Session 2: Expanding Major Scales
Overview
Section titled “Overview”- Phase: 1 — Foundation Expansion
- Duration: 75 minutes
- Prerequisites: Completed Session 1. Comfortable with C and G major scales (1 octave, hands together). Intermediate warm-up routine memorised.
Learning Objectives
Section titled “Learning Objectives”By the end of this session, you will be able to:
- Play D major, A major, and E major scales — 2 octaves, hands together, at 60 BPM
- Explain and demonstrate the correct ABRSM fingering for each new scale
- Play contrary motion scales in C major (hands move in opposite directions)
- Perform a D major scale etude with both hands
- Build speed on C and G major scales from 60 to 80 BPM
Materials Needed
Section titled “Materials Needed”- Casio CT-X9000IN keyboard (Grand Piano tone — Tone 000)
- Metronome set to 60 BPM (use keyboard’s built-in metronome)
- This lesson plan open beside you
Warm-Up & Review (10 minutes)
Section titled “Warm-Up & Review (10 minutes)”Intermediate Warm-Up Routine (8 minutes)
Section titled “Intermediate Warm-Up Routine (8 minutes)”Run through the 5-part warm-up you learned in Session 1:
- 5-finger pattern in C — RH then LH (p, mf, f)
- C major scale, 1 octave, hands together at 60 BPM — 4 times
- I-IV-V-I chord progression in C — both hands, 3 times
- Interval ear training — close your eyes, play 3 random intervals, name them
- Free play — 1 minute of anything
Session 1 Review (2 minutes)
Section titled “Session 1 Review (2 minutes)”- Play your C major scale hands together once. Is the thumb-under smoother than last week?
- Play your I-IV-V-I in C. Are the chord transitions cleaner?
Theory / Harmony (10 minutes)
Section titled “Theory / Harmony (10 minutes)”Key Signatures: Sharps
Section titled “Key Signatures: Sharps”In the beginner course, you learned C major (no sharps or flats) and G major (one sharp — F#). Now you are adding three more sharp keys.
The sharp key pattern — the order of sharps is always:
Think of it as: Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle.
| Key | Sharps | Which Notes Are Sharped |
|---|---|---|
| C major | 0 | None |
| G major | 1 | F# |
| D major | 2 | F#, C# |
| A major | 3 | F#, C#, G# |
| E major | 4 | F#, C#, G#, D# |
How to quickly find the key from the sharps: The last sharp in the key signature is always one half step below the key name. For example, in D major, the last sharp is C# — one half step below D.
Play each scale slowly to hear how adding sharps changes the “colour” of the sound. All major scales have the same bright, happy quality, but each has its own character.
Why 2 Octaves?
Section titled “Why 2 Octaves?”In the beginner course, you played 1-octave scales. At the intermediate level, you play 2-octave scales because:
- It trains your thumb-under and finger-over techniques across a wider range
- ABRSM Grade 2-3 exams require 2-octave scales
- Real music spans the full keyboard — you need to feel comfortable moving across 2 octaves
Technique (15 minutes)
Section titled “Technique (15 minutes)”D Major Scale — 2 Octaves, Hands Together
Section titled “D Major Scale — 2 Octaves, Hands Together”Key of D major: 2 sharps — F# and C#. Every F and every C in this scale is sharp.
RH — D Major, 2 Octaves (ABRSM standard):
The RH fingering pattern for D major is 1-2-3-1-2-3-4 per octave:
LH — D Major, 2 Octaves (ABRSM standard):
The LH fingering pattern for D major is 5-4-3-2-1-3-2-1 per octave:
Practice Steps:
- RH alone, ascending only, at 60 BPM — 3 times
- RH alone, descending only — 3 times
- RH ascending and descending without stopping — 2 times
- Repeat steps 1-3 with LH
- Both hands together, very slowly (40 BPM) — ascending only — 3 times
- Both hands together, ascending and descending at 60 BPM — 2 times
The critical moment is the thumb-under in the RH (after finger 3 on F#) and the finger-over in the LH (finger 3 crosses over thumb on B). These must be smooth — no bump, no pause, no accent on the note after the crossing.
A Major Scale — 2 Octaves, Hands Together
Section titled “A Major Scale — 2 Octaves, Hands Together”Key of A major: 3 sharps — F#, C#, G#.
RH — A Major, 2 Octaves:
LH — A Major, 2 Octaves:
Practice: same 6-step process as D major. RH alone, LH alone, then together.
E Major Scale — 2 Octaves, Hands Together
Section titled “E Major Scale — 2 Octaves, Hands Together”Key of E major: 4 sharps — F#, C#, G#, D#.
RH — E Major, 2 Octaves:
LH — E Major, 2 Octaves:
Practice: same 6-step process.
Speed Building: C and G Major (3 minutes)
Section titled “Speed Building: C and G Major (3 minutes)”You should be comfortable with C and G major from the beginner course. Now let us build speed:
- Set metronome to 60 BPM. Play C major, 2 octaves, hands together — 2 times.
- Increase to 66 BPM. Play 2 times.
- Increase to 72 BPM. Play 2 times.
- Try 80 BPM. If you can play evenly without stumbling, excellent. If not, go back to 72 and keep that as your target for this week.
Repeat with G major.
Speed rule: Never increase tempo faster than you can play evenly. If any note is louder, softer, or has a different timing than the others, you are going too fast.
Contrary Motion: C Major (2 minutes)
Section titled “Contrary Motion: C Major (2 minutes)”In contrary motion, your hands start on the same note and move in opposite directions — RH goes up while LH goes down, then they reverse and come back together.
Start with both thumbs on Middle C:
RH ascending / LH descending simultaneously:
Both hands play the same rhythm — quarter notes at 60 BPM. Your hands move like a mirror image, spreading outward from Middle C.
Then reverse: both hands come back to Middle C.
Play 3 times. This feels strange at first because your brain is used to both hands moving in the same direction. That is exactly why it is good practice — it builds hand independence.
Repertoire / Genre (25 minutes)
Section titled “Repertoire / Genre (25 minutes)”D Major Scale Etude — Full Arrangement
Section titled “D Major Scale Etude — Full Arrangement”An etude is a study piece — a short composition designed to practice a specific skill. This etude uses only notes from the D major scale, so every note reinforces the scale you just learned.
Tempo: 72 BPM | Time Signature: 4/4 | Key: D major (2 sharps: F#, C#)
Right Hand:
Left Hand:
Here is the etude in ABC notation for cleaner reading:
Both Hands Together — Practice Strategy:
- RH alone, measures 1-4, at 60 BPM — play 3 times until comfortable
- RH alone, measures 5-8 — play 3 times (note the position shift in measure 6)
- LH alone, all 8 measures — this is simple whole notes and half notes, play 2 times
- Both hands, measures 1-2 only — play slowly at 50 BPM, 4 times
- Both hands, measures 3-4 — play 4 times
- Both hands, measures 1-4 — connect them, 2 times
- Both hands, measures 5-8 — this is harder because LH changes to half notes, play 4 times
- Both hands, all 8 measures — play through once at 60 BPM
- Target: play the full etude at 72 BPM with even tone and smooth connections
Expression notes: Play measures 1-4 with a crescendo (getting louder as the melody rises) and measures 5-8 with a diminuendo (getting softer as it descends back home to D). This gives the etude musical shape — it is not just a scale exercise; it is a tiny piece of music.
Creative / Ear Training (10 minutes)
Section titled “Creative / Ear Training (10 minutes)”Can You Hear the New Scales?
Section titled “Can You Hear the New Scales?”You have just learned three new major scales — D, A, and E. They all sound “major” (bright, happy), but each has a subtly different character.
Exercise 1: Scale Colour Comparison (4 minutes)
Section titled “Exercise 1: Scale Colour Comparison (4 minutes)”Play each scale one after another, ascending only, 1 octave, RH:
- C major — your “home” scale, the baseline
- D major — slightly brighter? Warmer?
- A major — even brighter, more brilliant?
- E major — the brightest of the four?
There is no single right answer here. The point is to start listening for the subtle differences between keys. Professional musicians describe keys as having different “colours.” C major is sometimes called “pure” or “white.” D major is often described as “triumphant” (many celebratory orchestral pieces are in D major). A major is often called “bright and youthful.” E major is sometimes called “radiant.”
Play each scale again. Try to find your own word for each key’s feeling.
Exercise 2: Which Key Am I Playing? (3 minutes)
Section titled “Exercise 2: Which Key Am I Playing? (3 minutes)”Close your eyes. Play one of the four scales (C, D, A, or E major) without deciding in advance — let your hands wander to one. Now open your eyes. Were you right about which key you played?
This seems silly, but it builds the connection between physical position on the keyboard and tonal colour. Over time, you will be able to hear which key a piece is in.
Exercise 3: Scale Improvisation (3 minutes)
Section titled “Exercise 3: Scale Improvisation (3 minutes)”Set the metronome to 60 BPM. Choose D major. Play only notes from the D major scale (D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#) — but do not play the scale in order. Make up your own melody. Use any rhythm you want. The only rules:
- Stay in D major (only use those 7 notes)
- Try to end on D (the “home” note)
This is your first tiny improvisation. It does not matter if it sounds awkward. You are training your ears and fingers to move freely within a key.
Review & Homework (5 minutes)
Section titled “Review & Homework (5 minutes)”Summary
Section titled “Summary”Today you:
- Learned D major, A major, and E major scales — 2 octaves, hands together
- Understood the sharp key signature pattern (F# C# G# D#)
- Introduced contrary motion scales in C major
- Played a D major scale etude with both hands
- Began speed building on C and G major (60-80 BPM)
- Explored scale “colours” and attempted your first scale-based improvisation
Self-Check Questions
Section titled “Self-Check Questions”- How many sharps does each key have? D major: ___ A major: ___ E major: ___
- What is the RH fingering pattern for D major? (Hint: 1-2-3, then thumb under to…)
- In contrary motion, what direction does the RH move? What about the LH?
- What is the “speed rule” for building tempo on scales?
Practice Homework (Before Next Session)
Section titled “Practice Homework (Before Next Session)”- D major scale — 10 minutes daily. Both hands together, 2 octaves, starting at 50 BPM. Target: 60 BPM by end of week.
- A major scale — 10 minutes daily. Same process. Start at 40 BPM if needed — this has more sharps and may feel less familiar.
- E major scale — 5 minutes daily. Hands separate first if hands-together is too hard. Target: hands together at 50 BPM.
- C and G major speed building — 5 minutes daily. Metronome at 66-72 BPM. Push toward 80 if comfortable.
- Contrary motion C major — 5 minutes daily. Both hands starting on Middle C, moving outward and back.
- D major etude — 10 minutes daily. Hands separate, then together. Target: full piece at 72 BPM with dynamics.
- Total: ~45-50 minutes daily
Common Mistakes to Watch For
Section titled “Common Mistakes to Watch For”- Wrong sharps in D major: Every F and C must be sharp. If you play a natural F or C, it will sound immediately wrong — like a sour note. Train your fingers to go to F# and C# automatically.
- Uneven thumb-under: The most common scale problem. After your thumb crosses under finger 3, the next note often gets an accent (played louder). Practice the crossing point slowly and listen for even volume across all notes.
- Rushing the new scales: D, A, and E major are new to your fingers. Playing them fast before they are secure builds bad habits. Stay at 50-60 BPM until every note is clean and even.
CT-X9000IN Tips
Section titled “CT-X9000IN Tips”Metronome Speed Building
Section titled “Metronome Speed Building”Your CT-X9000IN metronome is your most important practice tool for scales.
Setting up the metronome for speed building:
- Press the METRONOME button
- Use the +/- buttons or the dial to set the tempo to 60 BPM
- Press START to begin the click
Speed building protocol:
- Start at 60 BPM. Play the scale 4 times cleanly.
- Increase by 4-6 BPM (to 64 or 66). Play 4 times.
- Increase again. Continue until you find your limit — the tempo where you start making mistakes.
- Back off 4 BPM from your limit. This is your practice tempo for the week.
- Next week, start from that tempo and push higher.
Target tempos for this course:
- By Session 5: All new scales at 60 BPM hands together
- By Session 10: All scales at 80 BPM hands together
- By Session 25: All common major scales at 80-100 BPM hands together