What are piano "scales and arpeggios"? Why important?

Techniques of piano "scales and arpeggios" are like skills of "handstand and cartwheel" for gymnastics. Even you have a strong body, if your basic skills are lacking, then learning other advanced skills would be very difficult. For playing piano, if you don't develop the precision and dexterity for your scales and arpeggios, then you will have great difficulty mastering virtuosic pieces (e.g, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Haydn, Liszt, Brahms, Debussy etc.).

Benefits of learning piano "scales and arpeggios"?

It can help pianists develop finger strength and dexterity, hand flexibility and coordination. It also help pianists understand the key signatures, chords, modulations and more aspects of music theory.

What are covered in this tutorial series?

• specific tips about each individual scale and arpeggio
• notes in each scale and arpeggio
• correct hand position, proper fingering, and the tone quality
• tips about how to speed up the tempo to 130 or 140

  1. Introduction
  2. Sitting Position
  3. Hand Position for Scales
  4. Hand Position for Arpeggios
  5. Increase Speed for Scales
  6. Increase Speed for Arpeggios
  7. C Major Scale - Parallel Motion
  8. C Major Scale - Contrary Motion
  9. C Major Scale - A Third Apart
  10. C Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  11. C Major Triad Arpeggio - Parallel Motion
  12. C Major Triad Arpeggio - Contrary Motion
  13. C Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  14. Three Minor Scales
  15. A Harmonic Minor Scale
  16. A Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  17. A Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  18. A Minor Triad Arpeggio
  19. A Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  20. G Major Scale
  21. G Major Scale - A Third Apart
  22. G Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  23. G Major Triad Arpeggio
  24. G Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  25. E Harmonic Minor Scale
  26. E Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  27. E Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  28. E Minor Triad Arpeggio
  29. E Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  30. D Major Scale
  31. D Major Scale - A Third Apart
  32. D Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  33. D Major Triad Arpeggio
  34. D Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  35. B Harmonic Minor Scale
  36. B Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  37. B Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  38. B Minor Triad Arpeggio
  39. B Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  40. A Major Scale
  41. A Major Scale - A Third Apart
  42. A Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  43. A Major Triad Arpeggio
  44. A Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  45. F# Harmonic Minor Scale
  46. F# Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  47. F# Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  48. F# Minor Triad Arpeggio
  49. F# Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  50. E Major Scale
  51. E Major Scale - A Third Apart
  52. E Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  53. E Major Triad Arpeggio
  54. E Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  55. C# Harmonic Minor Scale
  56. C# Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  57. C# Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  58. C# Minor Triad Arpeggio
  59. C# Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  60. B Major Scale
  61. B Major Scale - A Third Apart
  62. B Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  63. B Major Triad Arpeggio
  64. B Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  65. G# Harmonic Minor Scale
  66. G# Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  67. G# Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  68. G# Minor Triad Arpeggio
  69. G# Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  70. F# Major Scale
  71. F# Major Triad Arpeggio
  72. D# Harmonic Minor Scale
  73. D# Minor Triad Arpeggio
  74. Gb Major Scale
  75. Gb Major Scale - A Third Apart
  76. Gb Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  77. Gb Major Triad Arpeggio
  78. Gb Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  79. Eb Harmonic Minor Scale
  80. Eb Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  81. Eb Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  82. Eb Minor Triad Arpeggio
  83. Eb Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  84. Db Major Scale
  85. Db Major Scale - A Third Apart
  86. Db Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  87. Db Major Triad Arpeggio
  88. Db Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  89. Bb Harmonic Minor Scale
  90. Bb Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  91. Bb Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  92. Bb Minor Triad Arpeggio
  93. Bb Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  94. Ab Major Scale
  95. Ab Major Scale - A Third Apart
  96. Ab Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  97. Ab Major Triad Arpeggio
  98. Ab Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  99. F Harmonic Minor Scale
  100. F Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  101. F Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  102. F Minor Triad Arpeggio
  103. F Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  104. Eb Major Scale
  105. Eb Major Scale - A Third Apart
  106. Eb Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  107. Eb Major Triad Arpeggio
  108. Eb Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  109. C Harmonic Minor Scale
  110. C Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  111. C Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  112. C Minor Triad Arpeggio
  113. C Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  114. Bb Major Scale
  115. Bb Major Scale - A Third Apart
  116. Bb Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  117. Bb Major Triad Arpeggio
  118. Bb Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  119. G Harmonic Minor Scale
  120. G Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  121. G Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  122. G Minor Triad Arpeggio
  123. G Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  124. F Major Scale
  125. F Major Scale - A Third Apart
  126. F Major Scale - A Sixth Apart
  127. F Major Triad Arpeggio
  128. F Major Dominant 7th Arpeggio
  129. D Harmonic Minor Scale
  130. D Harmonic Minor Scale - A Third Apart
  131. D Harmonic Minor Scale - A Sixth Apart
  132. D Minor Triad Arpeggio
  133. D Minor Diminished 7th Arpeggio
  134. 240-in-One Piano Scales and Arpeggios

Dr. Hui XuDr. Hui Xu
Classical Concert Pianist
Doctor of Music in Piano Performance
MTNA Nationally Certified Teacher of Music
Steinway & Sons Top Piano Teacher