Semitones are slippery characters! It's a challenge to keep track of them, but they're essential for filling out melodic lines and adding color to chords.

Regular, dedicated work with semitones will develop your aural skills, and these pattern-based finger drills will challenge you to precise listening and thinking.

Download the PDF for the Scale City Chromatic Scales here.

Chromatic scales at intervals

Of course, the intervals you'll want to practice moving chromatically are the harmonious ones - thirds, tenths and sixths.

Major tenths

Prepare for chromatic major thirds by inserting an octave 'breathing room' first.

Major thirds

The major third is such an essential interval, it's imperative to be able to recognize it anywhere and move it seamlessly around the keyboard.

Minor tenths

Prepare for chromatic minor thirds with minor tenths first.

Minor thirds

Now the minor thirds. This is very 'close quarter' work. Just accept having the hands rub alongside each other.

Minor sixths

Although the interval is a minor sixth (eight semitones), what you hear is major C scale played in chromatic sixths.

Major sixths

Because we tend to listen to the top note of any interval or chord, what you hear here is some type of C minor scale.

Vary your practice different rhythms - group the notes in triplets, for example (stress in threes), play different groupings in the different hands.

You should be able to play all these patterns over two octaves, comfortably, and ideally, starting from any (major/minor/10th/3rd/6th) interval on the keyboard. Remember - its the same fingers on the notes, wherever you start!

Then go on to the next page - chromatic scales at changing intervals.