Re: Importance of learning scales


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Posted by Free scales' source: on February 21, 2004 at 15:39:03:

In Reply to: Importance of learning scales posted by Rob McGray on February 20, 2004 at 23:16:37:

It has been some time since the scale topic has been up on this board in such a serious debate, the initiator being a troll or not.

After having heard complaints about scale practising being considered a hell, I wrote down the most essential of the scale modes in the fashion in which I practise scales myself without any music on the stand. This presentation by its nature has to be in music, but I most vehemently urge any user to learn these routines, so that they can be played by ear.

My routines are not original, as they are derived from the heritage of Western music, but they cut the practising down to the bare essential minimum. Which implies, that every serious low-brasser should be able to cover them within his/hers regular practising schedule.

If there would be any original element in the construction of my routines, then that it is designed to support the logical stepwise development of the range of players, which already are in command of the basic 2 octaves on their instruments.

The full routines cover 4 octaves on each instrument, for which they are designed: treble clef euphonium, trombone, Eb tuba, and BBb bass in the notation practise of the British brass band style. Plus bass clef notation for Bb euphonium-trombone-bassbone, F tuba, Eb tuba, CC tuba, and BBb tuba in bass clef.

The modes represented are major, minor (pure, melodic, and harmonic), Mixolydian (dominant seventh), and Dorian (minor seventh). These modes will take you a long way into classical music as well as into jazz, but certainly not all the way.

The basic idea is that all routines are related to the tonality of the instrument, which you play. Hence the tonality-name versions. Those doing the routines on a 5V F tuba as well as on a 5V CC tuba will discover, that the fingering progressions are exactly the same. Which however has not been a purpose in its own right. Rather I have founded my ideas on the fact, that each pitch of tuba has it own specific core range.

As a response to feedback on the first announcement of my routines, I can say this: some players find the low range on their F tuba and the high range on their BBb tubas fairly easy, whereas they have problems with the high range on the F and the low range on the BBb.

This is nothing to be ashamed of, as it just displays the very human affinity to go to the middle of the road. My personal experience is, that the optimising of the low range on the higher instrument will yield great benefits in mastering the low range on the contrabass. And the mastering of the high range on the contrabass will improve high range on the bass tuba. Personally I advocate using the same mouthpiece on all sizes of tubas, but that does not necessarily have a bearing for all players.

You can find the scale routines via the link given below here. And you can download them for free, when you have been approved as a group member. Please reply to the Welcome-mail at once.

The format is .pdf read- and printable from the free Adobe reader application. Please use your print dialogue box to print only the pages relevant to your instruments.

Klaus Bjerre of Denmark
Retired teacher

Free music files in .pdf format:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/YorkMasterBBb/
(Approved membership required)

Index over brass instruments gallery and catalogue scans:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/YorkMasterPublicPhotosIII/files/
(Membership is open for all)111111



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