Why We Practise Scales 🎹

When most people imagine learning the piano, they think of beautiful pieces — favourite songs, film soundtracks, or classical music masterpieces. What usually doesn’t come to mind is scales.

Yet, if you’ve been in my lessons, you’ll know I place a lot of emphasis on them. And for good reason… obviously!

My Story with Scales

When I was younger, I didn’t understand why scales were so important — just like every

student. At music school, we even had a yearly exam made up entirely of scales. And believe me, nobody enjoyed it.

But years later, I realised how much those scales had shaped my playing. They gave me strong, steady technique, helped me feel comfortable anywhere on the keyboard, and allowed me to approach new pieces with confidence. All that practice had quietly built the foundation for everything else I can do.

Why They Matter

For students, scales can sometimes feel boring or repetitive — and yes, my students are still complaining about them! 😅 But they are the “training ground” for every pianist.

Think of it like this: before a runner takes on a marathon, they must warm up first. Scales are our warm-up — the exercises that make sure our “musical muscles” are ready for the challenge ahead. And the best part? Everything that seems impossible at the beginning gradually becomes possible with practice.

The purpose of scales is to make our fingers feel as though they are the same length. If they really were, playing the piano would be so much easier — but they’re not! So when we practise scales, we are training each finger individually to become strong and independent.

And the truth is, every finger has its own personality:

• The thumb is the thickest one, but we try to make it the lightest.

• The little finger is the smallest, but we train it to be the strongest, as it so often carries the melody or the bass.

• The fourth finger is closely connected to the little one, so we work on making it more independent.

• The second finger must stay curved and relaxed, even when the others are busy.

• The third finger is usually the least problematic — it sits in the centre, and as long as it stays curved, it can set a good example for the others.
  

Scales help bring all these very different “personalities” into balance, so the hand can work as one unified team.

Scales:

• Strengthen fingers and build control.

• Train the hands to move evenly and smoothly.

• Improve understanding of keys and harmony.

• Prepare you for tricky passages in pieces.

• Build confidence to play more freely and musically.

And let’s be honest: in an ideal world, we’d all have beautifully curved, equal-length fingers… and maybe eight of them, one for each note in the octave. How easy would that be? Hahaha!

Starting Small

Even my youngest students are already preparing for scales, often without realising it. We begin with fun exercises like frog, rabbit, elephant and hippopotamus — each one designed to build coordination, finger strength and awareness. These playful beginnings ensure that when students reach scales, the foundation is already in place.

A Shared Goal

So to all my students: don’t let go — we practise scales! 💪🎶 Even when they feel tough (and yes, even when you complain!), remember that every minute you put in is an investment in your musical future. The discipline of scales today will lead to freedom and joy in music making tomorrow. And that is worth every scale.