Scales and Arpeggios

Scales and arpeggios are the building blocks of all tonal music and we could all spend more of our practice time on them!

To help everyone practice and master major and minor scales on cello, I have made scale sheets in 1, 2, and 3 octaves. I designed them to be accessible to a diverse set of learners, so there are no fingerings written in the music. Need help with fingerings? Check out these videos

All these PDFs are formatted for use on a tablet or to print on US letter or A4 paper. Feel free to download or print any or all for your own use, or to pass on to other cellists as they are available with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.

1 Octave

There are 4 sets of 1 octave scales sheets available. The first is in letter notation and has scales and arpeggios in keys up to 3 sharps and flats. The others are in modern staff notation and are grouped by how high they are on the cello. Practicing one octave at a time on different parts of the instrument is a great way to hone your skills, particularly for those who have trouble maintaining focus.

2 Octaves

The 2 octave scales and arpeggios sheets have major and minor scales in keys up to 3 sharps and 3 flats.

3 Octaves

The 3 octave scales and arpeggios sheets have major and minor scales in keys up to 6 sharps and 6 flats.

Would you like help with your scales? Schedule a FREE trial lesson!