October 2005 Archives

During the last two sessions, we worked on major scales, minor scales, and cycle exercises, adding the element of chromaticism to our practice.  We practiced:

• major scales up (to the 9th) and down through the cycle of 4ths and chromatically (Cmaj, Dbmaj, etc.)
• jazz minor (ascending melodic minor) up to the 9th and down through the cycle of 4ths and chromatically (Cmaj, Dbmaj, etc.)
• patterns
• 1-2-1-2 chromatically up and down (e.g. C-D-C-D, Db-Eb-Db-Eb, etc.)
• 1-2-3-1 chromatically up and down (e.g. C-D-E-C, Db-Eb-F-Db, etc.)
• 1-3-5-3 chromatically up and down (e.g. C-E-G-E, Db-F-Ab-F, etc.)
• we took same patterns through the first two cycles, chromatically (e.g. C-D-E-G, F-G-A-C, Db-Eb-F-Ab, Gb-Ab-Bb-Db, etc.) up and down
• we took same patterns through the first three cycles, chromatically (e.g. C-D-E-G, F-G-A-C, Bb-C-D-F, Db-Eb-F-Ab, Gb-Ab-Bb-Db, Cb-Db-Eb-Gb, etc.) up and down
• for all of the patterns, we may also alternate direction, thus C-D-E-G becomes G-E-D-C
• mix and match, using your imagination, to hearts content.

Tough work, but the dividends will surely come...

Finally! Back in the saddle!

We met for our first session, last Thursday. I had been thinking of doing something like a fall theme e.g. "Songs of Horace Silver", but sort of changed my mind. I thought, instead that we'd use a few weeks just to practice scales and exercises, working together toward mastering our instruments.

So, we started by playing the Major scales through the cycle of 4ths and chromatically through all keys. Then, we did some cycle-type patterns. We also did major scales in 3rds through all keys.

We talked about how, learning the Major scales and their modes, the jazz minor (ascending form of mel-minor) scales and their modes, and the symmetrical scales (chromatic, whole tone, diminished), would give the jazz musician a handle on almost everything needed.