Scales other than C/G/D?

[Cathasach]

I'm practicing scales and I've been trying to find tabs for scales other than C/G/Dmaj. Does anyone know where to find these?

[Steve Schulteis]

I'd encourage you to work out the fingering for other scales yourself. It's not too hard to look up the notes in the scale you want to play and cross-reference them with anglopiano.com. F, Bb, and A would be good major scales to try next.

[Cathasach]

F major: 1aD 2 2a 2aD 3 3D 4 4D

(my theory is a little rusty. Can I use a D sharp instead of a an Eb?) Bb Major: 2aD 3 3D 4 4D 5 5D 5aD

A major: 2a 2D 3a 3D 4 7D 5a 5D

 

Thanks for the suggestions of keys. This is all the left hand, the right seems a bit daunting so I'll have to come back to it after I get some practice in these. It's pretty cool how many options for fingering there were for these. I ended up going with the ones I had the easiest time with. A seems to be the most difficult in terms of fingering so far.

Edited October 31, 2022 by Cathasach
Fixed tabs for Amaj

[Steve Schulteis]

Yes, you can treat D# and Eb as the same note. If you ever choose to get an instrument that's not in equal temperament, then they're different, but that's a whole other can of worms.

 

Seeing the options is exactly why it's worthwhile to do this sort of thing yourself. Besides finding the easiest path, it's also good to look for ways to play each scale just on the draw and just on the push to the extent that that's possible. It's useful for phrasing as well as enabling different harmonies.

 

Personally, I'd focus more on playing an octave higher (so, that right hand). But it certainly won't hurt to know what you're doing with the low notes too, so have fun either way!

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I still keep with my collection a virtually full set of nearly all the major and minor scales  presented printed, on paper; numbered in the system I learned years ago. I found these very useful to refer to as a guide; but the numbering system I use may be completely different to one you are using.  It even has quite exotic keys on it like C sharp!🌝

[Cathasach]

8 minutes ago, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

I still keep with my collection a virtually full set of nearly all the major and minor scales  presented printed, on paper; numbered in the system I learned years ago. I found these very useful to refer to as a guide; but the numbering system I use may be completely different to one you are using.  It even has quite exotic keys on it like C sharp!🌝

This is basically what I'm doing now. I'm starting with a couple minor chords bc it's spooky music time but I'm going to have this all down on a sheet. I'm thinking of doing a folio with some other "cheats". I want to play with a specific group who pretty regularly switch the key of songs so I'm trying to learn shifting the key of songs.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

You will find your own way I am sure; as I have myself over the years; I must have tried nearly all keys out in that time.. some are great and work well, and others can be a challenge on concertina... However if you stick through the difficulties it can be rewarding. Myself I have written my own tunes in all sorts of key tones, and can sometimes but not always force a key into the design, and write melody then  straight down.

There's some 'finger twisters', as I call them where you really have to do some acrobatics to achieve notes .. but all part of the learning process!🌝

[Clive Thorne]

Unfortunately (for me) there is a big difference between knowing that the notes of a key are there, or even where they are, and actually being able to play in that key!!

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

 

Practice, and perseverance and also  patience is one of the ways to learn more awkward keys [ I believe].. to get going with the physical  act of fingers on keys and hearing the sound - and learning from any mistakes made, because then you will understand soon enough how to correct errors in the future. When fatigue may set in from practicing, then rest from that for a while, and only do it when you feel the need to,  otherwise it can so easily then become more a chore and not  a worthwhile act in the long term. 

[Martin Essery]

It is one of the joys of the instrument that there is not one right scale. What will work for one piece of music might not for another. Having played many other instruments, the benefit of scales is not having to remember what the tune is, you can just focus on playing the notes.

Whether playing scales, exercises or tunes, my process is the same: I note down all the notes that have a single instance, like F, and then weave the best path between them.

If you only play one version of a scale, then you may, through habit, not see better alternatives within a tune.

Here are a few possible C Major scales!

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

4 hours ago, Martin Essery said:

It is one of the joys of the instrument that there is not one right scale. What will work for one piece of music might not for another. Having played many other instruments, the benefit of scales is not having to remember what the tune is, you can just focus on playing the notes.

Whether playing scales, exercises or tunes, my process is the same: I note down all the notes that have a single instance, like F, and then weave the best path between them.

If you only play one version of a scale, then you may, through habit, not see better alternatives within a tune.

Here are a few possible C Major scales!

That is a very interesting analytical way of dealing with scales; and very colourful too🌝... But it would frighten me away with its method.. ( personally)🌝

 

[Martin Essery]

13 hours ago, SIMON GABRIELOW said:

That is a very interesting analytical way of dealing with scales; and very colourful too🌝... But it would frighten me away with its method.. ( personally)🌝

 

I do understand, just the way my mind works. The chromatic scale is even crazier! I used the charts in the earlier stages, but I have it in memory now. I play several versions of new tunes, looking for the best and most graceful phrasing.