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I used to be a fanatic about scales when I was playing seriously. I'd play them for hours on end and got real joy in seeing them progress. I got a few good tips from various teachers and at my peak had them up to about 130 = quarter note before severely injuring my RH forefinger which washed me up. I occasionally toy with them now and then on the arm of my sofa and finally decided after several years away from the piano to see what I could do. My left hand is still at about 130 but my RH is pretty miserable and can only do that speed in spurts before giving out.
I was wondering what our members' speeds are when they are practiced and primed to demonstrate.
I don't own a metronome that works - I have an ancient miniature Wittner Super-Mini Taktell (made in West Germany) that I bought when I was young (about a hundred years ago) which no longer works, which I'm hoping I'll be able to sell on eBay for at least $£$€£, when everything in the world (including pianos) have gone Hal, and people hanker for anything and everything mechanical that reminds them of a past humanity that once existed on Earth.
A few years ago, I did acquire a working mechanical one (which came free with a subscription to Pianist Magazine) which I subsequently re-packaged and gave it away as a birthday present to someone less deserving than me. (It's now sitting on top of her upright, next to plastic busts of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Bartók and Berg, so as you can see, she's less deserving of it than me.)
What is the topic in this thread again? Oh, metronome speed on scales. Nope, no dice.
When I play a scale (like that B flat melodic minor in Op.53), it goes as fast as it needs to go. No more, and certainly no less.
I assume you mean 130 quarters in 16th notes , ie 520 notes per minute.
Yes, when you set the metronome at 130 you play four 16th's to each beat. Interesting. I thought nearly all pianists at a higher level of proficiency practiced scales. Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them. The newer generation I've seen use their smartphone and plug in this link or something similar:
Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them. The newer generation I've seen use their smartphone and plug in this link or something similar:
Yes, when you set the metronome at 130 you play four 16th's to each beat. Interesting. I thought nearly all pianists at a higher level of proficiency practiced scales. Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them.
The top speed of pros is in the range of 850 notes per minute hands separate and a little less hands together. So something like 180 to 200 quarters.
Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them. The newer generation I've seen use their smartphone and plug in this link or something similar:
I don't own a mobile/cell phone, let alone a "smart" phone.....
I finally bought one a few months ago - a smartphone, that is - because we'd been having problems with the internet and need to keep an eye on E-mails (a long story, but now I'm paying for both ). Not sure I like the idea of using it as an instrument of torture, though
Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them. The newer generation I've seen use their smartphone and plug in this link or something similar:
I don't own a mobile/cell phone, let alone a "smart" phone.....
Click on that link for "online metronome". Musicians with an iPhone or Galaxy can pull up that link and set the phone on their music stand. Very handy.
Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them. The newer generation I've seen use their smartphone and plug in this link or something similar:
I don't own a mobile/cell phone, let alone a "smart" phone.....
I finally bought one a few months ago - a smartphone, that is - because we'd been having problems with the internet and need to keep an eye on E-mails (a long story, but now I'm paying for both ). Not sure I like the idea of using it as an instrument of torture, though
Well, they're quite handy when an imbecile like myself pops in and asks, "What is your cruising speed for scales?"
Playing semi-quavers at crotchet = 130 isn't that fast. I'm surprised you injured yourself.
No, I didn't injure myself playing scales. I was practicing the Poulenc Toccata and at that very bottom A I threw up my right arm in a stupid flourish for a job well done, brought down my arm, missed the A and hit the block of wood as hard as I could. Crunch! Permanent nerve damage that causes the RH forefinger to spasm and stick into the air in fast passages. This was in 1970. I tried to make a comeback in 2005 but this kept happening after several hours of practice. I couldn't control it. Here's an example:
Pianists don't use the old mechanical devices of 100 years ago anymore, at least most of them. The newer generation I've seen use their smartphone and plug in this link or something similar:
I don't own a mobile/cell phone, let alone a "smart" phone.....
I finally bought one a few months ago - a smartphone, that is - because we'd been having problems with the internet and need to keep an eye on E-mails (a long story, but now I'm paying for both ). Not sure I like the idea of using it as an instrument of torture, though
Well, they're quite handy when an imbecile like myself pops in and asks, "What is your cruising speed for scales?"
That's something I would probably be embarrassed to reveal
just a little thing: playing Chopin's op.25/11 is fine but for those last scales, they should sound like a glissando but they aren't, most difficult part.
). Not sure I like the idea of using it as an instrument of torture, though 
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