Fingerings for the 12 major scales – free course

Here are the standard fingerings (those used by most methods and conservatoires) for one octave, ascending. Each number matches one note of the scale, from tonic to tonic. To play several octaves, replace the final 5 with the finger that opens the scale (1 for the scales "like C") and start again.

Scale	Notes	Right hand	Left hand
C	C D E F G A B C	1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5	5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
G	G A B C D E F♯ G	1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5	5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
D	D E F♯ G A B C♯ D	1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5	5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
A	A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A	1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5	5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
E	E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ E	1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5	5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1
B	B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B	1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5	4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1
F♯ / G♭	F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯	2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2	4 3 2 1 3 2 1 4
D♭ / C♯	D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭	2 3 1 2 3 4 1 2	3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
A♭	A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭	3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3	3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
E♭	E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭	3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3	3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
B♭	B♭ C D E♭ F G A B♭	4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4	3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3
F	F G A B♭ C D E F	1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4	5 4 3 2 1 3 2 1

How to read this table

The five scales "like C" (C, G, D, A, E) share the same fingering: learn them first, in that order (one more sharp each time).
B major: right hand like C, but the left hand starts with 4 (a 5 on B would force the thumb onto a black key).
The flat keys (F, B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭): in the right hand, 4 is always on B♭. In the left hand, from B♭ onwards it is always 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 3, with 4 on the 4th degree (E♭ in B♭, A♭ in E♭, D♭ in A♭, G♭ in D♭).
F♯ / G♭ and D♭: these "all black" scales are among the most comfortable on the keyboard: the thumbs land on the only two white keys (B and E♯ in F♯; F and C in D♭), and in F♯ both thumbs play together… try it!
F major: the right hand is the exception among the white-key scales (1 2 3 4 on F G A B♭, to keep the thumb off B♭).

M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=72
K:G
%%staves {RH LH}
V:RH clef=treble
V:LH clef=bass
[V:RH] !1!G!2!A!3!B!1!c !2!d!3!e!4!f!5!g | !5!g!4!f!3!e!2!d !1!c!3!B!2!A!1!G |]
[V:LH] !5!G,!4!A,!3!B,!2!C !1!D!3!E!2!F!1!G | !1!G!2!F!3!E!1!D !2!C!3!B,!4!A,!5!G, |]

Exercise: one scale a week

Monday: right hand alone, one octave, slowly (crotchet/quarter note = 60), saying "4 on…".
Tuesday: left hand alone.
Wednesday: hands together, one octave. Spot the places where the thumbs do not cross at the same time: that is where accidents hide.
Thursday and Friday: two octaves, hands together.
Weekend: the scale in contrary motion, then move on to the next key round the circle of fifths.

Common mistakes:

Learning every scale at once and mastering none.
Neglecting the left hand, which is often slower to become automatic.
Speeding up before the fingering is fully automatic: you engrave the mistakes.

Tip: hands together, notice the moments when both thumbs play the same note (in C, on C; and in the middle of the scale going up or down). These meeting points are your beacons.