Hey how are we?
Well I am 13 and I'm currently studying for my 5th grade exam in November later this year and I am so fed up with scales!
It take me like half an hour to learn one off by heart perfectly but then a few minutes later of distraction and I go back to it- I've forgotten it!!!
Please Help...
Does anyone know any tips on how to memorise or learn scales effectively ?
Help is SO much appreciated
I thank you all.
xxx
This is not going ot be a conventional way to do things, but here is a suggestion that may work for you.
The easiest way to memorize a pattern or a scale is to memorize the name of the notes, and the fingerings on the flute first. A lot of people get too stuck on reading, instead of REALLY getting to know their instrument. For example, if I tell you to play "C", you should be able to "C" anywhere with in the normal range from memory. Once you memorize all of your fingerings, then memorize the scales. Practicing the chromatics is a good place to start. Chromatics means you play every note up and down the flute
C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G....etc....
Then memorize your scales.
C# - D# - E# - F# - G# - A# - B# = C# scale
G - A - B - C - D - E - F# = G scale
Etc....
Since you know where all of these notes are, now when you practice your scales, you can check yourself. The goal here is to make you think about the notes instead of the fingerings!
After you memorize the notes and all of the fingerings, it is just a matter of playing what you remember. The next step is to practice slowly. Always practice slowly. Before you know it, you will be zipping through your scales!
Do not get hung up with "know the scale". This is just not a good way to play them from memory! By the way, I have been playing for many years, and I still practice my scales and excercies. If you want to be good, it will never end!
I used to have a lot of trouble with scales as well. One thing that I found helpful was to practise scale PATTERNS instead of scales themselves. This will allow your fingers to get more comfortable with the fingerings of each note. If you haven't gotten this book already, look for Taffanel and Gaubert's 17 Daily Exercises book. There are a lot of exercises in there that are helpful for learning scales, particularly Nos. 1 and 2 to start out with. I spent some time memorizing the fourth exercise in the book, which goes through patterns of all major and minor keys. This is a really, really great exercise for getting your brain and fingers wired to play scales, and will really help you to develop a level of comfort with the scale and the key signature itself.
I'm sure there are many suggestions for learning scales, but this has been an effective method for me. It's worth a try!
Have you ever heard of the circle of fifths?? I took a theory class years ago.. and what i do remember is
the scales go in the order of: C F Bflat Eflat Aflat Dflat Gflat/Fsharp b e a d g chromatic...
and c has no flats
and f has 1 flat
and Bfhas 2 flats
and Ef has 3 flats
and Af has 4 flats
and Df has 5 flats
and Gf has 6 flats
and b has 5 sharps
and e has 4 sharps
and a has 3 sharps
and d has 2 sharps
and g has 1 sharp.... did you see the pattern??? look carefully...
also, flats go in the order of b e a d g c f
1 flat means bflat
2 flats mean bflat and e flat... do you see??
and sharps go backwards: f c g d a e b
1 sharp means f
2 sharps mean f and c
I learned my scales through the circle of fifths. It's all in my head, and I never have problems remembering a scale. However, this was long hard work and my flute teacher (at the time, I've sinced moved on after he put dents in my flute and got in my face and yelled at me about rescheduling a lesson) used to try to show me up by running through them at unremarkably fast tempos. Don't do this. Go at a comfortable speed for you. I also worked on going through them chromatically and in thirds and triads and such. Good luck!
Try to think of what a scale really IS before trying to play and memorize one... Learn your majors first, and what one is composed of, like this:
1st scale degree
whole step
whole step
half step
whole step
whole step
whole step
half step (which is the same as the first scale degree)
That's a major scale. in a nutshell, we remember 1st,w,w,h,w,w,w,h.
Play through scales slowly, keeping this pattern in mind for every major scale. Learning majors sure does make learning minors easy. Also I suggest learning every scale in two octaves before you really need to, so you don't have to reteach yourself the same scale later in a different octave. good luck!
okay, yeah im kinda late on this topic, but a reallyyyyyyy good way to learn your scales. like get the circle of 4ths or 5ths out in front of you. find the scale you want to play or learn. then what yyou do is you recite just the musical alphebet like for example.
Eb major. [3 flatts]
1. e f g a b c d e d c b a g f e
2. add the flats in.
Eb f g Ab Bb c d Eb d c Bb Ab g f Eb
3. then finger it while you say it
4. then after that play it in half notes. then quarter notes and ect.
5. then for the minor. you play up to the 6th step and like yeah. do the same thing.
Scales are an exercise for the ear - so don't get hung up on reading the notes, because it will probably just become frustrating. Listen to what you're playing - if it doesn't sound right, chances are it's not right. If after this you have trouble getting it to sound right, then look at what you're doing wrong and play it again.
I know it's cliché, but practice really does make perfect!!
Finally, DON'T STRESS. Chill out about them and treat them as if they are a little musical peice in themselves. I had the same problem; loads of people do - it's very common!! But once you've really got them in your head they won't go away - it's worth all the practice!
Well I still have probelms with scales... But what i have found most helpful is starting w/ the first note say C for example and C then B then back to C then to B then to D , etc. I would recomend starting slow and then once u get the hang of it go faster....
DON'T STRESS IT JUST MAKES YOU MESS UP MORE... lol
And don't practice them in the same order or you won't remember the scale just the order you practiced them in.
