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Scales: Landscaping

Goal: To focus on whole tone and pentatonic 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.

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.

Refer to the Scales Smorgasbord for ideas.

Beginning

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a whole tone or pentatonic scale up and down starting on the note x.”
  2. Students do so.

Intermediate

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Using the same whole tone or pentatonic scale, sing the scale up and down starting on the second note of the scale.”
  2. Students do so.

Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Using the same whole tone or pentatonic scale, sing the scale up and down starting on scale degree x of the scale.”
  2. Students do so.

More Advanced

  1. Teacher sets up as above and prompts, “Sing a whole tone or pentatonic scale starting on the note x, singing in harmony with another student who starts on scale degree 3 of the scale.”
  2. Students do so.