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Scales: Landscaping

Goal: To set up improvisations using church modes, octatonic, and twelve-tone scales.

Out of Tempo

All Levels

“Out of Tempo” exercises are not presented separately in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV improvisations. Should any exercise prove difficult performed in tempo, out of tempo versions of the materials in Ear Training III and Ear Training IV can be modeled on Ear Training I and Ear Training II approaches to out of tempo improvisations.

In Tempo

Teacher sets up a tempo, time signature, tonality, and rhythms.

Phrases can be four to thirty-two measures in length depending on the student’s ability.

Start with one note per measure and add different rhythms as students become more comfortable with the exercise. For more confident students, use non-repeating notes and rhythm patterns.

Students sing one, two, three, or four notes per measure.

Speaking, singing, playing.

Refer to the Scale Smorgasbord for ideas.

Beginning

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or another sustaining instrument, teacher sets up a basic pulse and prompts, “I’m playing scale or mode x, you sing y number of notes per measure.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or another sustaining instrument, teacher sets up a basic pulse and prompts, “I’m playing scale or church mode x, two students sing y number of notes per measure in harmony (thirds).”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or another sustaining instrument, teacher sets up a basic pulse and prompts, “I’m playing scale or church mode x, two students sing y number of notes per measure in contrary motion – one from the bottom of the scale, the other student from the top of the scale."
  2. Students do so.

More Advanced

  1. Using an electronic keyboard or another sustaining instrument, teacher sets up a basic pulse and prompts, “I’m playing scale or church mode x, four students sing y number notes per measure in contrary motion – two students in thirds from the bottom of the scale, the other two students in thirds from the top of the scale."
  2. Students do so.