Scale Practice

A practice companion to Lesson 7 from Penelope Roskell's

"The Pillars of Piano Technique”

These exercises develop flowing, even scales. Play them in the written key first, and

then apply the same principles to all scales. Stay focused, and never practice

scales mechanically. Begin at a modest but appropriate tempo. Increase the speed

according to your experience, but don’t go so fast that you lose the ease of

movement.

Thumb Gym

Exercise 1: Left Hand

Tap from the base joint of the left-hand

thumb, playing several staccato notes.

Exercise 2: Right Hand

Repeat in the right hand.

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Skipping Rope
Exercise 3: Left Hand
Practice the following exercise in the left hand. Play the staccato notes with the thumb. Loosely
swing the coordinated arm as you do so.

3 1 4 1

Exercise 4: Right Hand

Repeat the previous exercise in the right hand.

3 1 4 1

Outwards Clusters
Exercise 5: Right Hand

Step 1 We can mentally prepare our hand positions by playing clusters. Begin with Exercise
5a in the right hand, moving away from middle C. Use a parachute touch and keep
your fingers evenly curved.

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Step 2 Play Example 5b. Now the first note is
anticipated, and the rest of the cluster follows.

5a

5b

Exercise 6: Left Hand

Repeat the previous exercise in the left-hand. Think ahead so the fingers are prepared to jump.

6a

6b

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Outwards Scales
Exercise 7: Right Hand
Now, rather than play the clusters, position the fingers for the next cluster (place your fingers over
the notes shown in parantheses).

Exercise 8: Left Hand

Repeat in the left hand in the inverse key of D (B-flat).

Inwards Scales
Exercise 9: Left Hand
Step 1 To play scales moving toward middle C, we have to practice coming over the
thumb and softening it. Slowly play the first four notes of Example 9.

Step 2 Gradually add each block of notes, making sure the thumb stays soft.

Exercise 10: Right Hand

Repeat in the right hand, in the inverse key of D Major.

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Flowing Arm Exercise
Exercise 11: Right Hand
A scale is a gesture–a continuous motion. Begin in the right hand with the first three notes, and
then gradually add each subsequent bar.

Exercise 12: Left Hand

Repeat the inverse in the left-hand (a descending B-flat major scale beginning on D). Aim for a
flowing arm movement.

Exercise 13: Scale Add-Ons

Scales don’t exercise all fingers equally. We rarely play the fourth and fifth fingers when we work
on scales. In this exercise, we’ll add extra notes to the beginnings and ends of scales so we
exercise every finger. Remember to play musically! Anytime you play a scale in a passage of
music, give it a character, a unique touch, and dynamic nuance!

The exercise below is based on an E Major scale with a trill at the beginning. Repeat this in the
right hand, as well.

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