It is necessary to have a musical vocabulary in order to create music.
Just as one must know words to state thoughts, so must one know the vocabulary of music aurally and orally before improvising.
Just as one must be able to THINK and WRITE words, phrases and sentences before expressing thoughts on paper, so must one be able to HEAR, THINK, and WRITE notes and know how to organize them into patterns, phrases, and forms in order to compose.
As you should know, I have always emphasized the study of scales and arpeggios to learn to play piano.
Occasionally, a student will write me declaring that they already know their scales!
I smile to myself, knowing that they probably can't play the scales in the manner I'm going to teach you today.
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How to Practice Scales
Your goal should be to ultimately play a scale four octaves!
But today, I'm going to share an approach that will enhance your playing in ONE session.
IMAGINE what you'll sound like if you practice this way all the time... you'll be a "beast!"
If you practice your scales or a scale in the following manner daily for at least 15 to 30 minutes, you'll be a different player in ONE week!
Are you ready? Leg's go:
- Choose a comfortable tempo (40 or 60 beats per minute on your metronome or count).
- The attached scale model is in C Major. DO NOT be confused by the notation. it's written two octaves below middle C. Just make the necessary adjustment on your keyboard to be able to play it FOUR octaves!
- Play the C Major scale one octave (ascending and descending).
- Once you return to the C note, play the C Major scale two octaves by dividing the beat in half!
- Once you complete your descension from two octaves, play the C Major scale three octaves by dividing the best using "triplets!"
- Lastly, play the C Major scale four octaves using 16th notes. That's right... you will be "squeezing" four notes into the beat!
Now... don't worry if you didn't understand the instructions above, because all you have to do is COUNT 1 2 3 4, to feel the pulse of the BEAT for the one octave scale; and continue to COUNT 1 2 3 4 and you will hear how the beat is sub-divided, when you listen to the audio references.
I attempted to embed (2) audio examples... one demonstrates the scale model at 60 beats per minute. And the other scale model is 120 beats per minute.
Your goal is to strive for 120 beats per minute. But this can't be done over night!
With continued practice your skill level will improve DRAMATICALLY!
Please Note: If 60 beats per minute is TOO fast, start slower. I don't care if it's slower then 40 beats per minute. DO WHAT IS COMFORTABLE FOR YOU!
If you don't have a metronome, then you MUST count out loud!
Now just imagine... if you practiced ALL 12 Major and 12 Minor Harmonic scales in this fashion daily,there wouldn't be anything you couldn't play with a little practice!
IF YOU CAN'T... you will still benefit from this FREE lesson, because everybody doesn't have the discipline to practice in this manner!
