Grade 1 Scales and Broken Chords

For those who are taking the graded exams, scales is one of the requirements of the exam. For a young child, these may not be easy to learn as they all sound the same but consists of different groups of black and white keys. Students not only need to remember the correct notes for each scale, but also need to practice with the correct fingering. Practicing with the correct fingering will allow you to remember the scale fingering and notes easily (most scales have the same fingering) and to avoid playing the wrong notes. The correct fingering may not be the most convenient fingering, thus students need to resist the urge to use the most convenient fingering or to play faster than he/she can control with the correct fingering. Therefore, for young children, it is always advisable for the parents to learn so that they can guide their children at home.

To aid in the learning of scales, you may also like to print out Scales Checklist G1

For the scales and arpeggios syllabus of other grades, please click here

Do check the whether it is supposed to be played 1 or 2 octaves, hands together or separately (as indicated above each scale)

*Note that for A minor and D minor, only harmonic minors are shown here.
For melodic minors, please go to this page All Minor Scales (melodic)

C Major Scale

Hands together, 1 octave only
Right Hand:

Left hand:

C Major Scale Video



Hands separately, 2 octaves
Right hand:
scale_GmajRH2
Left hand:scale_GmajLH2

G Major Scale Video


Hands separately, 2 octaves
Right hand:
scale_FmajRH2
Left hand:scale_FmajLH2

F Major Scale Video


Hands separately, 2 octaves

Right hand:scale_AminRH2
Left hand:
scale_AminLH2

A Harmonic Minor Scale Video


Hands separately, 2 octaves
Right hand:scale_DminRH2
Left hand:scale_DminLH2

D Harmonic Minor Scale Video


Hands together, 1 octave, starting with thumbs on middle CG1 contraryscale_Cmaj

C Major Contrary Motion Scale Video


Hands separately, 1 octave
Right hand:
G1arpeg_GmajRH
Left hand:
G1arpeg_GmajLH

G Major Arpeggio Video
*note that for grade 1 you are only required to play this arpeggio 1 octave


Hands separately, 1 octave
Right handG1arpeg_AminRH
Left hand
G1arpeg_AminLH

A minor Arpeggio Video
*note that for grade 1 you are only required to play this arpeggio 1 octave

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*updated in 2024

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