Scales.....and scales....and scales...Time for some advanced work.

Hello from graduate school, folks!


I've been in the practice room a lot lately and as I'm always trying to reinvent the wheel from a pedagogy came up with a new thought as far as scales for folks who have been playing them for years.

Let me add the disclaimer before proceeding. I think most folks should play through all twelve major keys (as well as their relative minors) as often as possible; preferably daily. What I'm discussing here is for folks who want to get a little more in depth with their buddies in the scale world.

Ok,

 Here's what has been going through my mind. A cycle here will take three months but really get folks deeply immersed in the scale world.

You'll need- A tuner, a metronome, and a copy of Ferling's 48 Famous Studies.

Here's the plan:

Each week is going to be centered around one key. You'll be doing a combo of scales, arpeggios, scale variations, and two Ferling Studies. The great thing about Ferling is that the etudes are laid out by key and it makes this simple. Ferling is also cool in that even though there is a suggested tempo for each etude, they are generally written in a fashion that allows for a great deal of interpretation and allows for a ton of cool musical decisions.


Here's what I would suggest each day for a week. Set daily and weekly tempo goals for the scales. You may also decide the range of the scale.


First up- Arpeggios. I would perform Major, Minor, Dim7. Do them slowly, like long tones, with the tuner set to drone on the tonic. Listen.....REALLY listen.

Next is scales. Remember when I used terms like 'immersed' and 'in depth'? Yeah, I wasn't kidding.

• Major
• Relative Natural Minor
• Relative Harmonic Minor
• Relative Melodic Minor
• Major Thirds
• Harmonic Minor Thirds
• Melodic Minor Thirds
• Pentatonic (starting on tonic of major key)
• Blues (starting on tonic of major key)
• Whole Tone (starting on tonic of major key)
• Octatonic (starting on tonic of major key)

(Optional, you can add scales in 4ths, 5ths, sixths, modes, whatever else if you have time or are so inclined.)

      Following the scales you'd work on the two Ferling studies. They tend to be one etude in the major key and one in the relative minor.

So yeah, this is a fairly high volume of work.....but is it really? I've listed eleven scales and two etudes to work daily. The point here isn't necessarily to get the scales at 154 and etudes at 130 by the end of the week. Rather, it's to give your ear and fingers time to learn together on what the key really means on the horn. Yes, you want to be able to increase tempo each day but increase is a very relative term and progress is progress. 

Jazz guys, yes, the Ferlings have benefit for y'all as well. Etudes are useful for anyone wanting to improve facility on their instrument. 

Let me know your thoughts. Give it a try. See what you think.

SECOND Disclaimer- If you struggle to get through your twelve major scales, have never attempted scales in thirds, or don't know the terms 'natural, harmonic, and melodic' in reference to minor scales....let alone terms like 'whole tone' and 'octatonic'...Perhaps you should bone up on those before trying this practice regimen.

Ok kids,

Set the metronome.....

.......annnnnnnnnnddd....

GO!!!!!

Know Your Audience....and Help Lead Them Along the Way!

Greetings from graduate school at Nevada, Las Vegas *GULP*


  To arrive here required me to do ten hour drives for three days in a row. This gave me plenty of time to think about things saxophone or music related. One of the things I thought about was a performance during a studio recital last spring. I performed Ryo Noda's Improvisation One. This is an unaccompanied piece which, thought not totally atonal, uses some 'interesting' techniques in order to make the saxophone sound like a Japanese Shakuhachi flute. I think it's an interesting piece. Not everyone in the audience was a fan; my dad included. He said 'Well, it's clearly takes a mastery of the instrument to play the piece but I didn't like it.' I expected as much!
   My dad grew up in rural central Arkansas in the 40s and 50s. The music that would have been coming through the family's radio would have been early country artists like Hank Williams, big bands like the Dorseys, a healthy helping of southern Gospel acts, bluegrass, and Texas Swing Bands (a unique genre combining country and big band, look it up!). He left Arkansas after graduating college and went on to complete both a master's and PhD in Math. He taught college for over 40 years. In that time, dad's listening 'vocabulary' has been greatly extended to include orchestral and choral works as well as quite a bit of chamber music. However, it hasn't gone so far to really understand and enjoy pieces steeped in atonality or unusual 'extended' technique.

Great, now you know about my dad and you're thinking 'So what's the point?'

 The point is this. I get it, as you begin to truly master your instrument and learn all of these cool techiques like multiphonics, slap tonguing, circular breathing, extreme altissimo, etc., you want to show them off and have every performance be an outright 'chops-fest'. Here's where the danger in that lies- and I've seen this.

YOU MUST REMEMBER YOUR AUDIENCE.

   There are usually a lot of 'dads' in an audience, especially at the high school or college level. They aren't ready for, nor will they appreciate, an hour's work of squeaks and honks in the name of furthering the possibilities of the instrument or some such. This doesn't mean don't play that sort of music. This means to simply try to better understand your audience and for every Christian Lauba chopbuster, add a Poulenc, Schumann, or Debussy. Stretch their ear, sure, but give them something to musically cleanse their pallet as well. Your ego cannot be totally in control of programming. They aren't there to hear how well you play that multiphonic. They are there to hear music and be entertained. You are simply the medium for providing that entertainment. As much as I love the Albright Sonata, more folks in a general audience are going to enjoy the 3rd movement of the Creston Sonata far more than they are the 3rd movement of Albright.


Hey jazz guys, I'm not forgetting about you either.

 One of the biggest things I see hurting the jazz scene is players who spend hours trying to 'out Coltrane' each other. Again, stretch the ear of the audience some but remember that Miles Davis' epic album Kind of Blue is the largest selling jazz album of all time for a reason. It's just inherently listenable to jazz aficionados and neophytes alike. Yes, you can give them 'sheets of sound' and play 'out' for a while but remember to bring it back in. You might actually have an audience start to show up on a regular basis.


It sounds in this like I'm instructing people to 'sell out'. I'm not. I'm simply stating that one of the problems I see in non 'pop' genres of music is that we've tried to become too intellectual, too forward thinking, almost arrogant.....with the attitude of "Well, they aren't ARTISTES. They don't understand. "

    You're right. They don't......and that's why they aren't showing up to hear you play.

The Power of Social Media.....in the right hands.

Social media is an interesting concept.


On the one hand, you have folks who post without fact checking, post pictures of their dinner, and cannot do a bench press without reporting it to the world (and relationship issues broadcast on social media. Man...).


On the other hand, if you know how to work social media properly, you'll get practice tips from seasoned, professional, often big name musicians and even make contacts which can affect your life in ways you couldn't even imagine.


I spend WAY too much time on Facebook. I admit it. I have a problem. Having said that, there have been some major positive impacts on my life. I've met and made friends with a lot of the 'heavies' in the saxophone world. I've gotten to take part in countless great pedagogy discussions. I've even gotten to promote recordings of myself in the hopes that some professors might hear them and be interested in having me audition for grad spots.

Funny I should mention that...

I auditioned for two graduate schools this fall. Both auditions came about 100% due to social media. Neither was I school I might have considered otherwise. Both turned out to be great programs. One, as it happened, was the perfect fit.

So with this I can announce that due to a friendship/working relationship that 100% began on social media, the next step of my journey begins.

In January, I begin my tenure as Professor Mark McArthur's graduate assistant at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Music.

If you are smart about how to market yourself on social media AND put in the work to be a better player, good things WILL happen!

Back to work. I have a Master's degree to worry about now!

My Upcoming Challenges

I graduate this week (12/10/16)

That has me thinking a lot about the next step and the skills and philosophies I need to begin to solidify.

• As I begin grad school there are still some real fundamental issues with my playing which need to be addressed. My undergrad professor has been excellent and has helped to improve my playing greatly. To move to the next level, however, there is still work to be done (and likely always will be). I think this is something I wouldn't have grasped at 18-22 years of age. The first step in improving is realizing that there is still work to be done. I'm ok and my senior recital did include some pretty aggressive lit, including the Dahl Concerto and Fuzzy Bird Sonata. If I wish to include names like Lauba, Bolcom, Berio, and Albright in my rep list, though, it isn't so much extended technique that needs work but simply technique. 
• I need to begin to figure out how to balance the assigning of technique/etudes/literature. Here's the reality. If you get a DMA and IF you are fortunate enough to get a real job you are likely going wind up at a gig where the majority of students are music education majors. Most will end up as band directors or elementary music teachers. That's fantastic (and requires more patience than I have). However, what it often means is that they put the horn in the case following graduation and rarely, if ever, get it out again. Therefore the dilemma is this: Yes, you want to assign enough technique for the student to reach a certain level but.....I think it would be a shame to not allow them to attempt as much of the literature as they can, WHILE they can. Finding that balance is a skill I'm going to have to develop.
• Music Education is a brutal major. My non music major friends might not understand this but music ed, along with nursing, are the two most hours-intensive majors on a college campus. My job as an instruction will include how to challenge my students and give them enough to make them better without burning them out or contributing to an overuse injury. I've seen both and neither are any fun. 
• I need to put things together as an educator so that my students have opportunities to participate in master classes with as many guest artists as possible. I want them exposed to as many teaching styles/techniques as possible. I also need to get them involved in competitions like MTNA and Fischoff early and often. It isn't necessarily about winning. It's about getting literature worked up to a very high level and performing it for people for whom you don't regularly perform.  This goes back to burnout. How does one balance this with everything else the student has to do. 
• I need to learn how to balance genres in my teaching. Saxophone students need to recognize that as a saxophonist, there isn't just one genre to perform and if you learn just one you are limiting yourself as far as personal development as well as JOBS. The challenge is how to balance development in the 'classical' literature as well as jazz and other genres. I'll also be encouraging doubling. I cost myself a ton of money over the years not having learned clarinet and flute earlier in life. Orchestra pit jobs for musicals and shows pay WELL and will also keep my students playing after graduation.

Just some thoughts as I prepare to put on the cap and gown.

Thoughts from the Desk of Ye Olde Music Major

• For wind players- Your sound is your voice, and your interpretation is what you have to say. Make both as profound as you possibly can.
• Every note you play is important and should be played with as beautiful of a sound as you can muster. I don't care if you are playing a scale. You should strive to make every note of that scale the most beautiful thing you've ever played, period.
• Your technique should be refined to the point that it doesn't a: get in the way of your sound and b: prevent you from saying what you want to say. This is a lifelong journey and we all struggle with it.
• If you become angry or frustrated with yourself during a practice session, walk away. Banging your head against the wall only hurts your head.
• Scales aren't the thing. They are the thing that gets you to the thing.
• Long tones/overtones- see above. 
• Fundamentals never stop being cool.
• Very few people can practice for 3-4 hours straight and actually be productive. Take breaks. Let your fingers, mouth, and brain recover.
• Being a musician is a physical activity. The better shape you're in the easier it becomes.
• Stage fright is normal.
• Taking the above into account, if you are too scared to play your instrument in front of people how on earth do you expect to pick up a baton and conduct 50-60 people in front of an audience?
• Love what you do.

The End Game- Your Most Important Responsibilities as a Music Teacher.

     Looking at this, my second trip down the lane as a music major and I can easily tell you the biggest difference between this time and last. Maturity is a big part of it but ultimately the biggest difference between 40 something me and 20 something me is PERSPECTIVE. I process what my teachers say a lot differently than I did in 1990. What I enjoy is when my major professor and I get to 'talk shop' and look at how we arrive at the big picture. We had such a conversation this morning.
       This is a really busy semester and we're nearing the busiest point in that semester for much of our music department. This morning, my professor was talking about his own practicing and how he was having a difficult time currently getting more than a few minutes a day worth of practice time because of all of the extra things going on. His statement made me continue down the path of a thought I'd already formed........

- One of the problems with teachers is that they are humans and humans each have their own agenda. It may be subconscious but it exists. As such, every teacher has their pet projects and have the mindset of 'Oh, this won't inconvenience folks too much!'. The problem is that when every teacher in a department is doing this it becomes completely overwhelming for both teachers and students. This isn't something exclusive to any grade level or department....it happens everywhere unless folks remain diligent and keep things in balance. The most important thing for any music teacher (or any teacher of any subject) to remember is the end game which is 100%....

BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDENT .

There is no ensemble, no project, no agenda that should EVER come before this. So, what does this have to do with my professor and practicing? Everything.

You see, paramount to the continued growth and development of the student is the continued growth and development of the TEACHER. You MUST continue down the path of your own growth and education as a musician (or in whatever subject you teach) to truly serve your students and ensure you can give them the best version of yourself. Schedule practice time daily. Continue with score study. Transcribe solos. Do whatever you can to be the best musician you can. You owe it to those who trust you to teach them.


No excuses.
Practice
Get Better
Go And Make Your Students Better.

No Witty Title- Common Musical Terms That Young Musicians Might Not Know.

 I hate not knowing...and normally I'm not afraid to ask...BUT..

When I returned to school in my 40s I was already scared out of my wits. Often it kept me from asking questions that made me feel dumb. The question usually would revolve around a musical term someone would throw out that I didn't know. I have no doubt that incoming freshmen go through similar things. Therefore, I thought I'd post some common musical terms and their definitions. Now, you'll know....and knowing is half the battle....G.I. JOOOEEEEEEEEE!!!! (but I digress...)


Appoggiatura-  A grace note performed the prior to the note of the melody and landing on the beat.
Cadenza- A musical term referring to a chord sequence that brings an end to a musical phrase.
Dominant- The fifth note of a scale (or the fifth chord of a key).
Enharmonic-  Two notes that differ in name but refer to the same pitch. For example, C sharp and D flat.
Giocoso- Playfully.
Hemiola- A rhythmic pattern of syncopated beats with two beats in the time of three or three beats in the time of two.
Leading Tone- The seventh tone of a scale which LEADS to the tonic.
Mediant- The third note of a scale.
Ostinato-  a motif or phrase that persistently repeats in the same musical voice, usually at the same pitch.The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody in itself.
Sempre- Always.
Senza- Without.
Subdominant- The forth note of a scale (or forth chord of a key).
Submediant- The sixth note of a scale (or sixth chord of a key).
Supertonic- The Second note of a scale.
Tutti- All together.

More terms to come!