This page will help you master one-octave major scales in F and B.

This is the fourth in this series of five pages. Work through the first three pages first.

The Scale Fingering Groups

Take a moment to look at the scale fingering group information - it will help you get an 'aerial view' of scale fingering, rather than trying to remember the fingering key by key.

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 4+4, LH SFG2) and B (RH SFG1 + LH 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 group" - the
groups of two-handed scales with similar fingering.

NB: The diagram below - for reference - is for the single-handed SFGs, NOT the 2H/SFGs given above!

This is the 'Odd Men Out' 2H/SFG3 page, covering the F and B flat major scales.

These two scales find themselves together because:

One of the two hands has the 'regular' group-of-five plus group-of-three fingering (LH in F major, RH in B major)

The other hand (RH in F, LH in B) divides the notes into two groups of four notes.

Look at the key-specific keyboards closely to understand what is meant.

The F major left hand uses the 'regular' 5+3 fingering; the right hand has the 4+4 grouping.

The situation is reversed. The B major left hand has the 4+4 grouping, while the right hand uses the 'regular' 3+5 fingering.

The x5/x8 patterns

On this page, you use this collection of x5/x8 patterns.

F major

Have a good look at the key-specific keyboard (KSK) to identify the LH 5+3/RH 4+4 fingering groups. The right hand never uses finger five (RH5).

F major has one flat - B flat, which flattens the fourth of the scale.

B major

Identify the LH 4+4/RH 3+5 fingering groups on the key-specific keyboard (KSK). The left hand never uses finger five (LH5).

B major is also an 'All Blacks' key - it uses all five black keys, and can also be found in 2H/SFG4.

Now go on to cover the 'All Blacks' of 2H/SFG4 - or use the nav below to access any page in the series.

AND/OR ...

Once you're comfortable playing these one-octave scales in similar motion, you can go on to try the 2H/SFG3 contrary motion scales - where the hands go in opposite directions.