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The F-sharp major scale on piccolo is the scale of the key of F-sharp or six sharps. This implies that its tonic note is F-sharp. F-sharp major is relative to the key of D-sharp minor, parallel to the key of F-sharp minor, dominant to the key of C-sharp major, enharmonic to the key of G-flat major, and subdominant to the key of B major. Below is a two octaves scale of F-sharp major on the piccolo and how it sounds;
How to play the F-sharp major scale on the piccolo, its notes, and finger placement chat
You can only play an F-sharp major scale of two octaves on the piccolo, being between the ranges of F♯4 – F♯6. You need to use a finger placement chart or a particular pattern to play the F-sharp major scale on the piccolo. Below is a guide and finger chart of how to play the F-sharp major scale on the piccolo;
First octave F-sharp major scale notes (F♯4 – F♯5) finger placement chart for piccolo
To play the first octave (F♯4 – F♯5) F-sharp major scale on the piccolo, you have to sharpen the F note, C note, G note, D note, A note, and E note. Your finger placement needs to be accurate to produce a perfect scale. Below is a chart for the first octave of the F-sharp major scale on the piccolo;
Second octave F-sharp major scale notes (F♯5 – F♯6) finger placement chart for piccolo
To play the second octave (F♯5 – F♯6) F-sharp major scale on the piccolo, you have to sharpen the F note, C note, G note, D note, A note, and E note. Your finger placement needs to be accurate in other to produce a perfect scale. Learning the scale might be hard for beginners. You will also have to tighten your lips to produce higher-pitched notes. Below is a chart for the second octave F-sharp major scale on the piccolo;
Concert F-sharp major scale
While playing the F-sharp major scale, or playing a composition written in F-sharp major for the piccolo in a concert, you will have to sharpen the F note, C note, G note, D note, A note, and E note. unless where indicated to be naturalized. This means that all notes except the F note, C note, G note, D note, A note, and E note are played naturally while playing this scale on the concert piccolo, Indian or Bansuri piccolo, Native American piccolo, pan piccolo, Arabian piccolo, and any other piccolo.
If you play an alto piccolo or any other transposable piccolo, you can play the F-sharp major scale without any transposition. But while running the F-sharp major scale with another instrument that is not transposable, you will then have to transpose to the right key in other to sound the same with them in pitch.
F-sharp major piccolo arpeggio
The F-sharp major scale can be played up to two octaves on a C piccolo, or the standard concert piccolo. The first note of this scale on the C piccolo is the F-sharp note on the first space of the treble clef which in the range is the F♯4.
The notes or alphabets that you will play to get this scale correctly include; F♯, G♯, A♯, B, C♯, D♯, E♯, F♯. The two-octave arpeggio of this scale has its notes as F♯, A♯, C♯, F♯, A♯, C♯, F♯, C♯, A♯, F♯, C♯, A♯, F♯.
Notable piccolo compositions in F-sharp major
- Study No. 14 in F-sharp major from 30 Studi, Op. 32 by L. Hugues
- Study No. 15 in F-sharp major from 24 Tägliche Studien, Op. 125 by A.B. Fürstenau
- Study No. 15 in F-sharp major from Studi per il flauto by N. Dôthel
- Study No. 17 in F-sharp major from 18 Exercises or Etudes for piccolo by B.T. Berbiguier
- Study No. 19 in F-sharp major from Méthode pour la flûte by L. Drouet
- Study No. 22 in F-sharp major from 40 Esercizi per Flauto, Op. 101 by L. Hugues
- Study No. 29 in F-sharp major from 30 Studies for piccolo Solo, Op. 107, No. 29 by S. Karg-Elert
- Study No. 40 in F-sharp major from 72 Studies for the Boehm piccolo by L. Drouet
- “Va’, pensiero” from Nabucco by G. Verdi
- Caprice No. 13 in F-sharp major from 26 Little Caprices, Op. 37 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 11 in F-sharp major from 50 Melodic Studies, Op. 4 by J. Demersseman
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Technical Studies, Op. 11 by E. Prill
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Studies, Op. 37 by T. Boehm
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Melodic Studies, Op. 110 by C. Kummer
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Etudes for piccolo, Op. 30 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Etudes for piccolo, Op. 15 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Etudes for piccolo, Op. 33, No. 13 by J. Andersen
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Technical Studies, Op. 12 by E. Prill
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 24 Caprice-Etudes, Op. 26 by T. Boehm
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 26 Exercises, Op. 107 by A.B. Fürstenau
- Study No. 13 in F-sharp major from 30 Etudes in all Keys, Op. 6 by E. Prill
