I’ve written about scales and arpeggios before here on my blog, but the following article was penned for the Piano Professional Magazine (Issue 34: Spring 2014), published by the European Piano Teachers Association or EPTA, which is designed for piano teachers. I write a regular feature article on technique for this very informative publication. Hopefully this article contains some…
Tag: Scales
How should I practice my scales?
The music exam season is virtually upon us and so the inevitable question of scale practice arises. Whether you are taking Grade 1 or Grade 8, you will need to practice your scales regularly. There is always a strong temptation to just play them through quickly moving on to more interesting parts of your exam….
Piano exam success: 9 key points
Several teacher friends and colleagues have recently asked me to suggest ways in which pupils can improve their chances of achieving good marks in their forthcoming piano exams. I examined for the ABRSM (The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music) for 5 years both in the UK and abroad, and therefore, I have…
Scales & Arpeggios – love them or hate them? 6 reasons why you need to practice them.
‘Now for the scales and arpeggios, C major hands together, please’, the examiner smiles glancing at the student who is waiting with bated breath. This is a typical scenario when pupils are faced with scales and arpeggios in an examination. Most pianists don’t like scales or scale practice. Some ask if they are really necessary….
Melanie Spanswick 