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Notes from The Music Hub
May 11, 2026
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Why Practice Scales?
In the online piano world in places like Facebook and Reddit, people argue over the need to practice scales.
Some people think that you should only practice the technique used in a particular piece.
For example, if you are playing a piece and there's an F major scale in it, practice that scale.
But they don't see the point in practicing multiple scales every day.
I fall in the camp that it is important to practice scales.
It's not something I do every day. I will switch up my warm-up exercises. But I do practice all my major and minor scales.
You may not know what I mean by the term "F major scale" and you may not know the difference between major and minor scales. That's OK!
Because now that the Piano Accelerator Levels 1&2 are complete in The Music Hub, I am beginning a unit on Scales & Chords!
I will be explaining everything you need to know about what makes a major and minor scale and all the different chord types.
For now, if you're not sure what a scale is, it is a series of stepwise notes from low to high within an octave. A C-Major scale is all the white keys from C to C.
So, why practice them separately from a piece? Why make playing scales a part of your warm-up routine?
These are 3 reasons I believe pianists should practice scales!
1.Playing scales is one way to learn the layout of the piano extremely well.
I believe that studying scales is a major reason why I am an excellent sight-reader.
You learn specific patterns of finger movement and feel the distance of each octave. This becomes something you don't just see in the music but feel in your body.
Scales are also a great warm-up for your fingers, the same way you warm up before a workout. If you're fingers are feeling a little stiff, you can play some scales first.
Scales don't require a specific tempo, so you can play them very slowly as you warm up.
2. Scales provide an opportunity to focus on things like hand shape, posture, and eliminating tension.
A lot of times when we practice pieces, we are thinking about notes and rhythm so much, we forget about these other important things. Once you learn scales, they don't require a lot of mental effort, so it provides an opportunity to focus less on notes and more on these other aspects of playing.
Then, that practice of posture and hand shape, etc. is transferred to playing regular pieces.
3. Scales can be a form of meditation.
Some people find scales boring because they don't require much mental effort. But the flip side of being "boring" is that you can use them to quiet your mind. Relax while practicing scales. Practice breathing. Prepare for practice, or maybe just use them as a way to focus on something else besides what's troubling you in your life.
Practicing regular pieces cannot do often do this, especially if we are still learning them, because we might hit a snag and possibly get frustrated about mistakes. This is opposite to the point of meditation!
All in all, I believe learning and practicing scales will make you a better pianist!
If you want to grow as a pianist and learn scales in addition to the basics, consider joining The Music Hub!
2 More Weeks to Register!
If you've been thinking about joining The Music Hub, now's a great time!
The Music Hub opens registrations just three times a year, and the current registration period ends May 31, 2026. The next time it will open registration will be September.
If you've been wanting to learn piano, summer is a great time to get started.
Having video-based lessons means you get to watch them around your schedule. Plus, you save money learning online at home instead of driving to private lessons!
I host a couple of open group sessions (call them "office hours" if you like) where you can pop on and get help with specific challenges you're having with your piano playing.
If you are just starting out or need a refresher on basic skills, the Piano Accelerator Levels 1&2 will cover everything you need to confidently read music and play with both hands together.
If you have more experience, you can find intermediate-level songs in the other sections of the classroom.
Registration is open until the end of May 2026, and the first 25 people who pay for the year in full will receive 4 FREE (30 min.) private online lessons with me to use throughout the year - a $150 value!
For more information, check out the link below.
https://heather-niemi-savage-music.kit.com/products/music-hub-membership
Thank you for being a valued member of The Music Hub Community!
Please contact me by responding to this email if you have any questions or concerns!
Happy Music Making!
Heather Niemi Savage, composer, pianist & educator
Founder of The Music Hub
