Forum of the Saxes

Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA

Going off of what Jacob said, I know way too many people who can recite the circle, but can't play all the scales. The knowledge is no good if you can't apply it, right? So don't just memorize, like I see a lot of folks do--you've got to learn the scales themselves, not just their names (although I suppose names are a starting point). The idea is to get to the point at which someone can name any scale and you can play it right away, without having to think about how many flats/sharps are in the key signature. If someone tells me to play a Gb scale, I don't think, "Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb," because I know the feel of the scale, if you will It's really about building up muscle memory until it's on a subconscious level. One other mistake I've seen frequently: don't stop learning scales after the 12 major ones! From there, it's easy to derive the other six modes (Dorian and Mixolydian being the most often-used in jazz and thus the most urgent ones with which to acquiant yourself), and don't forget all three types of minor (really, only two others, since natural minor is Aeolian mode), whole tone, diminished, etc.

Also, try to get comfortable with playing them over the full range of your horn (however high that may be). And one more thing: practice what I've heard referred to as "flexible scales," i.e. going up and down at various point, not just the top and bottom notes. You can do lots of other stuff, too, like try to switch to a certain key as you go up/down (without stopping), and countless other things like that.

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Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA

The smilies are supposed to be b's for "flat," LOL.
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My sound clips.

Gandalfe · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 33 Location: Seattle, WA

Yeah, there's some bogus setting turning our posts into emoticon jibberish. I say spot on (s p o t ) and see what I get. Crying or Very sad

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Sop, alto, tenor, and bari sax
Community Band Geek
SOTW Admin

CMelodyMan · Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 9:29 pm Post subject:

Sorry

The reason for the problem is because the coding I made up wasn't very good. Embarassed

I fixed the problem, though. Very Happy

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Alto: Yanagisawa (880), Morgan 6M w/ Rico
C Melody: c.1919 Martin Inspiration
York soprano

Altosaxophonerules · Joined: 25 Aug 2005 Posts: 130 Location: Canada

great, now we can finally talk with ease. Razz

BariSax37 · Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 70 Location: Warren MI

Ive never gotten the circle of fifths, I have just learned my major sclaes by practicing over and over again for weeks. Is it absolutely nesecary(bad at spelling lol) to learn it? and what does it do exactly?
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Jason Hamilton
Baritone Saxophonist
Warren Mott High
Warren MI

JPSaxMan · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:18 pm Post subject:

It does help in transposition and when you're composing to figure out what key you're in 8-)
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JP
Student of Saxophone
Music Education (BME) Major-2011
Mansfield University of Pennsylvania

Tully · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Posts: 170 Location: Woodinville, WA