Re: [Harp-L] The Value of Practicing Scales [or not?]

[The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>]

When I teach students, I try to introduce scales/arpeggios as part of the musical language rather than something you practice up and down for an hour before making music.


In other words, take a major scale, add the ninth degree, and then play it up and down as one long line and start to hear it as a musical line - make it expressive rather than a dry exercise. When they slow this down and play it to a simple backing track (I, IV, V), it also allows them to hear "scale degrees" and how they relate to the chords.


I encourage students to make everything they play "music". It helps bridge or eliminate that gap between exercises and music.



-----Original Message-----
From: robert mcgraw <harpbob@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: macaroni9999 <macaroni9999@xxxxxxxxx>; harp-l harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, Sep 2, 2012 9:30 am
Subject: [Harp-L] The Value of Practicing Scales [or not?]



Music CaL wrote:
> Many would disagree that the "groundwork" is in the practicing of scales.
> There are many other starting points. Here some examples that many would
> consider as important or far more important in the initial development of
> harmonica musicianship and musicianship in general:
> 
> (1) Practicing arpeggios.
> 
> (2) Developing your ear and your mind's-ear-to-harp connection.
> 
> (3) Playing melodies that truly interest you.---I think there's a good bit of 
truth in what Music Cal [didn't you used to post under another name?] is saying 
here. I do think there's room for both; I would argue that practicing the blues 
scale in all 12 keys, the altered scale in all 12 keys [or call it jazz minor if 
you will], the whole tone scale, the harmonic minor scale, etc, can be useful, 
though as soon as the player has them "under his fingers" he/she should refrain 
from playing them up and down and simply improvise in each. There are several 
Jamey Aerbersold materials that can be useful for this. ---Something that I've 
been doing recently: every day I'll take one of the tunes I know and work it out 
in all 12 keys. This is  fun, and it seems to  help me understand the tune 
better, the various keys better. I suspect it may help with the "ear-to-harp" 
connection that Music Cal spoke of. That connection is essential.WVa Bob