Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios

A New Approach - from Zero to Mastery

by KLAVIERONIN
 Introduction

This course aims to help students learn and play scales, chords, and arpeggios on the piano in all 12 Major & 12
Minor keys. It takes the student from the very first steps of finding and naming the individual keys on the piano
through to playing the full range of major and minor scales & arpeggios across multiple octaves, as well major, minor,
and 7th chords & arpeggios in root position and their various inversions.

My goal in organising this course was to make it as useful, concise, and interesting as possible. The culmination of this
course in Level 6 - Mastery, is three studies, one each for scales, chords, and arpeggios. These studies are to be
played in each of the major and minor keys. By doing so the student will gain an intimate knowledge of not just how
to play the various scales, chords, and arpeggios, but also how they can function within a musical context. The work
done in Levels 1 to 5 aim to prepare the student for playing the studies in Level 6.

Introduction to Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

This stage of the course has been designed to prepare you for Level One. It is intended for those who have never
played the piano or who don’t yet know how to read music notation.

Each exercise in this stage is presented in both music notation and in illustrations of the piano keyboard. Therefore,
you needn’t be able to read music notation in order to follow this stage of the course.

In each step you will build on what was learnt previously. You begin by learning single notes; first the “natural” notes,
then the “flat” notes, then the “sharp” notes. In the next step you add another note on top of each of these to make
what is called a “perfect fifth”. The perfect fifth is of fundamental importance in most music so learning these alone
will be of great benefit. From there, you fill in the perfect fifths with a third note to form the major and minor triads
(three note chords). Finally, you add two more notes to each of the triads to form the beginnings of the major and
minor scales.

You will notice at the top of each exercise there are five small boxes. Use these to keep track of your practice, crossing
out one box for every day you practise a particular exercise. When each exercises has been practised on five seperate
days you may consider this stage of the course complete.

How to Practise
The goal of this stage of the course is not to learn to play scales, chords, and arpeggios. It is, rather, to learn the notes
that make up the scales, chords, and arpeggios. It is designed to prepare you for learning to play scales, chords, and
arpeggios. Therefore, each exercise may be practised in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions;

1. Ascending (moving up the keyboard - from left to right),

2. Descending (moving down the keyboard - from right to left),
3. In random order,
4. Getting softer or louder,
5. With alternating hands,
6. With both hands together…

Any variation you can think of is a good way to practise, as long as you follow some basic rules;

1. You should play all the notes notated and highlighted on the keyboard in each exercise,
2. You should decide how you are going to play each exercise before you play it,
3. If you make a mistake, you should repeat the exercise until you play it the way you intended,
4. You should repeat each exercise or variation the way you intended at least three times before moving on to
the next exercise or variation,
5. You should name each note or chord aloud as you play!
 Natural Notes: ♮

A Natural: A♮ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



B Natural: B♮ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



© klavieronin.com 1 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

C Natural: C♮ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



D Natural: D♮ ☐☐☐☐☐


 




 


E Natural: E♮ ☐☐☐☐☐



 

 




© klavieronin.com 2 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

F Natural: F♮ ☐☐☐☐☐



 

 




G Natural: G♮ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



© klavieronin.com 3 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

 Flat Notes: ♭

A Flat: A♭ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



B Flat: B♭ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



© klavieronin.com 4 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

C Flat: C♭ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



D Flat: D♭ ☐☐☐☐☐


 




 


E Flat: E♭ ☐☐☐☐☐



 

 




© klavieronin.com 5 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

F Flat: F♭ ☐☐☐☐☐



 

 




G Flat: G♭ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



© klavieronin.com 6 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

 Sharp Notes: ♯

A Sharp: A♯ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



B Sharp: B♯ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



© klavieronin.com 7 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

C Sharp: C♯ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



D Sharp: D♯ ☐☐☐☐☐


 




 


E Sharp: E♯ ☐☐☐☐☐



 

 




© klavieronin.com 8 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

F Sharp: F♯ ☐☐☐☐☐



 

 




G Sharp: G♯ ☐☐☐☐☐


 



 



© klavieronin.com 9 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Level 0 - Preparatory Stage

 The Circle of Fifths

The diagram below is called the “Circle of Fifths”. It is a visual representation of many important tonal and harmonic
relationships in western music. While it isn’t necessary to know exactly how this important tool works just now, it is
well worth becoming familiar with

The exercises in this course have been organised based on the circle of fifths in order to help you familiarise yourself
with it. As you progress though the course you may begin to get a sense of how useful the circle of fifths can be as a
visual tool - at which point I recommend researching it further yourself.

© klavieronin.com 10 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

 Perfect Fifths

C-G Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐


 

 



G-D Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐


 

  



D-A Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐


 

 



A-E Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐





  



© klavieronin.com 11 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E-B Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐


 

  



B-F♯ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

 
 


C♭-G♭ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

  
 

 
 
 

F♯-C♯ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  

 

© klavieronin.com 12 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

G♭-D♭ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  

 

C♯-G♯ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

  
 

 
 
 

D♭-A♭ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

 
 
 

A♭-E♭ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  

 

© klavieronin.com 13 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

G♯-D♯ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  

 

E♭-B♭ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  

 

D♯-A♯ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

 
 
 

B♭-F Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

  


 
 


© klavieronin.com 14 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

A♯-E♯ Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  

 

F-C Perfect 5th ☐☐☐☐☐


 

  



© klavieronin.com 15 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

 Major Triads

C Major ☐☐☐☐☐


 

 



G Major ☐☐☐☐☐

 

  



D Major ☐☐☐☐☐


  

 

 

A Major ☐☐☐☐☐


  

  

 

© klavieronin.com 16 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E Major ☐☐☐☐☐


  

  
 
 

B Major ☐☐☐☐☐

   
  

 
  
  

C♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

 
  
  

F♯ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

  
  
  

© klavieronin.com 17 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

G♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

    

  

C♯ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

 
  
  

D♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

 
 
 

A♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

   

 

© klavieronin.com 18 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  
 
 

B♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

  


 



F Major ☐☐☐☐☐


 

  



© klavieronin.com 19 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

 Minor Triads

A Minor ☐☐☐☐☐




  



E Minor ☐☐☐☐☐


 

  



B Minor ☐☐☐☐☐


 

 
 


F♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  
 
 

© klavieronin.com 20 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

C♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

  
 

 
 
 

G♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

   

 

A♭ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

    

  

D♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

 
  
  

© klavieronin.com 21 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E♭ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

  
  
  

A♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

  
   

    

  

B♭ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

   
  

 
  
  

F Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

  
 
 

© klavieronin.com 22 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

C Minor ☐☐☐☐☐


  

 
 
 

G Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

 
  

   

 

D Minor ☐☐☐☐☐


 

 



© klavieronin.com 23 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

 Major Scales

C Major ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

G Major ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

D Major ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

A Major ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 24 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E Major ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

B Major ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

C♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

F♯ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 25 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

G♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

C♯ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

D♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

A♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 26 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

B♭ Major ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

F Major ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 27 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

 Minor Scales

A Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

E Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

B Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

F♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 28 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

C♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

G♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

A♭ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

D♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 29 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

E♭ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

A♯ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

B♭ Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

     
    

 
    
    

F Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 30 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book

C Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

G Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

    
     

 
    
    

D Minor ☐☐☐☐☐

          

 
    
    

© klavieronin.com 31 Scales, Chords, & Arpeggios - Preparatory Book