Make Scale Practice FUN (And More Musical)
Mar 13, 2021Scales - you know you're supposed to learn them...
But it is so BORING to just walk up and down the notes in order!
I like to practice a new scale over an interesting harmony and rhythm - a chord progression played by a groovy band. Or, since beggars can't be choosers, on a decent play-along app like iRealPro.
In this video, it sounds as if I'm just improvising a melody freely. But I promise, the only notes I play are G-A-B-C-D-E and F# - the G major scale!
Some other tips to help you make music out of your scales:
- RESTS are your friend. Take a pause for a few beats to regenerate your creativity.
- Restrict your movement. See how much music you can make with two adjacent scale notes, then three, then four.
- Don't feel pressured to "fill the space"
- Repetition of notes and riffs is GOOD!
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