Stage 4Scales & musicianshipLesson 64 of 70 · Repertoire
Scales and arpeggios to play
Your NOW set, gathered in one place to play. Each is one octave, first position, every note
fingered. Practise them with the six-step routine from How to practise a scale, and always
up and down.
G major
72 bpm
G major scale, up and down. Half steps at B–C and F♯–G (fingers touching). Listen for the ring on B, D and the top G.
72 bpm
G major arpeggio: open G, high 2 (B), open D, 3rd finger (G), and back.
D major
72 bpm
D major scale. High 2nd finger on both strings (F♯, C♯). The most resonant of your scales — two open strings as ^1 and ^5.
72 bpm
D major arpeggio.
A major
72 bpm
A major scale, on the top two strings. High 2nd finger for C♯ and G♯; the 3–4 fingers come close on the E string (G♯–A).
72 bpm
A major arpeggio.
C major
70 bpm
C major scale — low 2nd finger for F and the top C (half steps E–F and B–C). No open string on the way up, so use your ear the whole way.
70 bpm
C major arpeggio.
E natural minor
72 bpm
E natural minor — the same sharps and the same hand shape as G major, started (and ended) on E. Hear it lean toward E, not G.
72 bpm
E minor arpeggio — a minor 3rd on the bottom (E to G) is what makes it minor.
The dominant seventh of G
72 bpm
The V7 arpeggio of G major — the shape your hand makes at nearly every cadence. Try resolving the top C down to B and the F♯ up to G.