4 Fun Ways to Practice Piano Scales You Haven't Thought Of

4 NEW E WAYS TO PRACTICE PIANO SCALES Once you've tackled all of the major scales, try the Try them in CONTRARY MOTION TIP minor scales in contrary motion, too - your brain will get a major workout! For example, when playing C major, start with both thumbs on middle C. From there, use the right hand to play the C major scale traveling up the keyboard as the left hand travels down the keyboard playing the scale. Play with DYNAMICS Once you've tried this with scales, try it with arpeggios, adding a crescendo (or decres- TIP cendo) as you ascend and the opposite as you descend. Start pianissimo with a crescendo at the top of the scale and a décrescendo as you descend, arriving back at pianissimo. You can also do the opposite, starting forte and diminishing as you ascend, reaching a piànissimo at the top of. the scale and then crescendo back to a forte as you go down the scale. Once you feel confident in your ability to manipulate the tempo, try combining the ideas of dynamics and tempo! Play with the TEMPO TIP Adding an accelerando or ritardando will allow scale to take on a new life, and challenge you to increase or decrease the tempo while maintaining the same articulation and touch. Set your metronome to subdivide within the beat for you, so you can hear the pulse underneath. Explore RHYTHMIC ALTERATIONS TIP Practice in quarter notes, eighth notes, eighth-note triplets, and sixteenths. te takelessons