Major scales memorization

spencerkotulski · Regular Member Joined: 02 Dec 2018 Posts: 19

Can anyone give me some tips on learning the major scales? Also I’ve gotten advice to learn them in concert before Bb. Should I take that advice or learn all of them in Bb first?

HERMOKIWI · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2008 Posts: 2581

Practice, practice, practice. Up and down. Two octaves. Until they are automatic.

There are only 12 major scales regardless of the key of the instrument. It's easiest to remember the name of the scale if you associate it with the notes on your instrument. So, for example, our C scale (for our Bb instrument) starts on our C. If you think of our C scale as the Concert Bb scale (which it is) it still starts on our C but calling it the Concert Bb scale requires you to transpose in your mind to have the correct starting note of C on our Bb instrument.

Keeping things as simple as possible is a good idea during the learning process.
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Pete · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:47 am Post subject:

Just learn them on your Bb horn. Study Five of Clarke's Technical Studies is a great study for major scales, endurance and breath control.

Hermokiwi is correct on his advice.

Pete

Turkle · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:53 am Post subject:

They're like your multiplication tables that you learned as a kid. There's no secret to it. You just have to play them every day, over and over, until you have them nailed without thinking.

I used Coker's "Patterns For Jazz" book to learn my scales and arpeggios in every mode, but there are any number of alternative resources (Clarke, Arban, etc.) that will get you there as well.

Learn them on your Bb horn, in Bb first, absolutely.
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Benson · Regular Member Joined: 14 Feb 2017 Posts: 35

Hello,

I highly recommend researching the Ed Lisk natural learning process for scale mastery.

Say the notes (We'll choose A, well, just because):
A B C D E F G A G F E D C B A

When that is completely fluid, add the sharps
Say:
A B C# D E F# G# A G# F# E D C# B A

Say and Finger the notes as you look at your fingers (don't skip this step. It feels really silly, but it connects the mind to the body):
A B C# D E F# G# A G# F# E D C# B A

Play as you SAY the notes in your brain:
A B C# D E F# G# A G# F# E D C# B A

Move to D, do the same thing. NOTICE THE CHANGE IN THE PATTERN (remove the G#). Continue through the Circle of Fourth. I've worked with young high school students who learn 7 scales in just part of a lesson. Teach yourself all 15 scales, and yes, there are 15 scales - 12 finger patterns, 15 scales. Gb does not equal F#. I play scales in every lesson with my private students. We start with C# and end with Cb.

C#-F#-B-E-A-D-G-C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-Cb

Learn them ALL before you read them. Sound before signs. If you do it this way, reading them is a snap.

Hope this helps!
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kehaulani · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:31 am Post subject:

Another thing is to play "scales" in different intervals, ascending and descending, like: CEDFEG etc. and in fourths: CFDGEA etc.
See Arban
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mafields627 · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:41 am Post subject:

Find out if what you're learning them for wants you to know them in the Circle of Fourths (C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db/C#-Gb/F#-B-E-A-D) or the Circle of Fifths (C-G-D, etc), although you really need to be able to play them both directions and randomly.

Also, memorize the NOTES. Lots of my students can do finger patterns, but can't tell you which notes are sharp, flat, or natural. Practice writing out the letter names, then the scales on a staff, make flash cards for the key signatures, etc.
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cheiden · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 9:48 am Post subject:

It may also be useful to learn them on the piano. That may make it easier to see the pattern. It's also advantageous that you can work on them endlessly without worrying about chop fatigue.
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Andy Del · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:31 am Post subject:

There's many ways to learn your scales. Just have a look above. I have heard so many times kids just say they need to know their scales. They also needs to know WHY we need to do this!

What any player needs to realise is that 99.99% of our music is based in diatonic scales; therefore we must know our basic language, these scales, the intervals which make them up, the key signatures which create the intervals, etc.

It's simple, basic literacy. Specifically, musical literacy.

Just like the comments above, you have to learn the the key signature for each scale, in which ever method you choose, but you MST know it. As in E major = 4 sharps (and that automatically means they are F, C, G and D, as you know about the circle of 4ths and 5ths.)

Then you play them until you can play them without hesitation. How about creating a challenge for yourself? Or a competition with friends, for number of scales without error, or speed you can play them (we did this in high school), etc.

What is required is for the player to apply themselves to memorising them as fast as they can and at the highest possible standard they can. Most kids will just go through the motions and never learn a thing.

Pity that...

cheers

Andy
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BraeGrimes · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:54 pm Post subject:

TTSTTTS - Ionian Major Scale (T=Tone and S=Semitone)

This is a tangent, but I'm going to run with it:
I actually like the idea (though it needs a dynamic change in pedagogy and a shift in music philosophy) of teaching modes/scales around the cycle of fourths using the same tonic (or circle of fifths, or whatever you would like to call it) starting with the Lydian scale and adding a flat each time.

E.G; F Lydian (FGABCDEF - relative of CMaj) F Ionian (FGABbCDEF - FMaj) F Mixolydian (FGABbCDEbF - BbMaj) F Dorian (FGAbBbCDEbF - EbMaj) F Aeolian (FGAbBbCDbEbF - AbMaj) F Phrygian (FGbAbBbCDbEbF - DbMaj) F Locrian (FGbAbBbCbDbEbF - GbMaj)... then you add in the next flat and get E Lydian!

It's a great way to mix it up and I reckon it helped me get through scales a lot quicker...

CJceltics33 · Veteran Member Joined: 24 Aug 2017 Posts: 475

Practice Arban scales and arpeggios! This is a great way to get comfortable with your scales and keys.

dershem · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 7:03 pm Post subject:

Playing scales is like walking - no, it's like standing up. You need to have your scales at hand like you need to be able to walk to get anywhere.

Play all of them so often that your hands and your chops do them without thinking. Then go to your 3 minor scales. then play them from different modal points. Then play them out of order, like kehaulani said - 1,3, 2, 4, 3, 5, 4, 6... and that kind of thing. Play your intervals up and down in every key. Learn to jog and then run in every key.

Then you'll be ready to do other things without as much stress. Don't just stand up, don't just walk - dance!
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gwood66 · Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:31 am Post subject:

My list of top methods for learning scales in order:

1. Clarke #2 - (Once you get these exercises down surprisingly you will know your major scales)
2. Clarke #5 - (start by playing the first two lines of exercises 87-98, when you have that down add the second two lines)
3. Arban Scales and Intervals - (scales are completely written out for every key on the Eric Bolvin website.)
4. Lowell Little's Know your Trumpet - (QPress website)
5. Rich Willey's Scale Force - all scales and intervals

Arban and Clarke are free methods that have stood the test of time. Start at a tempo that you play them 100 percent correct so that you do not reinforce wrong fingerings. (trust me on this one)

4 and 5 are what I would call advanced scale and interval work.

JayKosta · Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2018 2:10 pm Post subject:

Ed Kennedy · Heavyweight Member Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Posts: 3187

In jazz studies with Joe Daley we played major scales: Ascending (from low) F#, Descending G, up Ab, down A, up Bb, down B, up C, down Db, up D, down eB, up E down F, up F#, down G, up Ab, down A, up Bb, down B, and up C (second leger line). down C (high to middle) up B, down Bb etc. Practice accurately and increase speed as able.
S a kid I learned the scales through repitition.