I trained myself to do was in there. It is going to take ten times as long than it would have if I had not tried to do scales on my own.

Richard's advice is spot on.

@zrtf90 - Hello again Richard, thank you for your advice.

I am practicing scales partly because it was recommended by someone and also as you said, for finger exercise. (My own idea)



I see where you are coming from here, the assumption being that I can read music and play either along with sheet music or at least by ear to a song.
I have no clue how to read music, nor can I even remotely begin to follow along to any song, no matter how simple at this point. So that puts Bach's inventions out of reach at this point. I remember in junior high music class during learning to read music going "say whaaat..." (Played trombone) I didn't get it then and I have not even tried to get it yet now though of course I wish to.
Where I am at is this;
I have been dabbling for about 10 years now. More comprehensively, I bought a keyboard 10 years ago and had it for a year or two, just messing around and trying to make stuff up. The time came that I needed money, sold that keyboard and then I bought another about a year or so ago and have been doing the same with no schedule, just as I felt like playing around. On average a couple or few times a week for a half hour to 2 hours depending. In between keyboards of my own, I would mess around on one in stores or wherever there happened to be one where I was.
Right now I just have a 5 octave (61 keys I think) yamaha that cost a hundred bucks at Future Shop hooked through my laptop with a Midisport UNO and Propellerheads Reason.
Tired of the slooooooow progress my skill has been growing at, I joined this board for help a couple of weeks ago when I finally made something that actually sounded akin to music. If you wish to hear it;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-vdyiJRg6M

So, no teacher nor proper instruction until currently, and as for that clip there, it really came together for me just then, I don't usually sound even that decent.

Forgive me if that was long winded but since you are so kindly inclined to help me with your advice, you should have all the details! If you have any suggestions as to where I should be focussing right now, I would welcome them gladly!

Since beginning to write this I have now looked at Hanon-online.com and thank you, it looks great, though the first instruction is "Hanon Exercises 1 to 20
'Preparatory piano exercises for the Acquirement of Agility, Independence, Strength and Perfect Evenness in the Fingers. For studying the 20 Hanon exercises, begin with the metronome set at 60'..."

In the past, I turn into a useless twit as soon as I try to follow a metronome, which is a little strange to my mind because I have played a Djembe for years, and I am half decent with it. I can follow a beat no problem with it. I will try Hanon though, that is the kind of thing that I have been looking for! I just hope "playing along to a metronome" is part of the instruction

Thank you Richard!!! Anything that you might have to add would be greatly appreciated!
Brent.

*EDIT - Caramba, Hanon's lesson #1 is like doing mach 8 compared to my speed of finger actuation which is about 1mph hehe, I have to do the FACE and Every good boy deserves fudge thing for every note lol. As for the ones above and below the part where I can do that, I have no idea what notes that they would be.

@ Keystring - Thank you for your time and corroboration on Richard's advice!

I go by the pattern and the feel. Not because I think it is better but that is just what worked for me.

I guess I also already know what sharps or flats (if any) I am going to play ahead of time.
And I already know the key signature ahead of time. So, that might help you. You can memorize the key signature/scale (away from the piano). Then when you sit down to play it find your starting note-find what sharps or flats you will need to play, then go for it. Then I would maybe be more deliberate or pay more attention to the fingering-just for now until it get more comfortable for you. Once you have it down (which probably won't take too long). Then you can say the notes names in your head if you want to drill that in-or you might find that you don't have to.

I think sometimes when we are paying attention to what we are saying in our heads it can make it harder to play. But I find that after a while things become more automatic.

Best of luck.

Hello Kymber, that sounds like excellent advice! Thank you.
Could you please clarify just a tad for me?
I am not sure exactly what you mean by "memorize the key signature/scale"

Do you mean the pattern of the order that the keys are played in? Or rather, forget that, if you could clarify what you mean by that I would appreciate it!
Thank you.

No, forget Hanon. It is purely mechanical. There's a time and place for mechanical. Get music that appeals to your emotions, where the sound and meaning is more important than the technical requirements. Technique stands a better chance of developing properly from the musical requirement rather than developing the technique and then starting on music.

Don't learn to play piano then look for good music to practise on. Find the music that makes you NEED to learn to play the piano.

Piano playing is an activity requiring very fine motor skills and many different kinds of brain activity. It is similar to Latin and the Martial Arts in that it increases our abilty in all other subjects and exercises many different parts of the brain. It isn't picked up quickly.

If you want to vamp along to a pop song every so often then a few minutes here and there will do little harm and that may be all you need.

If you're thinking of getting into classical piano it typically involves a regular daily stint at the keyboard of 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Like golf, it becomes a passion and an obsession. And because of the long hours it is absolutely crucial to ensure the correct ergonomic and relaxed actions are ingrained from the beginning. How many golfers make use of the club pro at the start of their careers - compared to the short lived players who don't?

If you get a teacher for only as long as it takes to ensure a correct posture, a good arm technique and a source of elementary pieces on which to develop these actions without the added complication of complexity in either the music or the finger agility then that's probably enough to get going. And will be money well spent.

As to how to practise, there are several threads here developing along that very line and it seems very few teachers cover this aspect in detail. I would encourage visiting this forum on a regular basis and purport that you will make more progress than pianists that don't avail of this resource, whether or not they have a teacher.

There are no books that I can recommend or videos that I can point you to that will do the very thing a teacher is needed for - giving feedback to make sure you've understood the fundamentals correctly.

I have recently been teaching my son to play piano. I am absolutely astonished at the level of misunderstanding that can be made. Sitting down and showing him how to play the keys (press, squeeze, stroke, persuade, but never hit) did nothing until I got him to drop his hands onto his lap a few times under dead weight then transfer this action to the keys and damping with the wrist. Piano playing is really not about fingers - it's such an easy mistake to make.

You may be lucky and adopt the techniques naturally, many do, I did for much of it, on the other hand the damage that can ensue if you don't get it right is huge. Not just musically but physically.

If you scour this forum or participate frequently you will find countless mentions of people suffering aches, pains and tendinitis from tension while playing piano. While it may not be crippling it will hinder you progress. Do what you can to avoid it.

I want to get started on the metronome but I have to leave work and go home!

Hi Sozo,
Yes.
I mean memorize the notes of the scale in order and whatever sharp and flats they have.

So C major is C D E F G A B C
G major is G A B C D E F# G

It might help to see them in the order of fifths - if you haven't already. (as in the circle of fifths, but doesn't necessarily have to be in a circle). It also might help to practice them in that order (of 5ths). It's not necessarily but can be helpful in understanding the order of things.

This has a very simple chart:
http://gc-music.com/Advan.htm

I'm trying to find a good web site with the circle of fifths - I will add the link when I find one.

There is an endless amount of variation you can place in technical exercises. Hands separate, hands together, 2 octaves, 4 octaves, crescendo, decrescendo, staccato, legato, non-legato, loud, soft, parallel, contrary, 3rds, 6ths, triads, arpeggios... I could go on...

My point is you should be working at your skill level. I play scales at 60 bpm and count 1& 2& 3& 4&. As has been said before, your aim should be correct fingering, even tone & even tempo at a comfortable speed. My objective is control and not just speed.

Learn the easy scales first & fill in the others as you progress. The pattern is the same for them all only the fingering changes through the various keys. Minor keys use a different pattern but a pattern all the same.

T T ST T T T ST T. Flatten 3rd & 6th for a minor (harmonic). Flatten 3rd going up and 3rd, 6th & 7th coming down for minor (melodic). And it goes on...

Not sure if this is the best one but worth taking a look at.
http://www.circleoffifths.com/

@Richard -

I hear that, it is that exact inspiration that has fuelled me of late.

If I understand the unwritten part of your quote then, learn to read music to something that moves me and learn in that manner, correct?

For example there is a woman on here, Viktoria Greksova, her handle is 1wiki1 and she composes incredibly beautiful Sonatas and other works and I am willing to dedicate whatever time and effort to be able to play something like them. See her youtube page here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnfHfJiT3Zi5T6FPMH_2BFw

As well as a woman named Muso90 who composes stunning, amazing original works as well as covers of songs but with a flare and reinterpretation that puts the original songs in a completely different, unworthy category. See her 9/11 Memorial composition, her Butterflies and Hurricanes cover, L'Aqua original composition, and pretty much everything else of hers that I would also dedicate any resources to being able to achieve. See her here: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAXNkoxAiPnPnIXzlDhmLg


Not to mention Emily Bear, I am sure that I don't need to post a link to her, I think her work thus far would be classified as strictly classical but wow, watching her hands walk up and down the keys inspires me to no end and though I would never be able to approximate her skill (or the other two that I mentioned for that matter) still everyone has to dream and they are all incredibly inspiring to me.

Viktoria and Muso90's styles and compositions may be slightly more attainable and knowing that, and if you have the time to listen to some of their stuff perhaps you could direct me to some works with sheet music of similar feel and I will start what I fear will be the arduous task of learning how to read it. The two mentioned don't have sheet music posted for their compositions.

As for a teacher, that really isn't in the cards at the moment, finances being the issue. I will do my best solo for now, hence why I appreciate your advice and time so much. Thank you Richard. I look very much forward to any advice you can give about trying to play with a metronome!!!

As for the ergonomics and posture, thats a biggie for me, in theory I know, back straight, hands relaxed, in practice almost the second I try to concentrate on playing something, that all goes right out the window lol. But I am trying when I remember. Not to mention right now I am playing cross legged on a bed with the keyboard in front of me. I have no other option right now, so thats what I've got, but I understand the theory for future use at least and I will remember your words.
Talk soon!

@Kymber - Thank you Kymber! I have not got a grasp on the fifths yet, not fully at least, I have deciphered with help the circle diagram I think but it really doesn't make a lot of sense to me, I can read it and tell you which key is supposed to come after which key in the major and minor scales by looking at it, (obviously, you just look at the next letter whether ascending or descending) but I don't see how it is used as a teaching tool other than for one or two fingering your way through playing a perfect fifth, there is theory there that I really need someone to go through with in detail and patience with me *hint,hint* hehe just (sorta) kidding about the hint, I thank you!

@Calgary Mike - Thank you, you've given me some more terminology to google hehe

I would use your scales to help in counting out rhythm. 1+2+3+4+ or what ever rhythm you want to practice.

Especially if counting is difficult for you.

I'm guessing that trying to express an appealing melody is more likely to encourage your arm to move appropriately than hammering out mechanical five finger exercises. So, yes, correct.

The people you mention are playing solo piano music (as opposed to say, Elton John, Billy Joel or Norah Jones) so a classical training route will take you where you're want to go.

Understood. You might try and find an experienced pianist who can watch you play or make a video and ask for observations.

That's half the battle.

This is why it's best to start with really easy music.

And it's the same with a metronome.

When I was teaching my boys guitar they had this inability (or refusal to try) to play and count.

Here's the the thing. Music is time and tune. The difference between music and the other arts, the thing that most makes music be music is time, rhythm.

Don't learn to count as you play. Learn to count and keep rhythm then learn to play as you count. The counting is everything.

Learn to clap or tap the rhythm before you start playing. Many learn the notes quickly but struggle with timing and rhythm. Get the rhythm. If and when you use a metronome be aware that keeping time with it uses brain activity and must slow down the speed you could play at without it. Don't use it for prolonged periods use it for a few bars or a one time run through then continue practise without it. Use it to set a beat or a tempo then shut it off.

If you use it for prolonged periods consider a drum machine instead. But learning to keep time with an external source is crucial to playing with others and playing well on your own.

I've heard good reports of the Hal Leonard series and the Faber series of method books but I haven't seen them first hand. I taught my lads to read when I taught them recorder and guitar so they started piano with more advanced material. Alfred's is popular but not as suitable for a classical direction.

You need to seek advice from others for suitable starting material.

Genius! Yes, that is a fact, when doing strictly exercises I couldn't keep them up for long periods, but playing something meldious I get in the zone somewhat and my body does start to express, I do know what you mean by the arm being more important than the fingers, when it comes together for me, its a fluid body feeling and my mind starts to focus less and intuit more. Well put!
Thank you for that, at least for the time being it lets me off the hook from how did you put it, hammering out mechanical exercises. Until I get more practiced as you mentioned before. Than I will continue with scales again.

As a side note, after you first mentioned Hanon, I found an enormous thread on Piano Street that I have been perusing at http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=13583.0

I see it is a raging argument on the benefits vs. detriment, however at least for myself you summed it up succintly in that first paragraph, as I've quoted above. I suppose if you enjoy more the technical processes of learning Piano than you would enjoy Hanon type stuff, but you got me down when you stated as you did.



At the risk of sounding redundant.. Thank you again! I had wondered many times how to iterate the type of music and learning that I would need to learn in order to play along the lines of the people I mentioned.

As for playing with the metronome, when you say count, I am thinking you are saying count to whatever time signature the piece I am trying to learn is in? Like 1-2-3-1-2-3- or 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4, in time with the click?

Thanks Richard, you may not be an actual Piano teacher, but you sure know your stuff. Appreciated!


Brent

Hola, Sozo.




Have you ever thought about learning to read music? I think that my response to your thread would be: count if you want, say the names of the keys if you want, say whole-step whole-step half-step if you want, say nothing if you prefer ...

... but learn to read music.

Hello sozo,
How do i play scales? weeeell... if i must admit it, not very often or very well. They make me tighten up. it goes back to childhood disciplined instruction and just as disciplined practice under eagle eyes of over-eagre parent. Returning to piano after many years, that old tension is still with me! so I play bits of Mozart or Bach, or Beethoven instead. Much more fun and no memories lurking in the background.
As for counting or chanting etc. that seems like a lot of work,I just sing along in my head. Now I use scale books to check things, like key-signatures, relative keys, chord progressions, arpeggios patterns and such. IT'S A REFERENCE TOOL. I find in many pieces I have to use different fingerings anyway and its more about playing patterns than just scales. I'm sure others have different experiences as you will read in the thread, and in the end you must do what works for you. Best advice is to get some kind of help, and if a teacher is not in your budget, is there a musician friend who can give you a few pointers? A different pairs of eyes and ears is invaluable from someone you respect and trust.

Thank you for your time and advice gents, I am going to take Richards advice for now and leave scales alone until I have progressed a little more, but you can believe that I will be re-reading this when I do start them Thank you!