Which scales do you practice?

semborg · #1 05-06-2005, 12:47 PM

I only know the major scale and the modes of it.
I try to practice that up the neck.

What else scales shall I practice?
Thank you.

jazzbo · #2 05-06-2005, 01:07 PM

I would recommend picking up this book:

http://aebersold.com/Merchant2/merch...ry_Code=AEBIMP

It has a scale syllabus included, (along with other great improv practicing tips).

Tash · #3 05-06-2005, 01:51 PM

As many as I can remember. Major/Minor/Modes, Whole Tone, Octatonic, Modes of Harmonic and Melodic Minor. I'm starting to work some indian and middle eastern scales into my practices now that I have a better idea how to integrate them with western harmony.

Suckbird · #4 05-06-2005, 03:30 PM

The modes of a major scale and the 3different minor scales + the blues scale. No pentatonics though, when do i use these?

slybass3000 · #5 05-06-2005, 07:25 PM

The chromatic scale is good too!
Major and minor penta are great too. There are a lot of places where you can use them. As a starter, use them on there relative chord Maj P. on Major chord and minor P on minor chord.
By the way the Maj and min Penta scales are relative to each other. They are like modes(Oh No,not that word again!!).
C Maj pent. is CDEGA
A min pent. is ACDEG
SB

semborg · #6 05-06-2005, 11:56 PM

Thanks guys.
Now i started to wondering another thing.
If there are different types of minor scales (Harmonic and stuff).
Then there should be different types of Major scales? And all modes will change?
Am I totally wrong?

lowphatbass · #7 05-07-2005, 01:10 AM

An exercise that I had the good fortune to learn and that has had a very positive effect on my playing and improvising is:
Playing scales in 8th notes, acending and decending, modulating up in 4ths through all 12 keys. The scales that were emphasized were Major, Dominant, Pure Minor, Dorian, Harmonic Minor, Whole tone, Diminished and later on Altered Dominant. I was greatly discouraged from the so called "blues" and "bebop" scales, but that is up to you. When you get a handle on this you can start to mix it up a bit: modulate down or up in half steps instead of up in 4ths, do your scales in 3rds(i.e., C major would be C-E-D-F-E-G-F-A-C...etc.)
Good luck!!