Minor scales!

[Seedhouse]

Hello, can't seem to be able to learn my minor scales :evil:
Does anyone know of a good way to learn all scales well???
Thanks,
Alex

 

[Tromgod]

Steer well clear of the melodics whenever possible :!:

Grade 8 all coming back to me again now.....................

 

[leisa]

scales..... bleurgh!!! :x :shock: :!: :!: :!:

ive discovered :idea: that if you take ur time before you play them and think about it properly until you think u'll get it perfect, then...they still go wrong!!

 

[Maestro]

Alex,

If you can play the piano, or at least have an idea of where the notes are on a keyboard, then I think you will find the minor scales a lot easier.
Just close your eyes and picture a keyboard and for the Harmonic Minors, just see the semitones coming between the 3rd and 4th degrees, 5th and 6th degrees and 7th and 8th.

For the melodic minors it is a simple case of the tonic major with a flattened 3rd ascending and according to the key signature descending.

ie: C Minor Harmonic:

C D Eb F G Ab B C


C Minor Melodic:

Ascending: C D Eb F G A B C

Descending: C Bb Ab G F Eb D C


Hope this helps in some way.

 

[floral_dance]

I have found lots of practice, but think about the scale before launching in to play it. I also have the scales written out on little cards and rather than starting at the same point each time I practice I shuffle the cards and pick them at random until I have played them all. Mind I still get them wrong at times.

 

[aimee_euph]

i hate melodics... harmonic minors rule 8)

 

[HBB]

An easy way to remember the MELODIC minor.

Go up in the major with a flattened 3rd ...


i.e. F G Ab Bb C D E F

Then come down in it's relative minor ...

i.e. F Eb Db C Bb Ab G F

(Relative Major's Eb)
Ben

 

[Maestro]

An easy way to remember the MELODIC minor.

Go up in the major with a flattened 3rd ...


i.e. F G Ab Bb C D E F

Then come down in it's relative minor ...

i.e. F Eb Db C Bb Ab G F

(Relative Major's Eb)
Ben

I think you meant relative major was Ab Ben

 

[HBB]

An easy way to remember the MELODIC minor.

Go up in the major with a flattened 3rd ...


i.e. F G Ab Bb C D E F

Then come down in it's relative minor ...

i.e. F Eb Db C Bb Ab G F

(Relative Major's Eb)
Ben

Indeed --- it's been a long day!!

Thanks for pointing that out (And I'm a composer! Watch out for Lightning Publishers!!)

ben


I think you meant relative major was Ab Ben

 

[HBB]

Damn Computers! [/b]

 

[jafe]

Whilst we are on the subject anyone got any idea on what and how to learn:

Dominant Seventh scales/arpeggios

and

Diminished Seventh scales/arpeggios



Cheers

 

[Seedhouse]

Thanks for all your help guys, its just now down to me to discipline myself into learning them all fluently.

 

[Maestro]

Whilst we are on the subject anyone got any idea on what and how to learn:

Dominant Seventh scales/arpeggios

and

Diminished Seventh scales/arpeggios



Cheers

Diminished are just built on Monir 3rds.
ie: F Ab Cb Ebb (D) F

and there are only 3 diminished to learn, as after that they are all inversions.

Start on F, then on F#, then onto G, then you get to the G#/Ab, which is the first inversion of the example I first gave.

Simple really if you can manage to understand what I have typed. :lol: :roll:

 

[Dave Euph]

Everyone (or most people) hates minor scales ... I can do all major ones ... but my minors could be better. Knowing the sound of a minor scale is useful though, since then you'll know if you're doing it right or not.

 

[lynchie]

just thought of doing a crabwise scale of melodic minors... it could be a while before I recover!

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

best way to learn scales- other than avoiding them (like I did for my grade 8 saxophone exam- check out Trinity syllabus)... is:
write all scales on pieces of paper, fold 'em up and put them in a hat, or whatever... then pick out a scale, play it- if successful put it to one side, if not put it in the *in-need of learning* pile... Keep repeating til all learnt...

ta daaa

 

[lynchie]

and watch as the in need of learning pile grows and grows!!!

 

[Laserbeam bass]

Could somebody please explain to me what a scale is.

As a lowly BBb Bass player, I'm lucky to have more than a repetitive fourth throughout a piece. I hope to see an interval of a fifth, but alas I believe this to be wishful thinking. I hope Mr Sparke has given me something to think about in Kaleidoscope :idea:

On a serious note, it's easy to describe the rudiments of the scale. But not everyone has performed exams on their chosen instruments. I'm in agreement with Naruco, I always found that repetition was my usual way of obtaining the requisite level of skill required to thoroughly learn a scale.

IMHO if you have mastered C# major and F# minor, I bow to you :twisted: :grnsm

 

[SammyT]

Is it just me or is there other people out there who have absolutley no idea what the above comments mean!!!!!!!!
I gave up grades (and hence them scalely things (yep that would be fish!!!)) after grade 5 - scary things :shock: :shock: :roll:

 

[Accidental]

I know the most obvious answer here is just keep playing them til it gets easier, but when I was doing grades I usually lost the will to live first!!
I found the Arban exercises really helpful, much better than just repeating the scales over and over - especially for diminished and dominant sevenths. Good luck!!