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Advanced Scales Exercises

IGoddard

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My practise routine every day starts with scales and arpeggio’s, I simply run through everything I know. Whilst being rather mundane, this has been great in speed learning all the major and minor scales.

But now that I can comfortably run up and down all these scales I’m looking for an exercise to learn these scales ‘more’.

What does everyone do to learn scales in depth? Something fun and interesting would be refreshing :rofl:
 
My tutor had me playing each scale from starting note to 2nd back to start to 3rd note back to start (D Maj would be D-E-D-F#-D......) and working up and back down the scale like that. I also use each note of the scale as a starting point and play the scale so for C Maj use the notes of that scale and practice starting on D,E, F etc which means you are actually playing different scales :)

Also check out Volume III Intermediate to Advanced Patterns and Exercises and if you like scale exercises Otto Langey The Saxophone

Jx
 
I did a lot of this kind of stuff in the last decade of the last century.
Two of the books that I used were from Jo Viola - Volume I: Scale Studies and Volume 2: Chord Studies.
I got a lot more mileage out of the Chord Studies book.
Having said that there are a lot've different scales that you can play over any given chord.
Another book that I picked up at a flea market in those days was The Universal Saxophone Method by Paul DeVille.
I still use it, it's big that book - it's a cornucopia of methods for just about everything, from scales to chords to technical exercises to you name it - it's in there somewhere.
Then I did a lot've ii-V-I exercises plus iii-vi-ii-V-I exercises - I found good for training my ear to navigate through changes when I had no idea what was going on sometimes, and especially good for furthering my technical ability all over the horn.
I'm a Rocker and a Popper rather than a Jazzer but - Add to the list The Charlie Parker Omnibook and learn to transcribe and transcribe anything that you would like to play and sound like.
Beg, borrow and steal, make a master plan and get on with it with a vengeance.
But never forget, bottom line you're a musician, get out there at every opportunity - blow yer horn and play some tunes.
 
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my best advice would be NOT to attempt too many different things at the same time. really nail one thing before moving on. Otherwise you never really get it. be patient. start slowly.

after dealing with up and down elements of scales, as you have, i would suggest getting in to intervals within those scales.

to start try to play them in 3rds.

so in c major its ce, df, eg, fa,gb, ac, bd, then finish/resolve it back to c

come down with same priciple ca, bg,af,ge,fd, ec,db and resolve back to c.

all keys. hours of fun !!

Did I say.................. dont take on too much at the same time. :)

if you can already do that, do it in 4ths or 5ths or 6ths, or 7ths etc etc But NOT before you have nailed the basic one in 3rds
 
Practicing what you know won't expand your repertoire. Don't overlook chromatic top to bottom, whole tone scales and diminished arpeggios. Starting from different places on a scale can be quite entertaining and educate your ear. And then there's all those modes :confused:
 
Something fun and interesting would be refreshing
For me this is the bible for creative scale learning:

Oliver Nelson - Improvisation - Patterns for Saxophone

Start slow and increase. First pick out those which suit you best. You'll be playing them all in no time!
And don't forget to eat your vegetables!
 
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