They are also the simplest to understand and begin playing. Major scales seem to be the most commonly used in music and particularly in the beginning stages, you will come across them most often.Let’s now take a look at each type and order within. Remember, there’s no exact or perfect order to suit everyone. It’s usually best to stagger starting each one and be flexible so you’re learning what you need to support the actual music you’re working on. You don’t need to complete the set and learn all 12 of each type before moving on. By this point, you should just start learning what you need for whatever music you’re learning or writing. Learn the concept of modes together but for contemporary music, you may need Mixolydian and Dorian earlier on Blues scales are pentatonics with 1 extra note Useful to start learning for more contemporary piano and improvisation. You could also include the Dorian mode here as it is very similar and easy to learn alongside These make sense to learn together really. You need this first to understand the other minors which are often used Starting with major and the minors is the best idea for most people but the further you get, the more flexible you can be to suit your needs. This is a useful outline of the order in which to learn the different piano scales. Then you’ll be more confident in finding a practical and efficient learning path for yourself. The following guidelines are to help you understand why a certain route often works best but also when to deviate. There’s a bit more to think about though because there’s the order of the types of scales and the most useful order of keys within each one to consider.
Harmonic and melodic minor scales piano plus#
Next, learn some pentatonic, blues and chromatic scales plus the modes. Start with C Major as it has no sharps or flats, then G D, A and E major before starting the minors. Major scales are the most common and useful to learn first on piano, followed by the natural, harmonic and melodic minors. Myself and many other piano teachers generally start students off in much the same way. There’s a few scales it makes most sense to start with but then the further you get along your journey, the more flexible your approach should become. It can be very confusing for a beginner to know which scales to learn first on piano and then which order to learn the rest. There’s many different types of scale and each one needs to be learnt in 12 keys.