Re: [Harp-L] Theory of scales

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

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

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Philharpn@xxxxxxx>
To: <leone@xxxxxxxx>; <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, December 07, 2006 11:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Theory of scales


Scales are nothing but a reference point. They give you a feel for the notes
in a key.

Scales and arpeggios (more fun) are useful when the mind goes blank and you
don't have any charts in the particular key handy that you know you need to
know.

How many people have gone some place, business or medical appointment, and
ending up waiting and waiting but just happened to have a harmonica with 
them -- 
but ,,,, alas .... no charts....

Sales are arpeggios are like using folk songs to practice tone or any other
technique -- they are so obvious and easy to play (you can tell when you hit 
a
sour note) that you can concentrate on practicing your timing without 
worrying
about what notes you are playing.

The real problem here is that smo-joe and the iceman don't need to work on
their scales -- you could wake them up in the middle of the night (morning) 
and
demand they play the J scale and they could!

But anybody on this list who wonders about the value of scales -- probably
does. (The rest already know enough.)

... And somebody will come out of the woodwork to state absolutely that he
doesn't need any stinking scales, never used them and never will and anybody 
who
thinks anybody else who needs them also needs his head examined. GO figure.