Ugh, Scales! (Why Practice them?)

Not many students would call practicing scales fun (at least, until they become fluent in them). When I ask students why we practice scales, broken chords, cadences, etc. I usually get a blank stare, unhappy face, and a response that goes something like this: "Because... we have to?" 

Scales are an essential skill for every musician. They develop:

• A practical understanding of theory. In western classical music we have 24 keys: 12 major and 12 minor. When we learn a new piece of music, one of the first things we need to heed is the key signature. A strong understanding of the hierarchy of the notes in that key (tonic, subdominant, dominant, relative minor... as opposed to just "trying to remember the sharps and flats") will very much expedite the learning process. In addition, we can better recognize and memorize patterns and understand the relationships between various sections of the piece (e.g. relative and parallel keys).
• Easier performance of scales in music. So many pieces have scales and scale fragments built into them! Once we know our scales, it becomes so easy to identify and play the scales within the music. 
• Coordination between the hands. There is a variety of fingerings for scales, and there are also a number of different ways to practice the scales that will very much increase the independence and coordination of the hands and fingers. 
• Stronger and fast fingers: All fingers are used and none should stick out as being too loud or too soft. If you can successfully play a scale at a slow tempo, you're not done your job yet. Work (with metronome) on increasing your speed. Try a variety of articulations. Listen to your tone quality. It's limitless!
• Keyboard topography: The ability to find notes without looking at your hands is really essential. Scale practice develops a strong familiarity with  the keyboard layout.