Piano Major Scales (Basic Fingering Concepts)

I, like every piano instructor, teach the major scales:

• However, piano fingering is much more hand position based (see the C position diagram above for an example) than scale based.
• Which means that I focus on hand positions in lessons rather than the piano major scales.
• With trumpet, guitar, singing, and every other instrument I’ve studied, you learn a scale and then you actually use it.
• On piano, you use the full major scales… occasionally.
• So, if you’re a music teacher, by all means teach the major scales. However, I suggest you don’t worry over it too much.

Think about it. What is a C major scale piano fingering for the right hand (RH) except part of the C position fingering and all of the F position fingering with a finger crossover connecting them?

• The keyboard diagram below shows how the C major scale looks on piano.
• The sheet music example below the keyboard diagram shows the piano scale’s fingering as it relates to the hand positions.
• The sharp key major scales on the piano mostly follow this fingering pattern for the right hand.
• Regardless, all piano scales are hand position based except for the chromatic scale.
• Once you know what the hand positions are for each key, it’ll help simplify memorizing them.