How to play SCALES like the pros, from Bach to Chopin and beyond. (Bernstein, Biegel, Buechner)
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- Great pianists explain the simplest piano technique: the scale.
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⏰CHAPTERS⏰
0:00 Does this ever happen to you?
1:37 Why do we practice scales?
2:37 Chopin’s Scale Positions
3:16 the Ideal Hand Position for Scales
3:45 Clumping Exercise
4:45 Rotation and Scales
5:51 Elbow Technique and Painting the Piano
7:11 Practicing Tricky Scale Passages (Chopin)
8:41 Mozart’s Beautiful Scales
In this video, several great piano teachers share beginner, intermediate and advanced piano exercises for practicing scales. These exercises range in level from very beginner to the advanced scale techniques noticed in Mozart and Chopin. The video features samples from Tonebase courses by Jeffrey Biegel, Penelope Roskell, Juliana Han, Seymour Bernstein, Sara Davis Buechner, and Jarred Dunn. The video features music by Haydn, Chopin, Saariaho, J.S. Bach, and others, performed by Cziffra, Anne-Marie McDermott, Vadym Kholodenko, Marc-Andre Hamelin, and others. The video opens with a comical skit of host Robert Fleitz struggling to perform easy scales while practicing piano. There is also a short reference to the film The Piano Teacher.
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Thanks. I‘m 85 years old and trying to learn scales with fingers that are not so nimble any more. I will try some of these hints and see how they work for me.
Seymour has an amazing ability to sound very profound while hardly saying anything. 😂
The best visual thing I picked up on this video is watching Jeffery Beigal playing a C major scale. His right pinky finger sticks up noticeably. Mine is exactly the same and I was widely criticised and told repeatedly to adjust this to avoid tension. It’s never affected my playing (aside from being overly conscious of it). Great to see an accomplished pianist with a similar style.
glad you found it helpful! You might enjoy checking out this short:
czcams.com/users/shortsDE3Xx2IsDAc?feature=share
Take a look at Kissin´s 5th finger...
@@kerenneeman5879 he’s one of my favourites, but I’ve honestly never noticed his pinky. I’ll keep an eye out for it 🎹👍
Curls sometimes, sticks out sometimes, and it really doesn't matter
It’s anatomical. Usually, the extensor tendon of the little finger is attached to that of the 4th finger, and that makes the pinkie stand up. When it is not attached in some people, the pinkie can stay down, or curl. Watch Horowitz’s pinkie - he always curls it. His little finger extensor tendon is not attached to that of the 4th finger.
Just started learning the piano, scales are the greatest tool for your hearing, your memory, your musical mind and of course your finger. They show how geometrical piano playing is by mapping your brain with your fingers using triangles (1-2-3) and rectangles (1-2-3-4). I usually start my practice with 15 minutes of the scale right below or above the musical piece I intend to work on next and use 5 minutes to work on the targeted scale: let's say I work something in E minor, I'll give the F minor or Eb minor scale a go for 15 minutes and only then I'll practice a bit of the E minor scale (usually in sixths to make things a bit more fun).
I don't know if it's a good work routine, all I know is it fires up my musical brain and makes me dive right into the piece I want to work. I noticed that if I only work the targeted scale (E minor, in this instance), my ears won't catch the same nuances when I switch to the musical piece, probably because the scale is very linear while the musical piece may have some alterations and/or often goes beyond a simple scale structure.
Scales are a cornerstone! Glad to see them getting attention
Excellent video! Fun and informative.
This is great! ❤🔥🔥
i like practicing chormatic scale a lot. sometimes i play with octaves, or in chopin's fingering ( 3,4,5 only). You can play with thirds to. You can do so much thing with it.
Um oi do Brasil a todos ❤🎹
😃👍
Everyone should look into Brahms (51 exercises) and Liszt's various unusual use of 1,2,3, 4, 5 patterns (Spanish Rhapsody) and 2,3,2,3 in the Faust waltz. Groupings of 5 and 7 are quite worthwhile.
Best content ever ❤❤❤🔥🔥🔥
Another important consideration is the movement of the whole body as a synthesised unit
Great content !
The unseen elephant in the room is getting THUMB CROSSINGS up to speed.
Absolutely! Be sure to check out or recent video about thumb technique for more help on that topic!
czcams.com/video/wgTnvNsgQIg/video.html
I ruined my thumbs trying to go too fast for my physiological ability.
I once heard someone mention (3 days ago 😂) that “pros don’t spend a lot of time playing scales” 🤔 I’m about to sit down for my daily practice and EVERY NOTE I play will be a combination of scales. Even the chords I play. Let’s break down a Fm7#9, me thinks that be notes of a scale played simultaneously 🥳. Every minute of the following hour will be played using scales in one form or another. Excellent video, I’m signing up!🤘🏾
Do you mean Fmaj7#9?
Great video!
This will escalate my training very quickly! 😂
I like trying to play two different major scales with different hands. Some are cooler than others. 🙂
That's a really cool idea
I would like to see a video about how to play different dynamics while remaining relaxed and the correct hand posture for diferent dynamics (just everything about dynamics). This video was very helpful and I'm excited to see more videos like this in the future.
Thanks for the suggestion! Dynamics are a big request, and I will keep it in mind for sure. Glad you enjoyed!
Seymour is such a treasure to humanity! Thank you, tonebase, for preserving his heritage for future generations!
My almost daily scales are the ending scales of the coda in Chopin's Ballade 1, in g-minor with variants, very fast, and like a single jump with the bow.
3:51 my neighbours are loving it!😂
Merci.
great
What is your opinion of the Virgil Practice Clavier ? I've used one for over fifty-five years and I doubt I'd be playing at all at seventy-six otherwise but their use is strongly discouraged these days for reasons I cannot fathom.
Building velocity and fluidity is my biggest issue! Whether with scales or arpeggios I feel that I’m forever stuck and can’t easily progress beyond my current level. Full disclosure, I’m 66 and have been on and off the piano several times in my life, recently coming back to it- I believe I’m at an intermediate level and aspire to really improve my technical ability at the piano. Any recommendations ?
Great video. The scales I hate? Offset. Same scale in each hand, but at different intervals--not octaves. Like when Liszt converted Paganini's Caprice #5 and, of course, made it more difficult for the piano. Because, well, Liszt. Clumping exercises help a ton!!!
Josef Hofmann said why are those pesky scales so difficult, in fact one of the most difficult things on the piano! And boy did he know how to play them!
What would help me the most, is not seeing the scales perfectly played, but how to gradually proceed and to achieve smoothness. What is most important? What variations in rhythm and dynamics are the most effective? Not picks, not examples, but THE best path, as commonly acknowledged. As I understand from Tonebase videos, Chopin himself was quite specific about method, directing more than providing suggestions.
I have this weird theory now, thinking that it all (virtuosity in general) has to do with the strength (and/or agility) of the fingers which we label as 3,4,5. (especially ringfinger and pink). Of course scales also with the fastness of deplacement of thumb.
I have a totally relevant question: where did Robert buy this amazing shirt (or whatever it is)?
Miraculous 1 EUR thrift shop find! 😄
please add Turkish subtitles
thank you for sharing
I could use a tip to practice the G minor scales at the end of Chopin’s 1st ballade, especially the one in tenths!
Search "Piano Téchne - Chopin Ballade".
It's a very short video. It helped me a lot.
Just add "rapid scales" to the search. I forgot that part.
@@mvmarchiori Excellent! Thanks
Did you find it? Cause CZcams deleted my comment, again.
The channel in question is "Piano Téchne"
Hope it helps!
@@mvmarchiori Yes I found it 🙏
Anybody else ever practice TWO different scales at the same time? Even, a major scale in one hand and a minor scale in the other (like E-minor in one and Bb-Major in the other? I did (back in the day). 🙂
It's very common to practice a major and a relative minor scale at the same time
@@Suplex479 That isn’t really any different than playing a single scale at the interval of a third or sixth, which hopefully is already being done by any serious student.
@@eddydelrio1303 difference is that it could be done in opposing directions
Sure, it's great prep work for handling polytonalities and it can be a fun way to experiment with dissonances. I find some of the most musically useful ones to be played apart by thirds, but in different keys: 1) From the minor third - Such as C major in the left, Eb major in the right; also C minor in the left, Eb minor in the right. The end result here are all minor thirds going up and down which lends a rather dark sound but still beautiful and musical. 2) From the major third (ex: E major over C major) is pretty cool, the opposite effect where every interval going up and down is a major third. A rather bright and odd sound but pretty interesting. Perhaps more useful - E minor over C major - you just get the #F or implied D major for a Lydian sound. E minor over C minor is also interesting and creates some fun intervals, depending where you start and how you use it can also sound very musical. 3) Also variations built on the 4th and 5th degrees can be interesting, of course major from the 5th is pretty tame and basically playing parallel 5ths up and down, with a major interval built on the 7th degree. Useable in the right conext. Of course any keys will work for the more adventurous types, depending how "outside" you want to go, but I personally have found variations built on the 3rd to provide the most useful harmonic opportunities to explore!
@@Suplex479 true for any and all scales each hand may play, no matter which: in contrary motion. 😊
0:40 don’t forget the coda of Chopin’s 1st Ballade.
i think more specific, in-depth technique talk would be helpful here, especially the mechanics of crossing thumbs under and how the transferring of weight works while doing that, having clear and articulated scale passages in the weaker 4/5th fingers, the role of the last knuckle of the finger in supporting/transferring weight in scale passages, etc. this video was kinda just light commentary.
These are great and important topics! We have a recent video about thumb technique that might be helpful, as well as a few shorts about 4th/5th finger problems. But we’ll definitely keep this in mind for future videos!
I go up the scale, I go down the scale. If It is ok, the bpm goes up. If it is not ok, the bpm stays the same. When I do 16th notes at 150bpm, I move on. No one needs notes faster than that. They should be illegal.
Clumping of fiingers- makes sense now.
I like especially when Sara Davis Buchner says "even a scale can be beautiful", and then I miss a demonstration of what she says. Not that I hate scales, but think of it: when they are best they are kind of "rocket spice" (upward scales in fast tempo, like Chopin op.53 conclusion for main theme) to tonal music. A problem with scala is that it crosses tonality, in most cases.
I noticed Jeffrey's little finger was raised when he was playing the c major scale. I thought that was something you should try to avoid?
I'm 71 started at 6, have watched everything I can find on the internet, and recently was absolutely amazed at Vlado Perlemuter's technique - it seems only his fingers move. Check out his warmup czcams.com/video/mBiU_KD6Ha0/video.html and the Ravelle Gaspard (1991)
Could have done without Sarah Davis Buechner's offensive crack about "thinking like a musicologist".
and they all seemed to use different approaches to play their scales 🤔
That’s not b major scale on her right hand
When did chunking become clumping mwhahahhaha
First
Congrats!
@@amans228 Thank you. This is my greatest achievement.
@@GhaithKaasamani I'm in awe. Never happened to me.
The scale is NOT the simpliest piano technique..far from.
I strongly dislike "amusing" videos.
Lol you sound fun
@@Sloimer when appropriate I am.
@@sallemjazz1 shut up
I love the trans representation ❤
I don't think rotation movement is very useful in scales and generally it is overrated nowadays
Agreed, such incumbers the smooth and gradual movement of the hand across the keyboard. "Legato" is after all part of the illusion of playing the piano. I was taught to slightly "aim" the hands in the direction of their travel.
I miss the other guy....at least he was funny....
😢
Guess all this channel is now is finding new ways to regurgitate their old content. Used to be a really good channel.
Pros don't spend a lot of time playing scales, to be honest.
Barenboim said very poignantly that there are enough scales in Mozart to not have to practice them separately
Very wrong. Emil Gilels who was the crema of the crema every day played scales. I knew it personally from his family. He played it in moderate tempo and if any finger was not positioned perfectly exactly in central part, he was joking “I missed it”
@@privateprivate22so did Cortot. Whereas Richter, Argerich, Pollini, and countless other piano giants didn't ever practice them. I think everyone has to find what works best for them!
@@pianoplaynight well said
@@pianoplaynightthat’s right, my point is that there are many real pros who do practice scales and it doesn’t make them less pros .
Wow tonebase really went to shit
profanation, no one played a good enough scale😢