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Scales: Change

Goal: To improve hearing, performing, and playing major and minor scales by going back and forth between them.

Out of Tempo

Spoken – focusing on the lower and upper tetra-chords only. In more advanced work, focus on different pitch combinations and change them as instructed below.

Beginning

  1. Teacher speaks the first four notes of a major scale and prompts, “Which scale is this?”
  2. Students answer.
  3. Teacher prompts, “Change it to the first four notes of a minor scale.”
  4. Students answer.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher speaks the last four notes of a major scale and prompts, “Which scale is this?”
  2. Students answer.
  3. Teacher prompts, “Change it to the last four notes of the natural minor scale.”
  4. Students answer.

Advanced

  1. Teacher speaks the last four notes of a major scale descending and prompts, “Which scale is this?”
  2. Students answer.
  3. Teacher prompts, “Change it to the last four notes of the natural minor scale.”
  4. Students answer.
  5. This process continues changing both the direction of the tetra-chords (up or down) and the type of scale – major or natural minor. Other minor scale types can be added to the change prompts if they have been covered by the teacher.

In Tempo

Spoken, sung, or played

Teacher chooses from 2, 3, or 4 time and one note per measure.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sings or plays the first four notes of a major scale and prompts, “Which scale is this?”
  2. Students answer.
  3. Teacher prompts, “Change it to the first four notes of a minor scale.”
  4. Students sing the answer in tempo.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sings or plays the last four notes of a major scale and prompts, “Which scale is this?”
  2. Students answer.
  3. Teacher prompts, “Change it to the last four notes of the natural minor scale.”
  4. Students sing the answer in tempo.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sings the last four notes of a major scale descending and prompts, “Which scale is this?”
  2. Students answer.
  3. Teacher prompts, “Change it to the last four notes of the natural minor scale.”
  4. Students sing the answer in tempo.
  5. This process continues changing both the direction of the tetra-chords (up or down) and the type of scale – major or natural minor. Other minor scale types can be added to the change prompts if they have been covered by the teacher.