Removing barriers to practice is essential for the success of any piano teacher. And, as teachers are usually working with young children, it’s important to make home piano practice as “kid-friendly” as possible.
One aspect of home practice that can present a problem is scale work. Writing “G Major, Hands Separately” on a lesson assignment page indicates to your students what you want them to do, but it doesn’t help with how you want them to do it. This can result in students who flounder or inadvertently reinforce poor practice habits.
When brainstorming “kid-friendly” ways to ensure effective scale practice actually happens, Trevor and I came up with “Visual Scale Packs”. Not only do these resources help your piano students remember exactly what “G Major Scale” means… but they provide a fun method of tracking progress as they learn the scale, practice it hands together, and then memorize it!
So, if you’re looking for a way to help your piano students with scale practice at home, check out the freebie printable we’re sharing today!
Visual Scale Packs (Set #2)
We previously shared a Visual Scale Pack for C, G and D Major scales. Today we’re sharing a scale pack that contains A, E, and B Major. See below for download instructions for both (and stay tuned for more to come!)
Here’s how you can use your Visual Scale Packs:
- Print out a scale package for each of your students.
- Send a visual scale page home with your students that you would like them to practice.
- Together, set a goal for your students to be able to play each scale in contrary motion, hands together and from memory,
- As your students complete their goals, have them color in the lettered stars above the corresponding label on the scale sheet.
- Repeat steps 2-4 for each major scale you would like your students to learn.
- Re-visit “completed” scales often to encourage continual practice.
Our scale packages provide a visual representation of one-octave major scales in RH and LH. They include suggested fingering for both ascending (read left to right) and descending (read right to left).
What is Contrary Motion? If you are unfamiliar with contrary motion, read on! Playing scales in contrary motion is a great way to solidify fingering and knowledge of accidentals as your hands are playing a “mirror image” of each other. Begin with both thumbs sharing the tonic of the scale. LH then plays the scale descending while RH plays the scale ascending. Once you reach the tonic with your 5 fingers, reverse direction (LH ascending while RH descending). Your thumbs will once again meet on the tonic.
Where To Find Today’s Printable
Click here or on the image above to download today’s Visual Scale Pack (A, E and B Major). While you’re there, be sure to download the previous package containing C, G and D Major. Stay tuned for more scale packages to come!
Did you know… we’re just weeks away from releasing our first WunderKeys Primer Book! If you’ve been happily using our freebie WunderKeys printables, then you’ll be stoked to find out that we’re taking our creative approach and applying it to the method book world!
Perfect for brand new beginners, or for graduates from our WunderKeys Piano for Preschooler series, this NEW Primer-Level method book is the motivating, low-to-no prep resource you’ve been waiting for. It’s jam-packed with engaging illustrations, hilarious dialogue, a unique scaffolded approach and a one-book, “all in one” design! Join the 3,000 other teachers our WunderKeys Facebook Group to be “in the loop” as we near the release date!
Elaine says
Brilliant – thank you so much, this is perfect timing. And I know I’ve said too many times on Facebook but I am SO excited about your primer book – I just can’t wait!
Have a lovely day 🙂
Andrea says
Wonderful! So glad you can use these scale packs, Elaine! We’re so excited about the Primer book too! We can’t wait to share it with you 🙂 Thanks for your kind words.
Lindsey Williams says
SO great. These are a lifesaver!
Andrea says
So glad you can use them, Lindsey! More to come 🙂
Janet Maass Fitz says
Super Awesome! But is the link to pack 2 (A, E, B Major) broken? I can only see Visual Scale Pack 3 (C, G, D Major)…
Eric Ng says
Interesting! I’m going to try this! Always looking for a way to make scales more fun for my students.