Are you wondering what are the reasons why you should practice scales on the piano?
Maybe you think that it is just to torture you?
Or to keep you away from learning more cool stuff on the piano?
Let me tell you why you must should practice your scales!
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Table of Contents
7 reasons to practice your scales on the piano
1. Build your finger technique
Practicing scales will allow you to develop your fingers’ agility, strength, and speed.
It is the foundation of all the notes you will play (except chords) on the piano.
You will improve your overall technique because you will gain control over your fingers.
And playing the piano is basically controlling your fingers to press the right keys, the right way at the right time.
2. Know your keyboard
At first, all these keys might be a bit mysterious. Just a bunch of black and white rectangles.
By playing scales in different keys, you will get to know your keyboard. You will become much more familiar with all the keys and the notes they produce.
Your keyboard will become your new friend, not an anonymous stranger.
3. Develop your musical ear
Since you will play the different notes of each scale, in different keys, you will train your ear.
You will associate the sounds with what you play.
Most importantly, the relation between notes will make more sense. You will become familiar with the different note intervals which are the foundation of the musical ear.
4. Understand better the music
Related to the previous one, you will get a better understanding of the music you play.
While you learn the melody of a song, you will start to notice that the notes belong to a certain scale. They won’t be anymore a random sequence of note. They will make sense.
Also, if you play chords on the left hand at the same time, you will understand better the relation between the melody and the chords. Because these chords are likely coming from the harmonization of the scale used for the melody.
Well, no need to go deep into music theory here. Let’s just say that you will feel a deeper relationship between the notes that you play.
5. Develop your sense of the rhythm
This is one of the most important skill for a musician.
When you play scales with a metronome (that is every time, right?), you train your fingers to press the key at a specific moment.
By varying the metronome speed or the beat, you will develop the skill of playing notes in rhythm.
6. Be more confident on the piano
All the previous skills I mentioned here will combine to give you confidence on the piano.
You will know better what to play, how to play. You will feel that you control how your fingers move and when.
The piano will be a friend that helps to make beautiful music. No more this scary adversary that you have to fight to produce some sound.
7. Warm-up your fingers
Lastly, you can use scales as a warm-up exercise.
Play them for a few minutes at the start of each session will warm your fingers. You will be ready to practice new techniques or a new song.
While taking advantage of all the other benefits.
Conclusion
Practice your scales every day or at least during each session on the piano.
You will gain in technique but also in musicality.
It will make you a better musician.
Don’t skip them.
You may find them boring, but with all these benefits in mind, you may well start to consider them with a friendly eye.
I love scales because I know how much they do for me.
And you will soon.
