I just wanna know how fast you can play them....your speed is the speed you can play on ALL scales, not just C major or any of the easier ones. Remember, the metronome marks here equal a minim (half note) and you play the scales in quavers (8th notes). The scales are similar, hands together an octave apart, legato. Can anybody play faster than 144???

i don't know how fast i can play....

me too...

How fast you can play them is not so important: If they're not even in tone and rhythm and played well they're no good!

semibreve is a half note?!??

Isn't it quite strange that the American term for semibreve (from the Latin semibrevis) where semi is meaning half is a whole note (okay so technically brevis literally means brief not note...). I know it's due to common usage but it still seems odd! That makes a brieve a double whole note so the fractions are all twice as large as they would be...

Incidentally I just found, whilst looking at Latin translations, that Dolmetsch have a rather comprehensive online music dictionary which may be useful.

QUOTE (socks @ Oct 9 2004, 05:42 PM)

semibreve is a half note?!??

Oh yeah....sorry for that. (I've just edited my post) I meant a minim not a semibreve...that's because I'm more used to the American terms...

interesting to see that you say C major is easy. i know it doesnt have any sharps/flats but i make more mistakes playing C major than Bb minor or Eb minor

I find C major the hardest of all the scales! I prefer ones with lots of sharps and flats in lol. I'm doing my grade 8 in November and have never played scales in sixths or thirds before, grrr.

The ones in sixths and thirds are fun once you get the coordination.
This is where you find out if you REALLY know your scales .

QUOTE (meg @ Oct 10 2004, 09:34 PM)

I find C major the hardest of all the scales! I prefer ones with lots of sharps and flats in lol. I'm doing my grade 8 in November and have never played scales in sixths or thirds before, grrr.

I think so too. I thought I was the only one who thought that C major is a bit hard. B major is much easier... But why do they make us learn C major first???

QUOTE (DGA @ Oct 13 2004, 10:07 AM)

QUOTE (meg @ Oct 10 2004, 09:34 PM) I find C major the hardest of all the scales! I prefer ones with lots of sharps and flats in lol. I'm doing my grade 8 in November and have never played scales in sixths or thirds before, grrr. I think so too. I thought I was the only one who thought that C major is a bit hard. B major is much easier... But why do they make us learn C major first???

I think C major is not easy(but not hard) too!

For learning C major first, I think that it is because we don't need to memorise any sharps or flats, thus easy to play.

B major is, for me, the easiest to play. In fact Chopin used to start his students with B maj not C maj because he said it fitted the hand better.

QUOTE (Freedom @ Oct 13 2004, 10:53 AM)

B major is, for me, the easiest to play. In fact Chopin used to start his students with B maj not C maj because he said it fitted the hand better.

I do agree with u...

well i find F# major is mo easier B major.
~~But i dun think C major is so hard as you guys described....I think Eb harmonic minor is da most terrible.

I personally like F# major the best, it lies under my chubby little fingers rather well

ooh i like Eb harmonic minor!

i like any melodic scales...with lots of sharps or flats....best hey ar also in 3rd apart..

oooh yes... i prefer a sixth apart though...

i dont like melodics, i still cant seem to get to grips with them, for the grade 6 scales. i know exactly how they work and stuff but cant play them

aagh.. scales..

how ever do any one play it well ..fast and clear..
seems to be the biggest question for me at times..

it seems that the quality of the piano matters a lot as well ??