#064: Spice Up Your Scales for Technique, Flexibility and Speed

Scales are so simple on the harp. 

Unlike on other instruments all our scales have the same fingering.

I remember being a young piano student and struggling with the fingering patterns that seemed different for each major and minor key. Those black and white keys caused a lot of fingering complications.

But on the harp, all our scales are fingered exactly alike. All the changes are in our levers or pedals, not our fingers. It couldn't get any easier. 

Ironically, this is the reason that many harpists don’t bother practicing their scales. After all, if they are this easy, what could be the benefit?

Scales, along with chords and arpeggios, are one of the technical building blocks for every harpist. In every piece we play, our fingers need to move sequentially, as they do in a scale. They need to play evenly, smoothly and musically. They need to play fast. And the single best way to develop that level of facility is by practicing scales.

So why aren’t you practicing your scales? Or are you practicing them but not seeing any improvement?

As with most things, there are more effective, and less effective, ways to practice scales. On this episode, I will review the most important basics of scale technique. After all, if you don’t know the right way to play a scale, practicing them wrong won’t help. 

Plus, I’ll share some ways to practice scales that will almost instantly add flexibility and speed to your fingers. Trust me, these scale patterns are fun!

Links to things I think you might be interested in that were mentioned in the podcast episode: 

• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to learn when new videos are ready for you.
• Related resource Are You Practicing Scales the Wrong Way? blog post
• Harpmastery.com

Get involved in the show! Send your questions for future podcast episodes to me at [email protected]