Fwd: [Harp-L] Theory of scales

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

> On Dec 8, 2006, at 12:29 PM, Vern Smith wrote:
>
> > Scales and arpeggios are the building blocks of melody.  Look at  
> > any tune and you will find that most often successive notes are  
> > either the next note up or down the scale (major or minor seconds)  
> > and frequently up and down the arpeggio (major or minor thirds).   
> > Practice of the diatonic scale or arpeggio chords, particularly in  
> > keys other than the key of the harp, gives you a reflex memory of  
> > where the whole and half steps occur.
> >
> > I envy those of you who can play by ear in any key on a C  
> > chromatic.  I once asked a player who could do this how he learned  
> > and he said, "By playing a million scales in every key!"
> >
> > Scales are exercises.  The traditional way of dividing practice  
> > time is: 1/3 for exercises, 1/3 for new material, and 1/3 for  
> > polishing the repertoire.
> >
> > Vern
>
> OK, I was watching  The Avaitor and Moonglow was playing. I happen  
> to know it is in Eb because I used to play it on clarinet or sop- 
> sax. I would use F fingering. On a Bb based instrument this yields Eb.
>
> Fortunately I had a G chromo handy and so I played along. I had to  
> use ...da da....Ab, in order to replicate Eb. p.s. I am not too  
> familiar with Ab.
>
> OK, I 'could' do Ab scales ad infinitum, but I don't believe in  
> them. I would rather take a piece of music and do it in another key  
> on another chromo ultimately arriving at a third terminal key. Its  
> more fun (and less boring) for me to learn that way. That's why I  
> can pick up any keyed chromo and not feel lost. Some people tell me  
> they can't I guess their ears are 'locked in'.  M A Y B E because  
> of scales? I dunno? Wish I did.
>
>  Now when I say I don't believe in something, no one should get  
> concerned. It doesn't mean that such a thing doesn't exist OR isn't  
> the correct thing to do. It merely means that to me, it is a non  
> sequeter. This would come under the famous 'In MY opinion' range of  
> thought.
>
> Wednesday nite we returned to the Harborside marina & rest. for our  
> famous 46 YEAR jam session and I played every tune on a chromo  
> tuned to a different key than the tunes (Oh, except 'Wonderful  
> World'), As for playing everything on a C chromo, I don't believe  
> in it. Sometimes its fine, sometimes it's a drudge. Have some fun.  
> Try to play 'Sleighride' in any of the various 12 keys. You will  
> find that the easiest way to get it is in Db fingering.
>
> Now try Take 5. Easy as pie in Dm, TOUGH in Ebm. It IS originally  
> in Ebm. Ok, that's fine for a sax player (which is what it's  
> usually played on). It's done in F fingering with the minor notes  
> thrown in. Try it on chromo. Yeah, good luck with THAT.
>
> p.s.... I also don't believe in the Civil War, Religion, Rap Music,  
> Burial, Hunting, Abraham Lincoln, the Viet Nam Memorial, just to  
> name a few.
>
> smokey joe