How do I practice a fast scale run?

By the RepeatWatch team · Updated

Quick answer

Loop the scale run with the beat before it and the note it lands on, slow it to 0.5–0.6×, and group the notes into fours or threes so each group starts on a beat. Play until three loops are clean, then let the speed trainer add 0.05× every three loops up to full speed.

Try this now: loop a run at 0.5× and accent the first note of every group of four. Then loop it at 0.7× with the same accents. Do the groups still land on the beat?

How to practice a scale run with the Loop Ladder

  1. Include the landing. Set A on the beat before the run and B just after the note it lands on. The landing note tells you whether you were in time.
  2. Slow it to 0.5–0.6×. Slow enough to hear every note separately. The pitch stays the same, so you can check each one.
  3. Group the notes. Count the notes and split them into groups of four, or three for triplets. Accent the first note of each group.
  4. Vary the rhythm. At the slow speed, play the run long-short, then short-long. It makes every finger change deliberate.
  5. Climb the ladder. Speed trainer: Step +0.05×, Every 3 loops, Goal 1×. Set a 1 s Pause between loops so you start each pass relaxed.
  6. Put it back in the piece. Move A back two bars so you approach the run from the music around it, then save it as a section.

Try it on an example: open Pianote's full play-along scales lesson with a 15-second loop already set at 0.75×.

Try it on an example

5 common mistakes

  • Practicing the run without its landing note, so you finish early or late.
  • Treating the run as a blur of notes instead of groups that start on beats.
  • Raising the speed when the run is only almost clean.
  • Tensing up to go faster, which makes the notes uneven.
  • Always starting from the first note, so the end of the run gets the fewest repeats.

Frequently asked questions

How do I play scale runs faster?

Build speed from clean repeats at a slower tempo, raised in small steps. Practice in note groups, accent the first of each, and only increase the speed after several clean loops.

What is a good speed step for a scale run?

0.05×, or 5%, every three loops is a gentle climb. If the run falls apart after a step, go back one step and stay there for a few more loops.

Why does the end of my run fall apart?

Usually because you always start from the top, so the last notes get fewer repeats. Loop the second half on its own, then the whole run again.

Sources