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From: Robb Bingham
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 19:26:47 CEST
Subject: Scales and Practice

Dear Beloved List,

I’m looking for a way to understand and exercise with scales. I’ve been
through the archives but the diagrams and ‘theory talk’ quickly loses me. I
have a book from Mel Bay "Scales, Patterns & Exercises" but I really wish
someone could explain 'the point'. I mean, this book just writes out, in
notation, a bunch of scales (major diatonic, dorian, lydian, etc….) and I
ask myself why one needs a book to see notes that just go, in order, up the
scale…

No. That’s not the problem. The problem is that I don’t "get" the concept.
What makes a scale a scale…and why should I practice them (is it just to
know my way around the harp? If so, why not just use the chords from the
Tonic, sub-dominant and dominant)? For instance, if I learn all the scales
for my C harp, is that translatable (generalizable) to another harp? It
seems not (sharps and flats, etc, would, in other keys, get bent at
different holes, right?).

Yeah, yeah. I understand that all knowledge functions in such a fashion
(gets harder and harder the more you know) but won’t this make me screwed up
for all but my C harp??? Let me put it another way: What the heck are scales
all about? How do I incorporate them into a practice in a meaningful way (helps for all keys). Also, does this mean- theoretically- that I could
always play with my C harp (chromatically), regardless of the key that the
band is in???

And, lastly, while I'm making wishes, how do I become twice as smart as I am
so that I don’t have to feel so frigging behind in Music theory (sorry, that
slipped out). But seriously now, any shortcuts in Music Theory for us
wannabe musicians that waited too long to get serious? I know I’m asking a
lot but you guys always amaze me. Thanks in advance.

Robb


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