https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/ Scales and Arpeggios This part is dedicated to aspects of scale practice and usage in improvisation. Hugo en-us Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:20:29 +0100 https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/minmajorscale/ Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:20:29 +0100 https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/minmajorscale/ Major and Minor Scale Practice and Its Shortcomings The adapted exercise with random chord changes (cf. end of section) is an exercise for beginners that will help them to: learn minor and major scales internalize the weight and direction of each scale understand and hear the relationship between relative major and minor experience the weight of the lowest bass note, which changes the perceived harmony (minor or major) The major scale and its relative natural minor scale are a minor third apart and share the same notes. A typical scale practice exercise uses a G major or an E natural minor scale in one position up to the octave, ascending and descending. https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/continscale/ Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:20:29 +0100 https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/continscale/ Altered and Octatonic Scale over iiø7-V7-i and ii-V7-I Your browser does not support the audio element. Learning Objectives for the Continuous Scale Exercise Several standard jazz improvisation methods1 list the continuous scale exercise as one of the main exercises to master. It can be adapted for beginners and more advanced students. The example above only uses two chord progressions with an altered chord resolution going to a minor or major chord. The preceding ii will give away the continuation of the exercise and could be left out. https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/pentatonicexercise/ Fri, 19 Nov 2021 09:20:29 +0100 https://serendip.peckels.com/zats/40research/02melodicmaterial/pentatonicexercise/ Strength of the Pentatonic Scale Pentatonic scales are used extensively in many different musical styles and have been widely adopted in jazz. Pentatonic scales have a strong independent sound and “it is very easy to perceive them as bitonal elements on top of the harmony” (van de Geyn, 2011, p. 8). In an instructional video from the 1980s, John Scofield1 discusses his approach to pentatonic scales. The following table summarizes the available inside-sounding options2 according to chord type: