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Piano Scales Textbook

A free, self-paced textbook in 7 chapters. Read a chapter, then drill it with the 100 companion flashcards using spaced repetition.

7 chapters · 100 cards · Updated

Chapters

  1. 1Foundations of Major Scales

    The C major scale is the natural starting point for any piano student. It consists of the notes C D E F G A B C and uses only the white keys, with zero sharps or flats. This makes...

  2. 2The World of Minor Scales

    A natural minor scale shares exactly the same notes as its relative major, but begins on the sixth degree of that major scale. The interval pattern for a natural minor scale is W-H...

  3. 3Specialized Scale Types

    The major pentatonic scale uses only five notes taken from the major scale: the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth degrees, omitting the fourth and seventh. C major pentatonic...

  4. 4Technique and Physical Foundations

    The universal system of finger numbering applies to both hands: 1 is the thumb, 2 is the index finger, 3 is the middle, 4 is the ring finger, and 5 is the pinky. Although the numbe...

  5. 5Chords, Inversions, and Arpeggios

    A major triad is built from three notes: a root, a major third above it, and a perfect fifth above that. The interval from root to third spans four half steps, and from third to fi...

  6. 6Pedaling and Expressive Dynamics

    The sustain pedal, also called the damper pedal, is the rightmost pedal on the piano. When pressed, it lifts all the dampers off the strings, allowing notes to ring and blend toget...

  7. 7Effective Practice and the Piano Repertoire

    Slow practice is the foundation of accurate learning because it allows the brain to form correct muscle memory without errors. Practicing slowly gives time to focus on fingering, n...

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