5 Day Mini E Course

Day 1 Piano Tip: Understand 12 Major Scales in A

Flash

MAJOR SCALES

The most important scale is the major scale: do re mi fa sol la ti

A major scale has 7 tones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. The 1st tone is repeated to

make the sound of the scale complete. The 1st and the 8th tone are
both named “do”. They are an octave apart. “Oct” is a Latin root
which means “8”.

THE C MAJOR SCALE

Each tone of the scale is represented by an Arabic number.

Numbers 1 to 7 correspond to the tones in the scale.

MAJOR SCALES move in whole steps (W) and half steps (H).

The pattern of major scales is: W-W-H-W-W-

W–H

Formula: 1- 1 -½-1 -1 -
1 -½

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Whole Steps: C to D D to E G to A A to B
These notes are 1 whole step apart.
A whole step interval is also called a whole tone.

Half Steps: E to F B to C
These notes are ½ step apart. They are next to each other.
A ½ step interval is also called a semitone.

This major scale formula applies to all 12 keys. Using this pattern of
whole steps and half steps movement, you can easily find the correct
notes for all 12 major scales.

THE 12 MAJOR SCALES

Scales and chords are the skeleton of music. It is important to know

how scales work because chords are formed from scales.

 There are 12 major scales.

 Summary charts are extremely useful to help you spot patterns

in music at a glance.

 This can greatly speed up your learning process. Do not

memorize.

 Look for patterns.

 Each scale follows the same pattern.

 Once you think in patterns, your piano playing will flow easily
because you are not memorizing bits and pieces but seeing the
overall of how music works.

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 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½
Who Who Half Who Who Who Half
le le le le le
Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

C Key C D E F G A B C
F Key F G A Bb C D E F
Bb Bb C D Eb F G A Bb
Key Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb
Eb Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab
Key Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C Db
Ab F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#
Key B C# D# E F# G# A# B
Db E F# G# A B C# D# E
Key A B C# D E F# G# A
F#Ke D E F# G A B C# D
y G A B C D E F# G
B Key
E Key
A Key
D Key
G Key

The key of C is the easiest scale to learn visually as all the scale tones
fall on the white keys. There are no sharps or flats. Only the white
keys are used. For a start, know the C scale well. All the songs in the
lessons are presented in the key of C.

Don’t let the thought of playing scales in different keys intimidate you.
In 1983, I spent about half a year playing all 12 scales over 2 octaves.

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I want you to know that once you have mastered all 12 major scales,
you will have this skill for life. I have not practiced these scales in the
last two decades, but I can play them anytime at will because they
have been internalized in my system.

My piano skill was transformed when I understood the relationship

between scales and chords and how they produce harmony through
creating tension and release in a piece of music. Knowing the scales
well is also important when it comes to improvisation. You will be able
to incorporate runs and fills easily in songs.

For advanced players, pick a new scale to work on every month. By

the end of the year, you would know the 12 major scales very well.
This will certainly be a great help to you when you play songs in
different keys.

There is a non-traditional way of practicing the scales. You do not need

to worry about the fingering. Play the scale up and down in an even
tempo with middle finger.

 As you play, look at the piano keys and visually focus on each
note that you play.
 Say the numbers out loud as you move along: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
1.
 If you are playing the C scale, C=1, D=2, E=3, F=4, G=5, A=6,
B=7.

The purpose is to train your mind to think in tone NUMBERS. This will
greatly help you to spot color tones. Do this as a warm-up exercise for
about two or three minutes. Play the tones slowly and evenly. As you
do this in different keys, note the number of black keys that are being
used for different keys. Don’t drag this process out into a boring drill.

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PRACTICAL APPLICATION TO PIANO PLAYING:

We are interested in learning how to apply theory to practice:

Take a Look at this video where I use Scale Tones: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

O Christmas Tree in Different Keys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_LUlyL1AOk

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Just thinking in scale tones of 1, 2, 3, 4 5, 6, 7, you can easily play a
song in 12 different keys Easily.

TO PLAY A SONG IN 12 KEYS EFFORTLESSLY:

I’ve designed a whole course to help you play a song in 12 different

keys effortlessly.

1. Think in SCALE TONE NUMBERS to play BY EAR

To play a song by ear, first limit yourself to the 7 scale tones of a key.

I use software-animated videos that show you clearly how to apply the
simple Asian Music Notation to playing songs by ear. I first
demonstrate how this is easily done in the key of C.

2. Play song easily in ALL 12 KEYS

What you can do to the key of C can easily be done to any key, even
in the more difficult keys such as Db key, B key or F# key. The
thinking and application is CONSISTENT in all 12 keys.

In my videos, using 40 songs, I show you how to apply the Asian

Numeric Music Notation to playing songs in all 12 different keys. I
purposely also choose some of the harder keys to play in (B, Db, F#)
so that you can see how easy the system is once your thinking is clear.

Playing in all keys: Simplified FINGERING and

HANDSHAPES

I learned the traditional fingering of playing all 12 major scales. I want

to stress: when I follow this numeric notation, I do not use the
fingering prescribed by the traditional method because it does not lend

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itself to playing songs easily in different keys. The traditional
fingerings work great for classical pieces.

However, my fingering is very simple and it would not clash with any
of your traditional learning at all. I explain it in the course. The easy
handshape and fingering help you play easily without thinking too
much about flats or sharps when playing with the more difficult keys.
The idea is to be consistent in your learning process.

Once you master a key, you can use any kind of fingering you please.
The whole idea is to help you play by ear and play with ease right
away. This is my primary concern in my teaching, throughout all the
Series. You need a QUIET AND FOCUSED mind to learn to play by EAR
so that you can listen DEEPLY to the sounds and not be concerned with
inconsistent fingerings.

If you are interested to learn the 12 Major Scales and play songs in 12
Different Keys Effortlessly, take a look at this 10 step by step piano
course. Many students have benefited from this system that is rarely
taught in the Western world but this system works like MAGIC for
anyone wanting to take their piano playing to the next level.

http://www.learnpianowithrosa.com/play-by-ear-1.html

Enjoy yourself and great success to your piano playing!

Rosa

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