How to Really Practise Scales on Piano: Creative Rhythmic Approaches (Part 2)

To make scale practice more musical, play the scale up and down with your normal fingering but count it in groups of three (triplets) or five instead of twos and fours, marking each group's first note with a left-hand note or chord.

Video lesson by Jason Zac · Beginner · 4 min

Can't see the video? Watch it on YouTube.

What this lesson teaches

This is the second part of Jason Zac's series on creative ways to practise any scale, whether major, minor or something else, ascending and descending. The idea here is simple: keep your hand doing exactly the same up-and-down movement, but change how you group the notes in your mind. Doing this trains your rhythmic sense, your ear and your overall musicianship, not just your finger speed.

It suits beginners and intermediate pianists who can already play a scale comfortably with correct fingering and want practice that feels less mechanical.

Why change the grouping?

When most of us play a scale, we instinctively divide the beat by even numbers: twos or fours. Counting 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 is the default mindset. The scale then always lines up neatly with the beat, and it starts to feel predictable.

If instead you feel the same stream of notes in groups of three, the accents land on different notes each time. The scale suddenly sounds like a completely different melody, even though your fingers have not changed anything.

Step 1: Play the scale in triplets

1. Choose a scale. In the video Jason Zac uses G major (G A B C D E F# G).
2. Play it up and down continuously with your usual fingering, keeping an even stream of notes.
3. Count 1 2 3, 1 2 3 over the notes, so that every third note gets a gentle accent.
4. Do not make the accent too heavy. Part of the exercise is holding your ground: keep the scale pathway and shape exactly as it is, and let the grouping live in your counting and feel.

Add the left hand

Once the triplet feel is steady, play a note in the left hand on the 1 of each group. Start with something simple, such as the root note G. This makes the new accent pattern clear and helps you stay locked into it.

You will notice the pattern does not recycle quickly. Because the scale and the groups of three are different lengths, it takes a long time before your starting G with the thumb falls on the 1 again. Keep going until it does; it is a satisfying moment and a good test of concentration.

When you are comfortable, try playing chords in the left hand at the accent points instead of a single note.

Step 2: Try other groupings, such as five

After triplets, experiment with other groupings. Groups of five work well: count 1 2 3 4 5, 1 2 3 4 5 while the right hand keeps running up and down the scale, holding the same shape.

You can also break the five into smaller pieces to feel it more easily:

• 2 + 3: count 1 2, 1 2 3
• 3 + 2: count 1 2 3, 1 2

Using the left hand creatively

Changing the accents opens up many opportunities for the left hand. You can embellish with chord changes at the accent points, which now fall in very different places from where they would in twos and fours. This turns a plain scale into something close to improvisation.

How to practise it

• Always start with triplets before moving to fives or other groupings.
• Keep the right hand's fingering and shape identical to your normal scale.
• Count out loud so the grouping stays clear in your head.
• Begin with a single left-hand root note on each accent, then move to chords.
• Listen to how the same scale sounds like a new tune with each grouping.

In Part 3 of the series, Jason Zac shares yet another way to play your scale up and down and enjoy the process.

Questions about this lesson

How do I practise piano scales in triplets?

Play the scale up and down with your normal fingering in an even stream of notes, but count 1 2 3 so every third note gets a slight accent. Adding a left-hand root note on each 1 makes the triplet feel clear.

Why does the scale sound like a different melody when I count in threes?

Because the accents fall on different notes of the scale each time instead of lining up neatly with twos and fours. Your fingers play the same notes, but your ear hears a new shape.

How can I count groups of five when playing a scale?

Count 1 2 3 4 5 over the notes, or break the five into smaller units such as 1 2, 1 2 3 or 1 2 3, 1 2. Keep the scale shape and fingering the same throughout.

What should my left hand do during this exercise?

Start by playing a single note, such as the root of the scale, on the first note of each group. Once that is steady, try playing chords or chord changes at those accent points.

Practise it

• Rhythm TeacherBuild accent patterns, divide beats and explore odd metres and polyrhythms.
• PendulumExplore accents, subdivisions, scale patterns and chord movement with Western, Hindustani or Carnatic note names.
• Piano classes at Nathaniel School of MusicLive online or in Bangalore, with a teacher.
• All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.

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