Fun With Scales; The Building Blocks of All Western Music

The Art of Practice, Part III.

Not much is known about the ancient philosopher, mathematician and cult leader Pythagoras but we do have him to thank for a few basics of math and music. He connected music to math and devised a mathematical method of tuning instruments based on a series of pure fifths.

This tuning method was not tempered so to our modern ears it would sound pretty damn awful. However it did carry over to today in another form – as the circle of fifths.

For any musician, knowing scales and the circle of fifths is akin to knowing how to breathe and eat. For horn players it is particularly useful as a reference chart when relating our F-based instrument transposition to concert-pitch.

[A side note: a very cool interactive circle of fifths may be found here.]

Scales are essentially the building-blocks upon which the majority of Western music is constructed. A thorough knowledge of scales relates to recognizing patterns in music and most importantly, to sight-reading.

On almost every regional or all-state band and orchestra audition, or any college audition, students are required to perform scales and sight-read.

In short:

KNOW YOUR SCALES!

Theme and Variations

Like long tones, a dynamic approach can help to keep scales fresh and interesting. As a huge proponent of multi-tasking I incorporate as many diverse elements as possible into scale practice – to stir the musical spirit and to get more done in less time.

Some ideas:

• Utilize the circle of fifths. Rather than practicing scales in alphabetical order, try them in the circle of fifths order.
• Improvise rhythmic, dynamic and articulation variations and apply them to your scales.
• Practice scales in skipping thirds, and for an additional challenge, other interval skips.

• Perform scales as a melody, mixing rhythms, dynamics and articulations to emulate different styles, historical eras or moods.

• Play very slow scales in whole notes, in effect combining long tones and scales into one comprehensive exercise. In his Practical Guide, Milan Yancich called this method the “Great Scale.”
• Download the free notation utility Finale Notepad – invent and printout your own scale exercises.

The basic idea here is to mix-and-match and to challenge yourself to perform the daily scale routine as musically as possible. A scale routine need not be a mundane task like taking your vitamins; with a little creativity it can actually be fun.

Hard-copy scale studies and methods are of course available for purchase, including:

1. Pares Scales: Daily Exercises And Scales for French Horn

   A basic primer published by Carl Fischer with sections devoted to each key. According to Amazon.com this is out-of-print, but a copy might be found at RobertKingMusic.com.

2. Schantl: Grand Theoretical & Practical Method for the Valved Horn
   A long and verbose title, but a good method that I learned in college.
3. Arban: Complete Method
   An exhaustive method with hundreds of scale variations covering a myriad of technical skills. Utilizing transposition skills can overcome its shortcomings of limited keys and range.
4. Clarke: Technical Studies for Cornet
   Noodles and finger-twisters.

If you have any other suggestions or comments, please post some below.