This page will help you master one-octave contrary motion major scales in the 'All Black' keys - D flat, F sharp (enh. G flat) and B majors.

This is the fifth in this series of five pages. Work through the pages in order!

The Scale Fingering Groups

Take a moment to review the two-hand Scale Fingering Groups (2H/SFGs) information, for an improved 'aerial view' of scale fingering.

The twelve two-handed major scales fall into four groups:

• '2H/SFG1*': C and sharp keys to E (RH SFG1 + LH SFG2)
• '2H/SFG2': Flat keys B flat to D flat (RH SFG3 + LH SFG4)
• '2H/SFG3': 'Odd Men Out' catch-up - F (RH SFG 3 [4+4], LH SFG2) and B (RH SFG1 + LH SFG5 [4+4]). 
  
• '2H/SFG4': the 'All-Blacks' (both hands SFG5) - D flat, F sharp (enh. G flat) and B majors.
  

*'2H/SFG' stands for "two-handed scale fingering groups" - the
groups of  two-handed scales with similar fingering.

Here is the original (separate hands) Scale Fingering Group (SFG) diagram for reference.

This page covers the 'All-Blacks' (both hands SFG5) scales - D flat, F sharp (enh. G flat) and B majors.

Note that there is some 'overlap' in the scale fingering groups, as you can see in the diagram above.

• 'All Black' (2H/SFG4) B major right hand is also an SFG1 scale;
• D flat right hand is also an SFG3 scale (thumbs on F and C);
• D flat left hand is also an SFG4 scale (3+4+1).

This is good news, as it mean there's more than one way to understand and remember the scale fingering!

2H/SFG4 scales - which white keys?

The 2H/SFG4 scales use all the black keys.

• Both hands play the group of two black keys with fingers 2 and 3;
• Both hands play the group of three black keys with fingers 2, 3 and 4.

These three keys each use a different pair of the available four white keys, according to these diagrams.

Watch the video describing the 2H/SFG4 ('All Black') contrary motion fingering.

The x5/x8 ConMo patterns

In this series of pages, you play these x5/x8 contrary motion (ConMo) scale practice patterns (SPPs) in all keys.

Aim to be able to go to the keyboard and play the contrary motion scales in this two-handed SFG from these patterns 'just like that!

D flat major

The All Black scales have fingers 2 and 3 on the group of two black keys, and fingers 2-3-4 on the group of three black keys (both hands).

All you have to remember is which white keys to use.

• There's always just one white key between the groups of black keys;
• You play all white keys with the thumb.

In D flat major, the white keys are F and C naturals.

D flat major also appears on the 2H/SFG2 page.

F sharp major

F sharp major uses white keys B and 'E sharp'. 'E sharp' looks like F natural, but it isn't - you can't have two 'F's' in the same scale!

You might find yourself playing exactly the same keys for music written in G flat major - the 'enharmonic' (= sounds the same) equivalent of F sharp major.

Here's the key specific keyboard.

In this case, one of the white keys is C flat - for the same reason as given above. The other is F (natural).

B major

B major uses white keys B and E. The contrary motion scales start with the thumbs sharing the middle tonic.

You might very infrequently find yourself playing exactly the same keys for music written in C flat major (B's 'enharmonic' equivalent), in which case the white keys will be written as C flat and F flat.

Before you go on, use the series nav to revisit the contrary motion patterns in the other 2H/SFGs.

Going on from here

You have now learned all twelve two-handed one-octave major scales in both similar and contrary motion, meaning that you can use the abbreviated one-octave major scale practice series starting here.