Comments on: Monday Mailbag – Teaching Scales and Such http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/ inspiring creativity in music education Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:39:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Regina http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97654 Regina Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:01:22 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97654 After introducing C, G, D, A, and E major scales...at B major I introduce what I call the Volkswagon Rule. I have the student make a V with fingers 2 & 3, and place those on the set of 2 black keys. They then make a W with their fingers 2, 3 & 4. This is the fingering for the black keys used in the next set of scales! In the weeks to come as the student studies B,F#, C# and other scales if they miss their fingering, all I haev to say is Volkswagon! and they are back on track. After introducing C, G, D, A, and E major scales…at B major I introduce what I call the Volkswagon Rule. I have the student make a V with fingers 2 & 3, and place those on the set of 2 black keys. They then make a W with their fingers 2, 3 & 4. This is the fingering for the black keys used in the next set of scales! In the weeks to come as the student studies B,F#, C# and other scales if they miss their fingering, all I haev to say is Volkswagon! and they are back on track.

]]> By: Lauren http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97338 Lauren Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:30 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97338 When I was a piano student, my first teacher never wrote out the fingering, but just explained it. This frustrated me and hindered my success, until my second teacher actually wrote it out. He did this until I "got it" and then I played them from memory. In my own teaching, therefore, I write it out first, so that they know the fingering, and then I have them transition to playing from memory by knowledge of the now-familiar pattern. I could, however, be better at teaching the half-step whole-step pattern. I'm curious to know how those of you who teach scales without a book ensure that the students practice the correct fingering during the week. Isn't it possible to use a book to reinforce fingering and still have them say their half-step whole-step patterns? When I was a piano student, my first teacher never wrote out the fingering, but just explained it. This frustrated me and hindered my success, until my second teacher actually wrote it out. He did this until I “got it” and then I played them from memory. In my own teaching, therefore, I write it out first, so that they know the fingering, and then I have them transition to playing from memory by knowledge of the now-familiar pattern. I could, however, be better at teaching the half-step whole-step pattern. I’m curious to know how those of you who teach scales without a book ensure that the students practice the correct fingering during the week. Isn’t it possible to use a book to reinforce fingering and still have them say their half-step whole-step patterns?

]]> By: Stengel99 http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97336 Stengel99 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:14:58 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97336 That's so great that you teach the theory behind the scales. I'll never forget a scale-related question one of my school students asked me. We were learning one of 6 major scales we play in the elementary orchestra, and I was teaching about key signatures. This student asked me, "Okay, but where are the half steps?" His violin teacher teaches scales the same way you do, by the placement of the half steps. His question totally threw me off, but also got me thinking about different ways to approach the teaching of scales. That’s so great that you teach the theory behind the scales. I’ll never forget a scale-related question one of my school students asked me. We were learning one of 6 major scales we play in the elementary orchestra, and I was teaching about key signatures. This student asked me, “Okay, but where are the half steps?” His violin teacher teaches scales the same way you do, by the placement of the half steps. His question totally threw me off, but also got me thinking about different ways to approach the teaching of scales.

]]> By: Monica http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97297 Monica Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:22:47 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97297 Coming out of my lurking hidey-hole on this one because I really love discussing scale teaching methods :) My partner and I are teachers of brass and woodwind at a primary school, we run the whole band program of about 40 kids aged 8-12 there, and we've had a whole lot of success with teaching them scales. Most of our senior students are playing between 9 and 12 major scales - and they love it! I have students asking me to learn more scales, it's pretty exciting :) I don't use theory books or any written material. I was fed a bit of that while I was in high school and learnt nothing much from it. We use the cycle of fourths method and teach formulas to find one scale from the next (count to the 4th note to find the new scale, then flatten the 4th note of the new scale to find the new flat) That way, whenever they learn a new scale, we simply put it to them that it's only one note different to their previous scale. It also means that they're learning these scales by heart. I'm not sure if that makes any sense but when we draw up all the diagrams and write out the formulas for them, most students catch on pretty quickly. I find it a great way to teach them when they can't see the notes laid out for them, like on a piano. Apologies for the novel of a comment, I can get a little carried away :) Coming out of my lurking hidey-hole on this one because I really love discussing scale teaching methods :)

My partner and I are teachers of brass and woodwind at a primary school, we run the whole band program of about 40 kids aged 8-12 there, and we’ve had a whole lot of success with teaching them scales. Most of our senior students are playing between 9 and 12 major scales – and they love it! I have students asking me to learn more scales, it’s pretty exciting :)

I don’t use theory books or any written material. I was fed a bit of that while I was in high school and learnt nothing much from it. We use the cycle of fourths method and teach formulas to find one scale from the next (count to the 4th note to find the new scale, then flatten the 4th note of the new scale to find the new flat) That way, whenever they learn a new scale, we simply put it to them that it’s only one note different to their previous scale. It also means that they’re learning these scales by heart.

I’m not sure if that makes any sense but when we draw up all the diagrams and write out the formulas for them, most students catch on pretty quickly. I find it a great way to teach them when they can’t see the notes laid out for them, like on a piano.

Apologies for the novel of a comment, I can get a little carried away :)

]]> By: Martina http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97243 Martina Wed, 28 Oct 2009 07:33:21 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97243 Scales are an important part of every lesson for me. I try to make my students understand how useful they are, and I show them how to use them in their improvisations. So usually we have fun with scales! I teach the sharp keys without music, but write down/ let the student write down the flat keys because of the fingerings. There was too often "I couldn't practice because I didn't remember the fingering!" What are your experiences? I also like teaching blocked scales, for example in B-Major: play 1 - 23 - 1 - 234 - 5. You can watch your arm movements and the sound of the thumb, and its easier to play really fast! Does anyone of you teach pentascales with a 1 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 2 - fingering? I didn't until now, but I was thinking about it. It would be logical and make the transition to scales maybe easier. Scales are an important part of every lesson for me. I try to make my students understand how useful they are, and I show them how to use them in their improvisations. So usually we have fun with scales!
I teach the sharp keys without music, but write down/ let the student write down the flat keys because of the fingerings. There was too often “I couldn’t practice because I didn’t remember the fingering!” What are your experiences?
I also like teaching blocked scales, for example in B-Major: play 1 – 23 – 1 – 234 – 5. You can watch your arm movements and the sound of the thumb, and its easier to play really fast!
Does anyone of you teach pentascales with a 1 – 2 – 3 – 1 – 2 – fingering? I didn’t until now, but I was thinking about it. It would be logical and make the transition to scales maybe easier.

]]> By: Mindy http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97232 Mindy Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:10:26 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97232 LaDona, This is what I was thinking also. So, Natalie, can you address this part of how you transfer the scale information to the page for students? LaDona,
This is what I was thinking also. So, Natalie, can you address this part of how you transfer the scale information to the page for students?

]]> By: LaDona http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97205 LaDona Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:25:53 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97205 This is interesting. I had taught scales by rote for many years but a couple of years ago switched to using scale books (while also making students memorize them so they were not completely dependant on the printed page) in hopes that will be able to recognize the printed scale, chord, arpeggio patterns in the repertoire. My thinking is, if students have never actually seen the patterns written out, how can they be expected to visually recognize them? Since I only started doing this recently, it's too soon to see what the long-term results are, but I'm hoping for the best. This is interesting. I had taught scales by rote for many years but a couple of years ago switched to using scale books (while also making students memorize them so they were not completely dependant on the printed page) in hopes that will be able to recognize the printed scale, chord, arpeggio patterns in the repertoire. My thinking is, if students have never actually seen the patterns written out, how can they be expected to visually recognize them? Since I only started doing this recently, it’s too soon to see what the long-term results are, but I’m hoping for the best.

]]> By: Michelle http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97133 Michelle Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:30:03 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97133 I completely agree that not teaching scales from a book is the best method. My father is a band director and taught me the theory behind them and how to write them out. I noticed when I was younger that I seemed to have an advantage over other musicians my age who had learned just from reading scales in a method book. I could play scales in any key because I knew how they were constructed, while my classmates would struggle to figure out the notes. I completely agree that not teaching scales from a book is the best method. My father is a band director and taught me the theory behind them and how to write them out. I noticed when I was younger that I seemed to have an advantage over other musicians my age who had learned just from reading scales in a method book. I could play scales in any key because I knew how they were constructed, while my classmates would struggle to figure out the notes.

]]> By: Heidi N http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97127 Heidi N Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:08:10 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97127 I also like to teach scales by rote like Natalie. I have my students say the scale steps as they play the scale going up - "Tonic, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole" (for major pentascale). I recently discovered the FJH Achievement Skill Sheets which I use for them to review all of the scales they have learned while seeing them written on the staff. FJH Skill Sheets start w/ 5 finger patterns & cross hand arpeggios and progress up to 2 octave scales, arpeggios and cadences. I laminated them for my music library and just have the students check them out when they're ready. The improv book sounds like fun. I'm going to try something new for Christmas this year to help my students see the application of all the I - V- I Cadences (Chord Progressions) which I have taught them by rote. I want to do sightreading duets at their lesson. I will play the melody from a simple Christmas song book & they will play harmony by reading chord symbols I've written below each measure. For a challenge I'll show them a few variations of accompaniment patterns (blocked, broken, waltz, aberti). Then my "easy" books won't just collect dust on the shelf and I'm hoping my students will catch the vision of how cool chords can be:) I also like to teach scales by rote like Natalie. I have my students say the scale steps as they play the scale going up – “Tonic, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole” (for major pentascale). I recently discovered the FJH Achievement Skill Sheets which I use for them to review all of the scales they have learned while seeing them written on the staff. FJH Skill Sheets start w/ 5 finger patterns & cross hand arpeggios and progress up to 2 octave scales, arpeggios and cadences. I laminated them for my music library and just have the students check them out when they’re ready. The improv book sounds like fun.
I’m going to try something new for Christmas this year to help my students see the application of all the I – V- I Cadences (Chord Progressions) which I have taught them by rote. I want to do sightreading duets at their lesson. I will play the melody from a simple Christmas song book & they will play harmony by reading chord symbols I’ve written below each measure. For a challenge I’ll show them a few variations of accompaniment patterns (blocked, broken, waltz, aberti). Then my “easy” books won’t just collect dust on the shelf and I’m hoping my students will catch the vision of how cool chords can be:)

]]> By: Mindy http://musicmattersblog.com/2009/10/26/monday-mailbag-teaching-scales-and-such/comment-page-1/#comment-97125 Mindy Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:25:37 +0000 http://musicmattersblog.com/?p=1024#comment-97125 Hmmm. Rebecca's thoughts are really interesting to me. I have always thought that by using scale books, students would reinforce the scale patterns. And we discuss the theory behind the make-up. But truth be told, I am sick to death of teaching scales. It's not that I don't think it is important, I do. I am just lacking incentive to go at it again with my students. They are in shock! Perhaps I need to rethink my approach and we will all be more successful. I'd take any incentive ideas you have for getting through all the scales. Thanks for being such a challenging blog for me! Hmmm. Rebecca’s thoughts are really interesting to me. I have always thought that by using scale books, students would reinforce the scale patterns. And we discuss the theory behind the make-up.
But truth be told, I am sick to death of teaching scales. It’s not that I don’t think it is important, I do. I am just lacking incentive to go at it again with my students. They are in shock! Perhaps I need to rethink my approach and we will all be more successful. I’d take any incentive ideas you have for getting through all the scales.
Thanks for being such a challenging blog for me!

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