Welcome to Living Pianos! I’m Robert Estrin. Today, we’re talking about the law of diminishing returns when it comes to practicing scales. You might have heard about some teachers who encourage their students to practice scales for hours on end—sometimes even neglecting actual music! While scales are undeniably important, focusing exclusively on them can lead to frustration and burnout. It’s a shame to see anyone lose their love for the piano simply because they’re stuck in a monotonous practice routine.
The Essentials of Scale Practice
So, what should you focus on? First and foremost, it’s vital to learn all your major and minor scales and arpeggios, both harmonic and melodic. Mastering these scales sets the foundation for your piano journey. Once you’ve got those down, you can gradually work on increasing your speed. A great starting point might be to play your scales at 72 at 4 notes to the beat and your arpeggios at 60 with 4 notes to the beat. Then challenge yourself to speed up as you become more proficient. Remember, this is just the beginning of a lifelong journey with scales and arpeggios!
A Year of Scales
Here’s something to keep in mind: there are 12 tones on the piano, and with major scales, two types of minor scales, and both major and minor arpeggios, you’re looking at 60 different options! If you dedicated a week to each one, you’ll have them all learned in a year. So don’t feel overwhelmed; you’ve got plenty of time to tackle them all!
Expanding Your Scale Practice
But scales are not just about repetition. There are so many ways to make practice more engaging! For instance, try playing scales in parallel motion or contrary motion. This can help develop independence between your hands—a vital skill for any pianist. For more about that, you can check out this video.
Experimenting with different articulations can also be fun! Why not try playing one hand legato while the other plays staccato? You could also add dynamics to your practice by gradually getting louder and softer. And if you’re feeling adventurous, consider practicing scales in different intervals—like sixths, tenths, or thirds. These techniques can add depth to your practice and help you explore the piano in new ways.
Finding Your Balance
Now, a little personal insight: while I’ve worked on my scales extensively, I’ve also seen the value in balancing scale practice with learning actual pieces. My sister, who has a degree in piano performance, often found herself wishing she could have spent more time on repertoire instead of just scales. So, here’s my advice: include scales and arpeggios in your daily routine, but don’t let them dominate your practice. Think of them as a vital ingredient in your musical recipe—essential, but best when complemented by a variety of other musical experiences. Scales should be only a small part of your daily practice.
The Path to Mastery
Focus on your major and minor scales and arpeggios, work on gradually increasing your speed, and explore different techniques. This foundational practice is key to developing a virtuoso piano technique. Remember, every new piece you learn presents unique technical and musical challenges, so make sure to give yourself the opportunity to grow as a musician. I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. Thanks for joining me, and I’ll see you next time!
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6 thoughts on “How Much Should You Practice Scales?”
I was reading the transcript of your video. When I came to “The Path to Mastery” I accidentally read it as “The Path to Misery”! That says it all! 🤣
There are many ways of looking at scales!
When I was a child, mother made me practice scales in at least 2 keys every day, eventually progressing to do them in third, sixth and tenth and all in contrary motion, plus all the relative arpeggi. It was like doing a warm-up. Then came 2 or 3 studies from 1 or 2 study books, and finally 1 or 2 pieces for fun, maybe working on a sonatina. I think it was a well balanced system.
Sounds like you had a system that worked for you!
Another good exercise for brain/hand independence is to play two scales in separate keys with each hand, e.g. Db-maj in the LH and F-maj in the RH, or B-min in the LH and Gb-Maj in the RH.
There’s also the dotted-every-other-note in scales.
Still, too much time on scales is bad. C. Chang wrote an excellent book entitled Fundamentals of Piano Practice, and he breaks it down in an engineer sort of way. He does not like Hanon! 🙂
You have to find the sweet spot for scales—like the 3 bears—not too much, not too little!