A few threads recently raise the question of just how we expect pupils to play scales. The exam requires them played from memory but this means you are not visually connecting the notes with music. Also, how do you make people learn them? Do you tell them to buy a scale book, write them in letters, say xsharps/flats, or just make them work it out?

I have my own ways of doing these with each pupil, but it would be interesting how others approach this.

I think it's really important to understand the construction of a scale, so I always start with explaining the steps and half steps in a major scale (i.e. tones and semitones) listening to some "models" and encouraging a pupil to explore starting from any given point and comparing to the models. The scale book comes slightly later when organising finger patterns etc.

I start with 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-finger exercises and once the legato is mastered I progress to scales. The purpose of finger exercises is to ensure that the weight of the hand is shifted from one finger to another appropriately and that there is a sort of rotation at the wrist. Obviously C major comes first and I insist that the thumb (piano scales I'm referring to) is well on its way under the third finger before the F is sounded. One octave, when mastered becomes two and single hands become hands together. Some won't consider entering for Grade I until all Grade II scales (together) are mastered. I don't do this as I think it's not necessary.

Regarding the teaching of the different scales, I tend to write them out in letters with the fingering for RH above the letters and fingering for LH below. I will write them out to the value of two octaves. Optionally, pupils can buy their own scale books through me if they wish (ABRSM publications).

I'm sure there's lots I've left out but that's the rudiments of it for beginners at least.

Another important ingredient is to explain the absolutely crucial nature of scales to the pupil: I have about 6 reasons for making them daily practice from day one. It is important that the pupil realises that scales and arpeggios are the means by which virtually all music is constituted. As one's scale playing is so one's general playing will be!

LR

Yes it's quite interesting.

I also start on scales, or at least a finger excercise from day one. We usually just work from the piano without a book, but I'll show them how to write a scale, and teach them all the theory behind it etc...

I only have one pupil who uses her scale book, and the rest tend to learn them straight from memory which is the way I did too. The only problem I had in never using a scale book was that I started simply learning the patterns on the keyboard (or working out from ear) without having a clear idea of why that particular seqence of notes sounded like a major/minor scale or what the key signature was.

So now even for those who don't use the book I go into enough detail and make sure I ask them key signatures of pieces, ask them to recognise scale patterns in the musicetc... so they don't fall in to the same trap I did It probably played a part in my sight reading being so awful too!

If I recall it was observed that for woodwind, a note on a stave maps to a fingering - and learning scales from a score is thus beneficial. On the other hand, for the piano no such relationship exists, and thus there isn't any great benefit to learning scales from a score. An instrument like the violin would lie somewhere in between: for beginners, who stay in first position, learning from a score might help; but as soon as one shifts positions, the mapping from note-to-finger-shape is lost.

I use a bit of various methods really, all depending on the pupil. I agree that despite scales needing to be from memory for exams, they are useful, for woodwind players, to read from score too. Although with some, that doesn't quite work...

Wouldn't the ability to learn scales with or without a book depend on the pupils ability to "feel" the music. Surely those that have natural musicality would find it easier to find the notes automatically whilst others that learn music for the sake of broadening their cvs would find it easier to learn from the books?

Not trying to be contentious - this is a serious question.

I LOVE scales, arps etc so initially as a 'mature student' who is used to 'take the lead' in my own development, I bough ABRSM books for scales and learnt them from the book (I have been so far always 1 and a half grades above with my scales, ie: when I was at grade 1 I knew scales up to half of grade 3 and now that am between grade 2 and 3 I know my scales up to grade 4), BUT, as I am an inquisitive person and I like to know all the why's behind something, I started reading from theory books and now am starting to play minor scales without having to read them from the book (I knew how to work out major scales from a long time ago when I found out on an online lesson).
My teacher has never taught me scales so far, but I guess it's because she knows I love them and am always well ahead with them so she leaves me to it and gives me help with what I need most

so, I think it is important to know how scales are formed and to know how to work them out without a book, but it doesn't necessarily have to be like that from the start, it can be either way I think

I have an adult pupil like that - I know he is so up together with his scales it is hardly ever necessary to touch on them in lessons. I tend to get my pupils the AB scale book for the grade, more as a reference book really and for them to see the logical progression of the scales on the page - 1 sharp, 2 sharps etc.

The mapping from note to sound isn't though, and the mapping from note to "place(s) on the fingerboard", too. Personally, I don't tend to think in finger shapes when playing the violin and even less so on viola. The note refers to a position on the finger board (or two or more positions) rather than "that finger in that position". I suspect that better string players would think even less in terms of a specific finger in a specific hand position, but I don't know as I am not that great!!

For piano scales the main reason I'd use the book would be to check fingering if I didn't have someone to ask.

For wind instruments I think both scales by heart and scales off the page have their uses.

I tend to teach them from memory, but get the pupils to write them out on manuscript paper (with help if necessary) if they are having a bit of trouble. Writing them out themselves means we cover some valuable theory at the same time. I talk a lot about key signatures, etc.

That way, they can usually play them confidently in exams, and we can pick out scales, arpeggios, or fragments of them in pieces.

This is for woodwind, by the way.

It also depends what style of music you want to play. When I was doing classical clarinet exams I never had a scale book. I recall my music teacher writing out one or two scales for me but I think I learnt them using key signatures, relationships between major and minor, sharpened/flattened notes etc. I've alwasy been quite mathematically minded so the logic of it all made sense to me, and I never had any problems playing them from memory in an exam situation. Since then I've read here that some people consider reading the scales from the stave beneficial because it helps in recognising scale patterns when sight reading. That doesn't really apply to my situation but I'm prepared to take other peoples word for it.

However, if you want to play jazz you have to know your scales inside out without reading them, you need to know the relationships between major and minor scales and different keys and be able to switch from one to another without having to think too hard about it and I would imagine it would be an advantage to learn the scales without notation from the start. I suppose the difficulty is that a beginner student could easily go in either direction with their playing so deciding what would be most beneficial to them in 5 years time is a bit tricky. It's probably worth taking some time to work out how that student likes to learn though - for the logical type, like myself, I think it's worth not using the music and spendnig more time on scale construction at the start because it will help with theory as well. For people who learn in different ways it may be a better option to have scales written out with the relationships clicking into place a little further along.