How does it help learning piano scales???

Question

how

Answer 1

Well I assume that you are trying to learn how to play the piano, and you have to start somewhere. It's like if you are going to start smoking, you have to learn how to light a cigarette.

Bad analogy I know.

Answer 2

The scales on the piano, will help you learn the notes of the piano. You will also become familiar with sharps and flats, and the proper fingering of each scale. Yes, the fingering of every scale is different. It isn't just 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4 5, like the Cmaj/Amin scales. They are different.

It is very important that you practice these scales daily to become fluent and familiar with each.

Answer 3

My teacher has this awesome way of learning scales. She has a "system" of naming the fingers

Bunnies - 2, 3
Thumbs - obviously 1
Mickeys - 1, 2, 3
Tall Man - 3
Middles - 2, 3, 4
Lithuanian Girl Scout Salute - 3, 4
Lobsters - 1, 2
Donkey Ears - 2, 5

She uses these for pieces, and not just scales (yes, this is a college professor)

If you will send an email to [e-mail] with scale study guide in the subject header, i'll give you her scale study guide.

Answer 4

As on any instrument, scales are simply a way to practice technique. It's not that you're learning them in the same way you learn music. With so little as to the actual rhythm or pattern to focus on, you can focus on all the other things having to do with the technique of the particular instrument. Granted, I play a viola, not piano, but on the viola I have had to learn scales for technique. Plus, they help to teach you your keys (as on a score of music, eg key of G, not the literal black and white keys before you).

Answer 5

It doesn't! It doesn't help at all to learn piano scales!

You just have to play them as fast as you can in order to exercise your fingers. You won't earn anything serious by learning the scales except that they are really boring!

Just play them but don't learn how to play them. Every, or almost every, piece of music always have the right fingers showed with numbers so ...

Just play them to warm up and to exercise!

Answer 6

Different scales have different fingering, and knowing where your fingers should be when you're learning a song from sheet music will make it a LOT easier to play.

I say this from the experience of having not learned scales, and am now learning duets from my husband, who *did* learn scales. If I didn't have him telling me where my fingers should be, then some of these songs would be much harder to play.

Believe me, I thought scales were as boring as white wallpaper myself, but as boring as they are, if you have an understanding of them, it will help you down the road when you're ready to un-seat Elton John from his throne. :-D

Answer 7

finger dexterity!
the cycle of keys
all kinds of things.
Most music is based on at least one of the keys (C natural, A minor, &c) practised when one does scales.
Anyway, they're fun! Set your metronome for high speed and try to beat it!

Answer 8

Gets your fingers used to moving on the keys. The ideal is to work faster and faster. It also helps "set" the different keys into your finger's muscle memory for weird and difficult chords later on.

Answer 9

On any instrument, you need to play scales and INTERVALS in all keys, major and relative minor. If you can do that, you know your instrument. It doesn't mean you're a virtuoso yet, but you know your instrument.

Answer 10

It helps to get your fingers moving more freely and losen up your fingers. It's like a warm-up before you play an actual song.