Learn Violin Online with Online Violin Teacher Meghan Faw Lesson 13/15: Advanced Scales

In this lesson, you’ll be learning 3 new scales that incorporate the new finger placements learned in the last lesson.

2 Octave G Major Scale

If you’ll recall, we learned a 1-octave G Major scale in the first scale lesson. The two octave version of the scale requires the use of the low 2nd finger on the A and E strings. Additionally, we will practice each of these scales using the fourth finger instead of open strings on the way down.

1 Octave D minor scale

There are 3 types of minor scales: natural, harmonic and melodic. In the natural minor scale, you simply play the notes indicated by the key signature. In the harmonic minor scale, you raise scale degree 7 on the way up and down. Scale degree refers to the order of the notes in the scale, so scale degree 7 is the 7th note in the scale. In the melodic minor scale which is the one we’ll be learning, you raise scale degrees 6 and 7 on the way up and lower them on the way back down. In the case of d minor, we’ll play B natural and C # on the way up and B flat and C natural on the way down.

This scale will utilize the low 2nd and low 1st finger.

2 Octave B Flat Major Scale

B Flat Major has two flats, B flat and E flat. In this scale, we’ll use a low 2nd finger on every string, a low 1st finger on every string, and low 4th fingers on A and E strings.

Be sure to download the sheet music for extra practice.