Does any of this sound familiar?

🎶 When someone mentions scales you fake a smile that says “OF COURSE I know all my major scales, don't you?” 😉😉 🎶 You can play through some of the scales, but the ones with more than 3 #'s or b's are probably kinda a mess.😬 🎶 You know you should know them but honestly, could they be more boring!?🥱 🎶 You think scales are valuable but you’re not actually sure why they matter.🤔 🎶 Scales remind you of your childhood piano teacher and let's face it, that wasn’t that fun...🙄 🎶 You can play through them, but you’re not sure if you’re using good technique or not.🤷🏻‍♀️ 🎶 You know the “easier” ones but when you get to the “harder” ones, you’re basically guessing what the key signatures are.🥴 🎶 You generally play 1 or 2 wrong notes the first time through a scale, then use your ear to correct those notes, and pretend it never happened.🫣 🎶 Correct scale fingering? Well, that's just a suggestion anyway right?🤨

Hey you adult piano player, I see you:

🎶 You’ve been practicing scales FOREVER, but they don’t seem to stick. 🎶Sight reading is painfully slow and you don’t know why. 🎶 Improvisation is only a dream that exists for “jazzers with cool hats”. Sound familiar? You’re not alone — and you don’t have to keep spinning your wheels!

Now Imagine…

🎶 You look at a piece of sheet music and immediately recognize the key signature and associate it with the scale 🎶 Your sightreading is faster, putting together full musical phrases at once, rather than reading one note at a time 🎶 Your hands automatically know where to go — no hesitation, no tension, no running into fingering roadblocks 🎶 When you make up a melody, you know with confidence the scale it comes from, and suddenly every note you add fits like magic ✨ 🎶 You can do a full warmup running through your scales, allowing your brain and body to settle comfortably and confidently into your practice session or performance 🎶 Scales are no longer boring or anxiety producing, but wait for it. . . they are FUN!

OK! So you’re ready to nail these scales once and for all!  . . . but you’ve got some questions. . .

“How do I undo old habits? (I’ve got a lot of them)" “This seems really hard, what plan should I follow?” “How do I keep all these scales AND fingerings straight in my head?” I know, there can be a lot of confusion (and anxiety) when attempting to learn your scales for the first time or coming back to them after many years. If you don’t have a plan to follow, it can be easy to make critical mistakes, get off track, lose interest, get frustrated and never end up at the finish line. Without guidance and support, it can be difficult to make any progress at all!

That’s why I’ve created my step by step course, Master Your Major Scales in 7 days!

Master your Major Scales in 7 days is a 7 day online video course that will show you how to approach each of your major scales, play with great technique, and understand and memorize key signatures and fingerings. The first session runs Oct. 20th - 26th, 2025. 1 Video Lesson will become available to you every day from Oct 20th - 26th.

$99.00

Say Less, Sign Me Up!

Comprehensive Learning

Master major scales with proper fingerings and key signatures

Daily Practice

Short daily lessons and guided practice strategies

Interactive Learning

Join the live group call On Thurs Oct 23rd to connect with your community and ask Ciara anything!

What people are saying

"I had so many 'aha' moments"

picture of dark haired girl lead singer of kitten around
“As an intermediate pianist, I needed a tune-up with my scales, and this class was exactly what I was hoping for. Ciara helps you understand the ‘why’ behind everything, and her clear, well-structured approach makes the concepts easy to grasp and the learning process fun. Her tips for orienting in each key and connecting the sharps, flats, and circle of fifths really tied it all together — I had so many ‘aha’ moments. I finished the course feeling more comfortable and confident in all the keys"
Laura B.

Lead Singer/Songwriter, Kitten Around, San Francisco, CA

Course Curriculum

11 Chapters · 21 Lessons

  1. 1

    Introduction: Why Scales?

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Why Scales?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to get the most out of this course

  2. 2

    Day One: C Scale, Normal Fingering & Technique Musts

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day One: C Scale, Normal Fingering & Technique Musts

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Bonus Exercise for 1 Octave Scales

  3. 3

    Day Two: Key Signatures, Circle of 5ths, + G, D, A & E Scales

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Two: Key Signatures, Circle of 5ths, + G, D, A & E Scales

  4. 4

    Day Three: Sharp scales with all 5 black keys - B, F#, C#

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Three: Sharp scales with all 5 black keys - B, F#, C#

  5. 5

    Day Four: All # scales out of order, + Introducing F scale

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Four: All # scales out of order, + Introducing F scale

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Live Zoom Group Call Q&A, 7:30 pm PDT

  6. 6

    Day Five: Bb & Eb Scale

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Five: Bb & Eb Scale

  7. 7

    Day Six: Ab scale, + Flat Scales with all 5 black keys - Db, Gb, Cb

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Six: Ab scale, + Flat Scales with all 5 black keys - Db, Gb, Cb

  8. 8

    Day Seven: All b scales out of order + ALL scales out of order

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Seven: All b scales out of order + ALL scales out of order

  9. 9

    Advanced Skills: Multiple Octaves with Metronome & Beyond

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Advanced Skills: Multiple Octaves with Metronome & Beyond

  10. 10

    Printable PDF Pack

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Day One Notes

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Two Notes

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Three Notes

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Four Notes

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Five Notes

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Six Notes

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Day Seven Notes

    8. (Included in full purchase)

      Technique, Fingering, Key Signatures, & Circle of 5ths

  11. 11

    We'd Love Your Feedback!

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Please fill out this short survey

What's Included in the Course

7 Video lessons (1 per day for 7 days), approx. 10 minutes each   *1 Group call with Ciara, Oct 23rd, 7:30 pm PDT Notes from each day's lesson Printable PDF Pack: Fingering Rules, Key Signature Memorization Tricks, Circle of 5ths, Technique Musts *1 Bonus Video: "Advanced Skills - Multiple Octaves with Metronome & Beyond" (25 min) 12 Month Access to the Course

*Bonuses (Only Available during the October 2025 Challenge) Oct. 20th - 26th, 2025

 Bonus Video: "Advanced Skills - Multiple Octaves with Metronome & Beyond" (25 min) Level up with multi‑octave practice, contrary motion, and increased speed without losing the fingering! Group Call with Ciara and your fellow scalers: Oct, 23rd, 2025 7:30 PDT Join the LIVE Q&A - ask questions and celebrate wins with the group! *Playback available* *these bonuses will not be included in the course after Oct. 2025*

Pricing and Enrollment

By learning through this online video course, you get huge benefits without the huge price tag. Learning the entire set of major scales from Ciara in private lessons would take a full year which would cost between $4-8K. The tools and resources provided in this course are worth so much just on their own…not to mention the support you get from the community, individualized feedback from Ciara in the group call, and the 25 min advanced skills bonus video! Plus you can access the videos for a full year, pausing, rewinding, repeating, watching as much as needed, and going back to them time and time again until your scales are fully locked and loaded in your memory and in your fingers FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! After the 12 months access, you will not need to view these videos again, you will KNOW THEM! (if you practice of course ;) And you get all of this for only $99!

 Now That's A Steal

I'm Sold!

$99.00

Let's Learn Some Scales!

Why Scales?

Scales are meditative — the perfect warm‑up ritual. Scales build agility, ease and control. Scales reinforce key signatures — making sight‑reading and improvising easier. Scales help you make intuitive fingering choices. Scales unlock songwriting and composition. Scales are the roadmap for every song you’ll ever play.

Why Now? The 7‑Day Challenge runs October 20th–26th.

October is Practice Month at McAllister Music Studio in San Francisco. You’ll be joining a wide network of students recommitting to scales this very week. Aka built‑in accountability and momentum. Just before the holiday rush — so you’re ready for recitals, carols, and family sing‑alongs. End the year strong with skills you’ll use forever. Don’t wait another 6 months stumbling through scales or avoiding them altogether. Join your community now and finally nail your scales. Enrollment opens October 8th and closes October 19th. The 7‑Day Challenge runs October 20th–26th. ⏰ Once doors close, they won’t reopen until next year.

Dont wait on yours scales any longer

Let's do this together!

$99.00

I'm IN!

Meet Your Instructor: Ciara McAllister

Hi, I’m Ciara. Let’s play some scales. Ciara McAllister is a San Francisco–based pianist, recording artist, producer, and founder of McAllister Music Studio. With over three decades of teaching experience, she has guided hundreds of adult students from their very first notes to confident performances on stage and in the recording studio. Ciara began her musical journey at age six, quickly discovering how scales unlock the entire language of music — from reading notes to improvising in a church band at just ten years old. She went on to earn her degree in Piano Performance, where she studied both classical and jazz traditions, and has since built a thriving career as an educator, songwriter, performer and producer. As the creator of The Musician’s Path, Ciara specializes in transforming overwhelming theory into friendly, doable systems that stick. Her students describe her as the teacher who finally helped scales “click” — turning them from mechanical drills into tools for songwriting, improvisation, and expressive playing. She designed Master Your Major Scales after hearing again and again from students who could play memorized songs but struggled with sight-reading, improvising, and understanding theory. Drawing on her professional background as both a performer and educator, Ciara distilled the exact process that makes scales feel musical, meditative, and fun — so every student can build the technical foundation they need to play with freedom. Whether she’s producing an artist in the studio, recording with her band Kitten Around, or coaching a beginner through their first confident scale, Ciara brings the same passion, helping musicians unlock their creativity by mastering the fundamentals that matter most.

Student Testimonials

Discover how our course is making a difference in musicians' lives

”
🎹 “I switched from 17 years of classical lessons to study jazz improv with Ciara. She makes tough concepts like chord structures and scales totally doable and fun.” – 
Victor A.

San Francisco, CA

”
🎶 “Ciara has been my musical midwife. She taught me how to use chords and scales, and now I’m writing my own music and working on an album. My lessons are one of my favorite parts of the week.”
Elizabeth O.

Acupuncturist, SF

”
✨ “Six months after starting with Ciara, I was freely improvising on the piano and writing my own songs. She makes theory clear and approachable.” 
Aaron K.

San Francisco, CA

✨ “Ciara is unlocking knowledge I didn’t realize was in my head. I’m learning scales, inversions, and finally accompanying myself on songs — something I thought would take years.” 
Heather P.

Vocal Coach, San Francisco, CA

”
✨ “I went from having no idea what a C scale was to writing and recording my own songs. Ciara has been there every step of the way, giving just as much emotional support as musical support.” 
Amanda S.

Fort Walton Beach, FL

”
✨ “Ciara is easily the most brilliant music teacher I’ve ever had. She doesn’t shy away from fundamentals — yes, there are scales and you need to know them! — but she keeps it challenging and exciting.”
Nowell V.

Sebastopol, CA

 You are right for this course if:

You have a desire, curiosity, or urge to master your major scales! You are a beginning - late intermediate pianist You KNOW you need some support and guidance with your scales You are curious about whether or not you are using proper fingering and/or technique You want a stronger understanding of key signatures

You are not right for this course if:

You have already mastered your scales (good job you!) You could care less about scales (well ok, then) You are confident in your fingering and technique You already play your scales in multiple octaves, contrary motion, and with a metronome You are a trouble maker and like to challenge authority ;) (I see you, but also, no thanks in this class)

FAQ's

Do I need a piano to take this course?

Pianos are great and also any weighted key keyboard works. 88 keys is ideal but you could get away with 76 or 61, however weighted keys is really what matters so you get the closest feel and action of a piano

I’m busy! What is the time commitment?

We know! Which is why we've made each video into bite-size pieces - approx. 10 minutes each day. You will want to practice while watching the video, pausing when directed to review the material that was just presented. This will take anywhere from 20 - 60 minutes per day depending on your level, experience,  and if the material is brand new or review for you. It's a commitment, but this course is designed for you to feel a sense of accomplishment in a week’s time.

What if I fall behind?

This course was created for you to do it in 7 consecutive days. But we understand that life happens! You will have access to the videos for 12 months so you can come back to them again and again.

 

Will this course help me with improvisation? 

This is not a course on improvisation specifically but  improvising is just creating melodies on the fly. So knowing your scales and key signatures will expedite this process significantly!

Will this course help me with sightreading? 

Yes! Again this is not a course on sightreading, but with an understanding of key signatures and fingering patterns  you will find that sightreading becomes faster.

Will this course help me with songwriting? 

Yes! Scales are the backbone of melodies & chords and knowing them can help you unlock new sounds when you are writing.

 

What if I can't participate right now but want to take the course?

Go ahead and purchase it now. While we want you to go through the program with your fellow scalers, you will have access to the material for 12 months from the date of purchase.

What if I don’t like it?

If you actually try the course and decide you don't like it, we will take your word for it and send you a refund within 30‑days of the date of purchase.

  Do I get support?   

 Yes! There is a group call on Day Four + optional private 1-1 with Ciara (extra cost) + the opportunity to connect with your fellow scalers while taking the course!

Ready to Master Your Major Scales?

Join now to gain confidence in your playing and unlock the full potential of your musical talent.

$99.00

Let's Go!