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Hello! I've found this video here Youtube and I wanted to know if this is a good way to do scales. Practising with the metronome sounds like a good idea. So does moving both hands together up and down (I only practised hands moving away and towards each other).
I tried doing the scales in thirds, at 2:50 time, it went well for the C mayor scale but feels awkward doing it with other scales like G mayor scale. I'm not really sure where I have to put my fingers when there's a sharp or flat. Do I skip the sharps and flats and practice like the C mayor scale? I hope this all makes sense!

If you "skip the sharps and flats" then you are not playing in the key signature! So, no; you can't skip the sharps or flats. At this stage, since you are self study and only started in September of last year, you should not try to play scales in thirds at the present time. Learn all your scales, major and minor, hands together (eventually) in unison, and one scale at a time before you plan to play scales separated by a third.

If you really think you need to do scales separated by a third, then I would suggest that you do some research and find a book of scales that shows you the proper fingering for all scales, including those separated by thirds and sixths.

Regards,

I looked at your video after my above post and discovered that the presenter is not playing the scale "in thirds," at least not what is traditionally know as playing a scale in thirds. What he is doing is playing broken chords or triads, (notes separated by a third), and moving up the C major scale as the bottom note for each broken chord. Then, he does the same, separating the notes by a fourth.

There is an inherent danger in learning badly by trying to follow some Youtube videos when you don't understand what is being presented and when the presenter may not use traditional terminology or - in some cases - doesn't know what s/he's talking about. Use video instruction with caution!

This is a technique that I would suggest is more advanced that you need at the moment, unless you are completely comfortable playing your scales in unison, hands together.

Regards,

Find a good teacher.

"Amen" to that!

Regards,

I was just about to timidly ask about scales, so thanks for opening the wormhole. Once you start taking everyone's links to other threads and discussions you can kill HOURS of profitable playing time with the quest. It's been a fun way to be snowed in up here in the frozen Midwest. Thanks loads guys.

We might want to start at the beginning.....

Somewhat embarrassing aside… The Faber method books suggests that the student play the scales at 88, 112 and 144 BPM and place a check mark when each level is achieved. I’m running the G and F scales at home and having a devil of a time at 144 all week long. I go my lesson and report to the teacher that while I’ll try to play it for her at 144bpm I’m pretty sketchy at that speed. I start the metronome and as I begin to play she starts smiling and says it’s 144 quarter notes per minute, you were playing them as 8th notes so twice as fast.

Hey Bruce thank you for the advice! I'll do the normal scales for now and take it from there. Personally I love Youtube videos they have helped me a lot! There's a tons of good information out there and tons of bad. Just like a teacher I imagine

Zach Evans has made a great 55 mins video about scales, I'll do it like him for now.

I think there are many of us who have made similar mistakes. When I started out, I didn' think to check which kind of note should be played at a certain speed, like half note, quarter note, eighth note. I played all of them as quarter notes - also sometimes very surprised by the speed of a certain piece.

I watched that video too! I thought I was wasting time watching a 55 mins video on scales. Feels good now to get some validation. Since watching that, I've started working on them. I have discipline issues, so I don't do it everyday. But something is better than nothing.

I play just one octave scales though. Two octaves make me finicky, and I end up spending way too much time. I have been doing the one octave scales in the major keys of C, G, D, A, and F. I have a question. Should I finish all major/minor keys in one octave first, or start with two octaves already? Just like Superman, I've been learning piano for 5 months now. (Never thought I'd say this sentence. This forum is fun.)

Even for relative beginners, I would recommend a minimum of two octaves for your scales. You need to get the feel of the fingering for starting the second octave which will not be with the same finger on which the first octave ends. From there, the traditional four-octave scale is easily within your reach.

Regards,

I've shared this before, and it's worth repeating. It's a great video for learning scales.

Thanks for asking this question! Didn't know I needed it answered haha. Also, if you see Batman around here, tell him I'd like to talk to him. It's very personal and very complicated.




And thank you Bruce for the answer! Two octaves is pretty hard for me, does something funny with my brain but I'll practice it too.

Great video btw Sibylle thanks for sharing it!

Thanks for your advice, BruceD!


ROFL. Well, why don't you ask BruceD. After all, he has the same first name as Batman

I can also be very impatient! When they just talk and don't demonstrate, I usually put the video on 1.5 speed.

Yeah, I used to speed up all the videos I watched. I've stopped that entirely now, as it messes up with my expectations in the "real world" . As it is, I've very little patience with slow talkers.

Shhhhh!!! This is my secret for watching training videos at work!!!