Athletes work out in the gym so they can perform at peak during games. As a piano player, you work out in the practice room. The chromatic scale is an excellent way to work out, and a tool you will fine useful for your piano skills toolbox.

Free download

Here’s the free pdf showing the entire exercise, with fingering: ChromaticScale.pdf.

The Chromatic Scale

The chromatic scale is comprised of all twelve notes of an octave. All you have to do is learn the correct fingering for both hands and apply to four octaves, up and back.

There is only one chromatic scale, regardless of where you start or where you end up on the piano keyboard.

As you probably know, each note of octave is separated by a distance of a half step, also called a semi-tone. (Western music is comprised of semi-tones.) On a piano, the two closest keys, whether white or black, are always separated by a half step.

For example, C to C# is a half step. E to F is a half step. And so on.

Whether ascending or descending, the chromatic scale always has the same fingering.

Quick Tips:

Hands	Fingering	Notes played
Both hands	Finger #3 (middle)	Always plays the black keys
Right hand	Finger #2 (index)	Always plays C and F (white)
Left hand	Finger #2 (index)	Always plays B and E (white)
Both hands	Finger #1 (thumb)	Always plays D,G,A (white)

Uses of the Chromatic Scale

Rhapsody in Blue, the famous Gershwin piece, includes a chromatic scale, as does Chopin’s Ballade in G Minor. You’ll find it useful in improvisation and in many other pieces as well.

What is your favorite way to use the chromatic scale? Post in the comments below or check out the related video on YouTube and let me know there.