Lesson Steps

Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

The C Major Scale

C Major Scale Overview

C Major Scale Overview
Keyboard Layout
Staff Layout
Key Signature	No sharps (♯), No flats (♭)
Notes of Scale	C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
RH Fingering	1 2 3 - 1 2 3 4 - 5
LH Fingering	5 - 4 3 2 1 - 3 2 1
Relative Scale	A Minor Scale
Parallel Scale	C Minor Scale

VIDEO: How to play the C Major scale on the piano

Visualize the C Major Scale layout on the keyboard

The layout of this scale is

Read the C Major Scale on the staff

This is what this scale looks like on the staff

C Major piano scale on the staff with fingering — Click image to enlarge

Play the C Major Scale with hands alone

Core positions

C Major Scale chart: Core Positions for the Right Hand:

C Major Scale chart: Core Positions for the Left Hand:

Play the C Major Scale with hands together

First sync point

C Major Scale hands together fingering chart

Second sync point

C Major piano scale hands together fingering diagram

Expand the C Major Scale to more octaves

Playing this scale in more octaves

C Major piano scale chart in two octaves on staff with fingering — Click image to enlarge

Avoid common mistakes in the C Major Scale

Common mistakes in this scale are

Other techniques related to the C Major Piano Scale:

Loren Fishman

Loren Fishman is an award-winning concert pianist who has been teaching in both private and university settings for over 20 years. He started Vita Piano as an effort to make professional piano instruction and resources accessible to everyone.