Chopin Ballade No.1 – How to fix a tricky descending scale run

The Chopin Ballade No. 1 scale run is one of the most recognisable passages in the piano repertoire — and one that many pianists find tricky to play with confidence and evenness. In this short piano tutorial, I break down the descending scale run step by step, with practical tips to help you play it with greater confidence, evenness and musicality. 🎹✨

One of the things I find helpful is to slow the passage down and group the notes mentally while still keeping them even. This is purely a mental hack, but it can make a fast scale run feel much more manageable. It can also help to remember the underlying harmonic structure: here we have F7, followed by chord iv (notice that it’s minor, not major), then V and I in E-flat major.

As you build up speed, keep listening for evenness and clarity rather than simply trying to play faster. Practise slowly first, then gradually increase the tempo. Consistency is key!

🎥 Watch the scale passage in context of my full performance of Chopin’s Ballade No. 1.

(the descending scale runs occurs around the 7 minute mark)

Want to understand the theory behind passages like this?

📚All-In-One Music Theory books explain chords, harmony, Roman numerals and much more in a clear, practical way, with resources covering Grades 1–5.