fbpx

DIY Piano Scale Spinners – Full Assembly Instructions

A while back I posted my grade 3 scale spinner, and as I got started on one for a grade 6 student I thought I might give more detailed instructions on how to put a spinner together, as well as include a blank template so that you can fill in whichever scales (or anything else you need to “randomise”) to suit your students.

Piano scale spinners

Piano scale spinners

The scale spinners are great to use in piano lessons, and for home practice, as they ensure that scales aren’t memorised in a specific order such as the order of sharps/flats. If you use these spinners your piano students will be scale wizards!

How to make:

Print

Download and print the grade 6 scale spinner  or the blank scale spinner. Note that you may only want to print one of the blank scale spinner colour-ways, depending on how many scales you want to include. Each circle has space for 33 scales/arpeggios.

Main spinner page

Laminate the main spinner sheet. Usually I would say laminate if desired, but the lamination really helps the spinner to spin smoothly, and I haven’t tried it without. If you’re using the blank version you may want to write in the scales before laminating, or you could laminate it blank and infinitely customise it using a dry wipe marker. Grade 6 scale spinner Punch a hole in the centre of each circle. Grade 6 scale spinner hole Grade 6 scale spinner hole

Arrows

If you would prefer to buy a pre-made spinner from a craft shop, you can ignore this section! Cut out the arrows. You will need one small and one big arrow per spinner page. Grade 6 scale spinner cut out arrows

Laminate the arrows and cut around them.

piano scale spinner laminated arrows Cut out scale spinner arrow

Punch a hole in the centre of each arrow.

Assembly

You can use brads to hold the arrow in place, however I have found that their “flatness” stops a smooth spinning motion. So I use pearl head pins which I bend to a right angle with a pliers, close to the head.  pins pliersOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Insert the pin through the arrow, through the main spinner page and tape at the back. Make sure to cover the point of the pin with the tape.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

Ta-da!

piano scale spinner piano scale spinner Finished piano scale spinner All done! Enjoy your new scale spinner! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.

IN SEARCH OF MORE SCALE GAMIFICATION?

Try these awesome scale charts with motivational stickers. Scale practice will never be a problem in your studio again.

Leave a comment

Item added to cart.
0 items -  0.00