How important are they anyways? I recently started taking lessons again and my teacher is making me do all theis theory and scale stuff. It`s really boring and I have no idea how it will help me in playing. Also does anyone have any suggestions on how to become a better sight reader?

Scales aren`t as important as theory, but they do a good job of getting you to memorize what, for example, B-sharp major feels like, and that would help in sight reading.

They also help your fingers get stronger. If you play all the scales 10 times each, you will definitely notice your fingers and forearms getting sore.

1. you do it for your exam
2. its good for you, you wont die from it

i used to be crap at sight reading but recently ive got better from PRACTICE...!!!!!! trust me it helps

In getting a sense of the tonality, and to strengthen fingers, as mentioned, scales come in useful. Also they helps fingers to familiarize themselves with the keyboard topography, so that they can find their place easily, which is important in sight-reading. Don`t practice scales mechanically, since this leads the mind to travel far away, which is a harmful habit. Concentrates yourself in every note. Don`t look for speed, but for a nice and level sound, same intensity for notes, same time between them, avoiding jumps, specially with the thumbs. So, practice separate hands first, to avoid that defects in one hand be hidden by the another. Get additional profit learning to play while keeping the hands totally relaxed.
It should be a goal to become a good sight-reader, so one doesn`t have to memorize everything. My teacher suggests to read from bottom to top, fixing the bass notes first. Do it slowly, be very patient with yourself if there is not much progress, and sight-read at least a piece every day. At a more advanced level, check the score previously looking for patterns.

Hi, I`m a self-teaching pianist and have started with scales. I have been singing for a long time but sitting down and monkeying with scales and chords has really made the piano light go on in my head. They are also getting me much more used to playing black keys and weaning me off of plain vanilla C-major.

How to make it more fun:

- Play the scale and then play the I, IV, and V chords or just monkey around and find some that sounds good to you;
- Think of it as a challenge: can you do it? It really IS challenging when you start playing both hands, etc.
- It`s even more challenging when you realize that there are two hands, times 12 major key patterns, times major and minor (and that`s just the melodic minor).

If none of this helps or gets you excited about scales, think of it as good practice that expands your knowledge of the keyboard which will help you improvise and play in different keys in the future. It`s shockingly helpful, esp. if you are in the habit of noodling after each run as I am.

Harvey, you could`ve just said C major. LOT simpler.

scales are good for finger and ear. scales are perfect food. if you dont play scales everyday you dont improve.you have to play scales 3 hours daily and then you will get amazin power.