What is your method to do scales?

[Arbel]

I've been curious how most people do scales here. I know everyone has a unique method and mine seems to be very inefficent as it feels like im half assing it.

I basically use my left hand for most scales, so if the whole scale is on the left side I'd be using my left hand only. I basically use my pinky and thumb and rock back and forth to do scales. This dosen't seems to work well but I've managed to get decent at it somehow. I'm curious how other people do scales cause I have seen other methods, I'd like to teach myself a better way as I'm stuck at a wall I just cant pass..

[Jeff-Tech]

Random or S-Random.

I can't do them at all...

[Arctures]

I tend to use my wrist and the base of my fingers underneath where the knuckle is. I've gotten about six callouses from doing this.

[Alex]

I've started just trying to use my fingertips and moving my hands really really fast. For stuff like Baroque Hodown it's entirely doable, and just a matter of practice before I can do some truly ridiculous stuff.

[Za Warudo]

Originally Posted by Dewgy

I've started just trying to use my fingertips and moving my hands really really fast. For stuff like Baroque Hodown it's entirely doable, and just a matter of practice before I can do some truly ridiculous stuff.

Same here. I've been getting in the habit of using my fingertips like if I was playing IIDX which I need to stop. Also, sometimes when I see an ungodly amount of scales, I'll slide my hand across the controller in an attempt to get as many notes as possible. I've been doing these since I started playing and old habits are hard to break.

[kappaiidx]

Don't half ass it and move your whole hand unless it's like 200+ bpm.

[duzzkiller]

Sometime I play mirror to practice both hands.
Super random?Not now.
I never play hidden nor sudden.

[Amp Divorax]

In my case it depends on the speed in question. Slow scales I'll do with one hand. In the case of faster scales like Rumble Roses EX (Which can be seen on the Top Ranker DVD) I'll usually use two hands on it with my left hand hitting the top buttons and my right hand hitting the bottom buttons. I can do that scale with one hand easily, but mainly do it like that for accuracy reasons.

The weirdest scales I've ever seen are the chorded scales in my opinion, but those are the best way to learn from what I've seen as it allows for practice with both hands.

[Arimasen]

Scales... ew. The only difficulty scale I've encountered (SPOILER: N00B ALERT) is the one in Far e@st network that keeps reoccuring. I first try the method of one hand per row and just moving down the board, but that feels weird. Then I usually try my normal method of one hand on each side of the controller. It usually works out better for me.

[Loserbait]

There are various methods that I've seen (forgive me if I sound like a moron here, but I've seriously noticed these four methods):
- One hand on top row, one hand on bottom row (doesn't matter which hand goes where just as long as you're comfortable). This is probably the easiest since there's less pressure on you to achieve perfect notes and you get less strain on a single hand. The only problem I find with this method (because I'm still not used to it) is that my hands bounce too much and I have to force them down onto the next buttons. Basically, try not to press to hard on either hand to prevent that from happening.
- Single hand; finger-palm. This method requires little finger movement. Basically, you position your hand as straight as you can and just slide it across the buttons where the base of your palm hits the lower buttons and the tips of your fingers hit the top buttons. Remember not to press too hard or the bounce back gets too much for you.
- Single hand; finger-palm alternation. This is the method I still use because you don't have to completely alter your hand positions during play. Basically, you use your fingertips to hit the top row and the base of your palm to hit the bottom row. You need a lot of speed to pull this off fast enough and a lot of flexibility and coordination to pull off the perfects. It's also pretty easy to alternate between hands.
- Single hand; hand-arm/elbow. A tough one, especially for taller players, but not so much for us short Asians :P Same as the technique above but DAMN you must have some skill to be able to perfect this one. Main point in using your elbow for easier difficulty scales is that you become used to it and are much better prepared for much harder difficulty songs in general.

[Daisuke-Niwa]

Originally Posted by kappaiidx

Don't half ass it and move your whole hand unless it's like 200+ bpm.

yep. for more info, watch the rumble roses EX vid from the topranker and watch how he does that beginning scale.

[Arimasen]

Just work of flexing your wrist and keeping your hand in almost the same position.