F Major Scale, Arpeggio & Chords

Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman, and in this lesson we'll be learning how to play a one octave scale
and arpeggio in F major.
And while we're at it, we'll also review all the diatonic chords in F major too.
Let's come to the piano to get started.
So here's our F major one octave scale, but you'll remember discovering when we looked at our ladder of fourths.
Every time we go up a fourth starting with C as our starting point, we're going to add a flat. So here in the key of F, we have one flat, B-flat.
Now with tetra chords, we'd play the scale like this:
but today we want to learn a fingering where we can play that entire scale with just one hand.
Let's start with our left hand today.
Go ahead and place finger 5 on F.
and the fingering for the left hand one octave F major scale is 5 4 3 2 1, then finger 3 glides over. 3 2 1
Let's watch that again.
3 2 1, then to come down, we have 1 2 3, finger 1 comes under,
1 2 3 4 5
Now, press pause and try that scale fingering for the left hand on your own, then press play to go on.
Now let's look at the right hand fingering.
You're used to a fingering that goes 1 2 3 and then your thumb comes under.
The problem with that fingering is, and you can try this, to get that B-flat your thumb is going to be very uncomfortable and awkward
to try to cross under to a black key.
So, we have an altered fingering for the F major scale, and that is going to be a lot more comfortable.
It's 1 2 3 4, then bring your thumb under. 1 2 3 4,
and you'll find that because we're using four fingers here, and then four fingers here,
you can get all the way up the one octave without ever needing your finger 5.
So 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, then coming back down, 4 3 2 1, 4 3 2 1. Because you're used to coming under finger 3, you'll have to really
make sure that you're careful here especially coming down.
There you'll be tempted to use finger 3. Make sure you cross over with the finger 4 so you have enough fingers to make it all the way down.
Now, press pause to try that right hand fingering out. Make sure you're using a finger 4 on B-flat both up and down.
Press pause to give that a try a few times on your own, then press play to go on.
Now let's look at the arpeggio.
Our fingering for the arpeggio arpeggio will be the same as other arpeggios we've done.
And that's 5 4 2 1 2 4 5 for the left hand, and for the right hand, 1 2 3 5 3 2 1
Let's go ahead and press pause again, and now let's try out the arpeggios.
Try your left hand, try your right hand, then press play to go on.
Now, let's do a quick posture check.
I want you to make sure that your bench isn't too close.
You'll find that your elbows will be crammed against your body,
and you won't have as much flexibility.
You need to scoot your bench out such that your elbows can comfortably float in front, slightly in front of your torso.
Also, make sure that your wrist is relaxed and flexible, but for the most part, level.
Also, make sure your fingers aren't buckling backward like this. Make sure your fingertips are firm enough.
They should be in a relaxed curved shape, but have enough firmness that they don't wobble when they play, like this.
so nice firm fingertips.
Bench in the right shape, wrist relaxed, nice tall back with relaxed shoulders.
So press pause one more time, and being very careful about your posture, try each scale and arpeggio once in each hand,
and then press play to go on.
Now let's go through the diatonic chords in the key of F.
Where would the I chord be in the key of F major?
Well, we just start on an F and build up by thirds. We skip up. Here's the third of the chord, here's the fifth of the chord.
You can try this in just one hand if you prefer, or you can try it in both hands.
Okay, so here's our I chord, and let's say this out loud. I chord F major.
Say that with me.
I chord F major.
Now, let's find the ii chord.
The ii chord is built on the second note of the scale.
So, if we're playing the scale, we go F, then G.
So our ii chord would have a G B-flat D.
Notice you might be tempted to play this, but remember B is not diatonic in the key of F. In the key of F,
there is no B. It's a B-flat. So wherever you would want to play a B,
play a B-flat instead when we're doing diatonic chords. So here's our I chord,
here's our ii chord.
So repeat after me. G minor ii chord.
Good, now our iii chord it's right here. Repeat after me. A minor iii chord.
Good, now when we come up another step remember, it's not a B, it's a B-flat. So you're going to have to shift your hands forward a little bit
so you can comfortably play that chord.
And repeat after me. B-flat major IV chord.
Then when we come up another step, remember there's no B so we go straight to C.
C major V chord.
Repeat af ...