[Harp-L] Example of quick chromatic learning

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

For most of my students, I require that they learn to play chromatic
in all 12 keys.  What I do is start by laving them learn all 12 major
scales in one octave.  Then after they have done a whole bunch of
other fun diatonic work (about a year's worth in weekly lessons) we
begin by playing the 6 scales good for minor music on chromatic.
Aeolian, Jazz melodic, Dorian, harmonic, minor pentatonic and the
blues scale.

We start by playing the C major scale up and down the full chromatic.
Then we turn on the band in the box and jam over a song with a major I
IV and V progression.  Then we play the jazz melodic minor scale and
jam over a progression with a minor I and major IV and V.  Then we
play the harmonic minor scale and jam over a progression with a minor
I and IV and major V.  Etc.  We jam over using every scale over chords
that are diatonically related to that scale.

Then we start over in the key of G.  Then D, thru the entire circle of 5ths.

Then we start playing major blues.   We start with the dorian scale.
Add the flat 5th, flat 3 major 3rd combination, 7b 7 1 bebop scale
combination.  We go thru all 12 keys.

Then we arpeggiate major and minor I IV V progressions using all 3
inversions of the standard major and minor chords.

We do similiar things on the diatonic for positions 1 thru 5 and 12th.
 By the end of that the students are very comfortable playing in any
key on chromatic and 6 positions on the diatonic.

This is about a year long process.  I have led many students thru this
process and all improved greatly.

I asked Brad Trainham if I could point him out as an example and he
agreed.  He started out not having any chromatic experience and now
loves it and invariably plays music on it that I enjoy more than my
own playing.  To be fair, Brad came to me with years of singing and
guitar playing experience, perfect pitch and an decent diatonic player
to boot.  But most of my students are complete beginners and almost
all come out of the process at performance level.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com