Piano scales are an important part of developing your playing and understanding of music theory. Have you ever wondered why pianists play them, how they work and what the benefits are? Learning piano scales is the first step in understanding many core concepts of music theory, including chords and key signatures. Let’s get started with a basic definition of what a piano scale is.
What are piano scales?
Scales are a group of notes, in alphabetical order, that are a specific distance apart from each other. Scales have two parts, a root and a quality. There are different types of scales and they each follow a set of rules. The most common sets of scales you will come across are major and minor scales, but there are a range of other scales you can learn more about later in this article.
The building blocks of scales: whole-steps and half-steps
Before learning how to practice piano scales and build them, let’s review the basic building blocks, whole steps and half steps:
- Half step: The smallest distance between two adjacent keys on the piano, whether white or black.
- Whole step: Equal to two half steps, moving two keys in either direction.
Different types of piano scales
The most common types of scale are major scales, minor scales and the blues scale. Let’s look at each type. Here we will focus on learning the different Qualities of Scales.
Major scales: starting with C
When thinking in scales, it makes sense to begin with the C major scale. This is a good place to start, as you don’t need to worry about sharps or flats (black keys) and can first learn the theory behind the scale.
We think of scales as having two parts, a root and a quality. In the C major scale, the root is C, which is the note that we begin counting our scale from.
The quality of the C major scale is major. The diagram shows you the major scale pattern in the key of C. A whole step is two jumps and a half step is one jump. The jumps are as follows: W-W-H-W-W-W-H.
This pattern of whole steps and half steps are the same as every other major scale. So, if you learn this pattern, you can work out any major scale you like.
Want a guide to all the other major scales? Download our quick guide to major scales and get learning now!
The sound of the scale depends on the position of its semitones. The major scale uses semitones between tone 3-4 and 7-8. Listen carefully and you will hear these semitones creating a distinct feeling of tension and release through the scale.
Below is the example of D major, which starts on the note of D. Notice that the step pattern of whole steps and half steps is the same, but this time there are two sharps. This addition of this key signature (the two sharps) ensures the pattern of whole and half steps remains the same when starting from the root, D.
Understanding the minor scales
In music theory major and minor scales share the same key signature but start on different notes. Before we explore minor scales it is helpful to understand their relationship to major keys.
- Relative major: This is the major scale that shares the same key signature as a particular minor scale. To find the relative major of a minor scale, go up three semitones (or three half steps) from the root note of the minor scale.
- Relative minor: This is the minor scale that shares the same key signature as a particular major scale. To find the relative minor of a major scale, go down three semitones from the root note of the major scale.
Have a look at this handy table to explore related major and minor keys.
| Relative Minor Key | Relative Major Key | Key Signature |
|---|---|---|
| A-Flat Minor | C-Flat Major | Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb |
| A Minor | C Major | No sharps or flats |
| B-Flat Minor | D-Flat Major | Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb |
| B Minor | D Major | F#, C# |
| C Minor | E-Flat Major | Bb, Eb, Ab |
| C-Sharp Minor / D-Flat Minor | E Major / F-Flat Major | F#, C#, G#, D# |
| D Minor | F Major | Bb |
| E-Flat Minor | G-Flat Major | Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb |
| E Minor | G Major | F# |
| F Minor | A-Flat Major | Bb, Eb, Ab, Db |
| F-Sharp Minor / G-Flat Minor | A Major | F#, C#, G# |
| G Minor | B-Flat Major | Bb, Eb |
Types of minor scales:
- Natural
- Harmonic
- Melodic
While major scales sound generally happy, minor scales sound mysterious, sad, or exotic. They are often used to express more complex emotions. Pay attention to how the scale degrees are different from major scales.
The natural minor scale
The construction of a natural minor scale looks like this:
Tonic – Whole– Half– Whole– Whole– Half– Whole – Whole
In the key of A minor, this scale is spelled A – B – C – D – E – F – G – A.
This scale uses the same fingering pattern as the C-major scale above. The song “The Wellerman” uses the D natural minor scale, and you can learn this scale by playing the song in the Skoove app.
The natural minor scale is also called the Aeolian mode. The semitones are between notes 2-3 and 5-6.
Learn how to play ‘The Wellerman I’ on piano. Start a 7 day trial today – no card details required!
You may have noticed that it shared the same notes as C major. This is due to the fact they are relative keys. To find A natural minor from C major, start on the 6th degree of the C major scale, which is A. The A natural minor scale shares the same notes as C major (A, B, C, D, E, F, G), but it begins on A, giving it a distinct minor sound.
The harmonic minor scale
The harmonic minor scale is notable for its raised 7th note which does not appear in the key signature. This raised 7th means there is an interval of 3 semitones between the 6th and 7th note. The harmonic minor scale is one of the most commonly used minor scales in western music.
The construction looks like this:
Tonic – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Half – 3 Half Steps – Half
In the key of A minor, the scale is spelled A – B – C – D – E – F – G♯ – A. Notice the only difference between the harmonic minor scale and the natural minor scale is the raised 7th scale degree vs. the natural 7th scale degree in the natural minor.
The melodic minor scale
This minor scale is slightly different to the other scales discussed so far. The melodic minor scale is a variation of the natural minor scale. Ascending, it raises the 6th and 7th degrees by a half step, making it sound more like a major scale with a minor 3rd. Descending, it reverts to the natural minor form.
It is constructed like this:
- Ascending: Tonic – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Whole – Whole – Half
- Descending: Tonic – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole – Whole – Half – Whole
In jazz, rock, pop, and other types of music, the melodic minor is simply spelled the same way ascending as it is descending.
The C melodic minor scale is spelled C – D – E♭ – F – G – A – B – C. You can see that it is basically a major scale with a flat third scale degree. Pretty cool!
Practicing contrary motion in scales
Contrary motion refers to movement in opposite directions. In contrary motion scales, one hand ascends while the other descends, making them both fun and challenging to play. Practicing these scales, especially in difficult keys, helps build advanced skills and technique.
C major is the easiest to start with. Place both thumbs on middle C, with your left hand descending and your right hand ascending. The key to mastering this is realizing both hands use the same fingering, just moving in opposite directions.
Only five notes: the major pentatonic scale
Another very commonly used scale in blues, jazz and even popular music isthe pentatonic scale. It’s a shorter scale, consisting of 5 notes and it has a major and minor variation. The major pentatonic is structured like this:
Root – Whole-Step – Whole-Step – 3 Half-Steps – Whole-Step – 3 Half-Steps
The C major pentatonic scale is spelled C – D – E – G – A.
Play a minor blues with the minor pentatonic scale
The minor variation of the pentatonic scale is simply called the minor pentatonic scale. The minor pentatonic is structured like this:
Root – 3 Half-Steps – Whole-Step – Whole-Step – 3 Half-Steps – Whole-Steps
The C minor pentatonic scale is spelled C – E♭ – F – G – B♭ – C. However there is a minor pentatonic in every major. To find the minor pentatonic scale from C major, start on the 6th degree of the C major scale, which is A. The A minor pentatonic scale uses the notes A, C, D, E, and G. It’s essentially a subset of the C major scale, but starting from A. This is again due to the nature of C major and A minor being relative keys.
How to play the whole tone scale
The whole tone scale sounds ethereal and romantic. Claude Debussy used this scale frequently in his music. Listen to “La Mer” arranged for two pianos to get the sense of wonder that this scale conjures.
As the name implies, the whole tone scale is built in a series of whole steps like this:
Root – Whole-Step – Whole-Step – Whole-Step – Whole-Step – Whole-Step
It is a six note scale. The C whole tone scale is spelled C – D – E – F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – C.
Piano scales generator
This piano scales generator from Pianoworld is a handy tool to learn scales. It is interactive and easy to use. If you are reading this from a mobile device, rotate it to display the tool in full width.
1. Click on “Scale”
2. Choose the “Root” of the scale
3. Choose the “Type” (major, minor, etc.)
4. Click “Display”
* You can do the same with scales.
** You can invert chords and scales
Tips for how to learn piano scales
There are so many productive ways you can learn piano scales that will make playing them fun rather than a chore! Here is some great advice to incorporate into your daily practice:
- Try playing in different octaves with both hands.
- Use a metronome. This is a traditional method of building even accurate scales.
- Try a different key every week. This will help you learn your keys and key signatures.
- Keep a practice diary to record all your practice sessions. This way you can track your progress and see what works best for you.
- Use different rhythms. Using a dotted note rhythm with a long note first is always a good start. Playing at different speeds and using different rhythms is great strengthening exercise for your fingers.
- Combining piano chords and scales in various ways.
- Practice over more than one octave at a time. Once you’ve got it flowing, you can advance to playing across the whole range of the piano.
Additionally, pianists in the r/piano forum on Reddit have some good insight on the benefits of practicing piano scales including:
- Practice finger movements common in classical music
- Familiarize with certain note groupings for quicker comprehension and performance
- Develop a mental map of the keyboard for better navigation
- Building good legato and staccato skills
- Practicing rhythmic elements
- Crescendo and decrescendo
Learn your scales!
Exploring new scales and patterns can lead to exciting musical discoveries. You might try a scale that evokes sadness, sunlight, outer space, or something wild like the chromatic scale! You can also experiment by combining these scales with b a basic piano chord.
Composers and pianists of all levels practice scales because they unlock new keys and ways to express yourself. To deepen your musical expression, consider online piano lessons using the piano learning app Skoove’s free trial!
Author of this blog post
Vicki Young
Vicki Young is a pianist and singer with a degree in Music from the University of Sheffield. She lives in London, UK with her husband and son. Vicki is a communications and marketing freelancer who has worked with a range of organizations across the music and charity sectors.
Published by Lydia Ogn from the Skoove team
