Scales and Arpeggios
Scales
1. C, am, F, dm, Bb, gm
2. Eb, Cm, Ab, Fm, Db, Bbm
3. F#, Ebm, B, Abm, E, C#m
4. AM, F#m, DM, Bm , GM, em
The scales are listed according to their order in which they appear on the Circle of fifths. Each Major scale is accompanied with its relative minor scale. All this instructions are suitable for students preparing ABRSM or Trinity College exams.
The fingerings should be applied to the notes of each scale going through two octaves.
The b and # are always indicated next to the name of the scales.
An SF (standard fingering) indicates that the fingering corresponds to the one used to play C. In that case we just apply the same finger numbers to the scale we are playing.
SF =
RH 123 1234 123 12345
LH 54321 321 4321 321
The scales are arranged in four groups of six to facilitate their study.
Group 1
C
SF
RH 123 1234 123 12345
LH 54321 321 4321 321
Am
Up –F#,G#
Down -all whites-
SF
F (Bb)
RH 1234 123 1234 1234
LH 54321 321 4321 321
Dm
Up –C#
Down -Bb
SF
Bb (Bb, Eb)
RH 2 123 1234 123 1234
LH 321 4321 321 4321 2
Gm
Up -Bb, F#
Down -Bb, Eb
SF
Group 2
Eb (Bb, Eb, Ab )
RH 2 1234 123 1234 123
LH 321 4321 321 4321 2
Cm
Up -Eb
Down – Bb, Eb, Ab
SF
Ab (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db)
RH 23 123 1234 123 123
LH 321 4321 321 4321 2
Fm
Up -Ab, Bb
Down -Bb, Eb, Ab, Db
RH 1234 123 1234 1234
LH 54321 321 4321 321
Db (Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb)
RH 23 1234 123 1234 12
LH 321 4321 321 4321 2
Bbm
Up -Bb, Eb, Db
Down -Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb
RH 2 123 1234 123 1234
LH 21 321 4321 321 432
Group 3
F# (F#, C#, G#, D# A#, E#)
RH 234 123 1234 123 12
LH 4321 321 4321 321 2
Ebm
Up –Gb, Ab, Bb
Down -Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb
RH 2 1234 123 1234 123
LH 21 4321 321 4321 32
B (F#, C#, G#, D#, A#)
RH 123 1234 123 12435
LH 4321 4321 321 4321
Abm
Up -Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb
Down – all b
RH 23 123 1234 123 123
LH 321 321 4321 321 32
E (F#, C#, G#, D#)
SF
C#m
Up -C#, D#, F#. G#, A#. B#
Down -C#, D#, F#. G#
RH 23 1234 123 1234 12
LH 321 4321 321 4321 2
Group 4
A (F#, C#, G#)
SF
F#m
Up -F#, G#, C#, D#, E#
Down -F#, C#, G#
RH 23 1234 123 1234 12
LH 321 4321 321 4321 2
D (F#, C#)
SF
Bm
Up -F#, C#, G#, A#
Down -F#, C#
RH 123 1234 123 12345
LH 4321 4321 321 4321
G (F#)
SF
Em
Up –F#, C#, D#
Down –F
SF
Scales hands together
The scales which are played using standard fingering are particularly easy to put together as the distribution of fingers is worked out in a mirror image.
Mirror fingering
1-2-3-1-2-3-4-[1]-2-3-1-2-3-4-5
5-4-3-2-1-3-2-[1]-4-3-2-1-3-2-1
To understand this mirror image easily we have to classify our fingers in four groups: 1. middle fingers (3); 2.even fingers (2 and 4); 3.extreme fingers (1 and 5); 4. beginning fingers (1 and 2).
Now we can easily see how they interact:
1. Opposite extreme fingers
2. Opposite even numbers
3. Middle fingers
4. Opposite beginning fingers
This method can be applied to: C, Am, dm, gm, Cm, E, A, D, G and Em
For some other scales this is not going to work
For example:
FM-Bb-
1-2-[3]-4-[1]-2-3-[1]-2-[3]-4-[1]-2-3-4
5-4-[3]-2-[1]-3-2-[1]-4-[3]-2-[1]-3-2-1
Arpeggios
Group 1
C (C, E, G)
RH 123 1235
LH 5421 421
Am (A, C, E)
RH 123 1235
LH 5421 421
F (F, A, C )
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
Dm (D, F, A)
RH 123 1235
LH 5421 421
Bb (Bb, D, F)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
Gm (G, Bb, D)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
Group 2
Eb (Eb, G, Bb)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
Cm (C, Eb, G)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
Ab (Ab, C, Eb)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
Fm (F, Ab, C)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
Db (Db, F, Ab)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
Bbm (Bb, Db, F)
RH 23 123 12
LH 32 132 12
Group 3
F# (F#, A#, C#)
RH 123 1235
LH 5321 321
Ebm (Eb, Gb, Bb)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
B (B, D#, F#)
RH 123 1235
LH 5321 321
Abm (Ab, Cb, Eb)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
E (E, G#, B)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
C#m (C#, E, G#)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
Group 4
A (A, C#, E)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
F#m (F#, A, C#)
RH 21 241 24
LH 21 421 42
D (D, F#, A)
RH 123 1235
LH 532 1321
Bm (B, D, F#)
RH 123 1235
LH 5421 421
G (G, B, D)
RH 123 1235
LH 5421 421
Em (E, G, B)
RH 123 1235
LH 5421 421