I practise mine in a random order, by pulling a slip out of any one of three envelopes (secure, semi-secure or insecure). Let's say I pull out the slip for D Major. I know the key signature is two sharps and I know those sharps are F and C. But instead of thinking of the keysig, it's the keyboard itself that flashes through my mind when I pull the slip out, and the thought that I need to play the first black key of each "group". The "insecure" scales are the ones where I don't immediately "see" the keyboard in my mind's eye. What does everybody else think of when you're practising piano scales?

That's really good. I do practice my scales in a random order as and when the need arises but I dont think about the key signature or flat/sharps, it just happens (probably NOT a good thing!)

I never practise them in random order.
I either practise them starting on C (major, minor both types of each every time) and going up - or down - by semitones or I do them starting by the major (say, C major) and then the two minors of the relative scale (A minor harm. and melodic) and so on with every key signature.
How do you view this method? Would it be better to do them at random considering that this is the way you are asked to play them at the exam?

In the days when I was practising piano scales I didn't consciously visualise the keyboard, scales just seemed to fall under my fingers. (In fact I used to prop revision notes for my O levels and A levels on the music stand and learn them while playing scales so I wasn't looking at notes, keyboard, fingers or anything music related).

BUT when I started playing the oboe I found that I needed to visualise the keyboard in my head before I could play the scale on the oboe This has got better over time (although I still can't manage G# minor without thinking of the keyboard first).

Going back to piano scales, I used to play all possible scales starting on any given note (so to take your example of "D" I would play D major, D harmonic minor, D melodic minor, (similar motion, contrary motion, a third apart, in thirds etc.) chromatic scale starting on D, major and minor arpeggios and diminished and dominant sevenths all starting on D). I had a scale plan with different scales for each day of the week (to make sure I covered them all in the space of a week) but (since I was something of a scales addict) if I'd finished the scales for the day and wanted to play more I'd just play whatever scale I felt like.

My oboe teacher said that playing all the scales on a given note is a typical pianist habit and on wind instruments it is better to play the major and relative minor together.

I don't do this for piano scales as I know them pretty thoroughly, but I do visualise the keyboard when doing cello scales and arpeggios on the ones that aren't so secure. The slip idea is a good one, especially if you are approaching an exam and will get them in random order. Another way to do it for a change is to do all the sharp keys, working upwards from one sharp, major or minor, on one day, then all the flat keys the next day, then relative majors and minors. This helps the theory too! Try doing swung scales, or staccato, or syncopated, or "Russian" (two octaves parallel, two octaves contrary, two octaves parallel, starting at either top or bottom and choosing whether you go up or come down after the contrary). Then try them all with eyes shut. Scales needn't be boring!

Could you explain the "Russian" types or method, please?

I think Suepea just did! Two octaves parallel motion (i.e. same direction), two octaves contrary (opposite directions) then another two octaves parallel / similar motion. You can do the similar motion scales in either direction (up-down or down-up).

I do something that I think falls between organised and random.
I find that 2 or 3 a day takes enough time. If I'm talking about C as one I would do C major, both minors (during the initial learning I encourage relative rather than tonic minor for my students) Contrary motion (major and minor) 3rds, 6ths, arpeggios in all inversions and dominant 7th. That's why 2 or 3 is enough... 20 to 30 minutes.

I pair them off in a semi random way making sure that relatives are not played on the same day. After one cycle through the rota I do everything in reverse order (start with 6ths then 3rds etc. and arpeggios starting with 2nd inversion).

If one is practising scales with an exam in mind, my teacher suggests practising hands separately from time to time too, as it is possible they will ask for this. It can be surprisingly difficult - I think maybe it's that if say you always look at your right hand when you are playing hands together, then playing LH alone seems strange.

PatC

I include separate hands practice as a regular thing since I discovered that it really was necessary to avoid one hand leading the other. This was somewhere around grade 5. I've kept separate hands scale practice in since then....... well, when I've done scale practice that is. Only just getting back into it as I let it lapse rather since my grade 8.

I, too, do HS practice as I discovered before my Grade 5 exam that HS and HT are two almost completely different skills and the left hand is almost always weaker than the right hand. Some time ago I started doing dedicated exercises with the LH only and an extremely useful book by Berens (the Training of the Left Hand) seems to be doing the trick. I's advise anyone who's got enough dedication - and time! - to try the exercises there as they make the learning of the LH parts so much easier.

I never practise scales randomly. Actually, scrap that, I never practise scales.

As mentioned by others, however, on clarinet 'hard' scales (G# minor springs to mind) I always have to 'see' a keyboard in my mind. I remember once when I was working on grade 2, being challenged to play G# minor by the pupil whose lesson was just before mine. She was doing Grade 6 or 7, and was amazed that I managed to play it, albeit very slowly! :lol;

Oh, I had no idea the parallel-contrary-parallel motion is called "Russian". The RCM exams in Canada require them, in legato and staccato articulation.

I've never heard of the "Russian" method and still less did I know there was any such thing among the requisites for exams.
However, if I understand it correctly, then the so-called "Russian" mode is as follows:
- you start (one octave apart) with the usual parallel motion scale and do this for 2 octaves.
- at octave No. 3, instead of proceeding with the other 2 octaves, you start with contrary motion (but one octave apart, not starting on the unison as we usually do, right?)
- then, once the contrary motion has been done you proceed with the remaining 2 octaves in parallel motion.
- you repeat this as you descend.
Can you confirm?

The two hands should be an octave apart, yes.