This is how you can learn to play major and minor scales on the piano. If you haven’t seen our the following two lessons I suggest you look at them first.
Piano Note Names and Finger Numbers
Why are Major and Minor Scales Important?
Scales are important for two main reasons.
- Scales are the foundation that music is written on. So understanding scales can be used for understanding music, writing your own music and improvisation.
- Learning your scales helps to strengthen your fingers for playing piano. So you will be able to play faster and stronger with better technique.
Major Scale Pattern
All major scales have the same pattern that give them the same sound. Major scales have a happier sound to them.
The pattern for major scales are Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semi Tone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semi Tone. You can see that pattern down below.
Up above you will see the C Major Scale.
If Semitones and Whole Tones are unfamiliar please make sure to take a look at that lesson first.
Natural Minor Scale Pattern
There are three different kinds of minor scales. Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic. All minor scales have a bit of a sad sound to them.
We are first going to take a look at the natural minor scale. So for the natural minor scale the pattern is Whole Tone, Semitone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semitone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone. Below is an example of the natural A Minor Scale.
Harmonic Minor Scale Pattern
The Harmonic Minor Scale is similar to the natural scale except that the seventh note is raised. So the pattern is Whole Tone, Semitone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semitone, One Note Larger Than a Whole Tone, Semitone.
Melodic Minor Scale Pattern
Melodic Minor scales are a bit of an anomaly because it is played different going up then going down. So going up the scale the sixth and seventh notes are raised. The pattern is Whole Tone, Semitone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Whole Tone, Semitone.
And then, going down the sixth and seventh note is lowered so it is like a natural minor scale on the descent.
So those are your major and minor scales. Now of course, we have much more we can talk about with scales like key signatures and the circle of fifths but we will leave that for a future lesson.
If you are interested in getting a FREE EBOOK that has all the major and minor scales with fingering in it then please sign up below.
I hope you enjoyed your piano lesson on major and minor scales. And that you stay tuned for more lessons for your musical adventure.
Linnea Loves Music
Grab my FREE eBook “The Piano Scale Book”
This handy eBook has the fingering for every major and minor piano scale. So that you can build your technique and strength as a piano player.
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Check Out My Most Recent Blog Posts:
Piano Note Names and Finger Numbers
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