Scales are the backbone of all music and to be a competent all-round performer you need to be equipped to play in all keys. For instance brass players do not like playing in keys of more than three sharps. Playing sharp keys on brass instruments sometimes creates very difficult fingering sequences and you find that composers avoid these keys where possible to make "life easy" for the performer.
Players who do not practice the scale sequences and therefore the difficulties that they present are selling themselves short, and will be at a disadvantage than the fully trained musician who diligently practices spends the time learning his or her art.
To be a good all-round performer you are required to be able to read scale passages faster than the piece of music is set at so that you do not interrupt the flow and rhythmical stability. By fully knowing your scales you have the advantage of being able to scan the music rather than to read every note. A good analogy would be that you are now reading this passage but you are not breaking the words down into every individual letter. The effect of scanning is that the music flows better and allows the performer to concentrate on the overall shape of the music, the phrasing and the lyrical quality rather than being constrained with reading notes.
Orchestral players, particularly trumpets have the added difficulty of having to transpose passages into difficult keys. They would not be able to do this without a thorough knowledge of scales.
So really Scales are very important and should not be overlooked in your practice session.
Author Name: Trevor Halliwell
Contact Email Address: trevorhalliwell@gmail.com
Trevor Halliwell (http://www.trevorhalliwell.co.uk) is a Cornet/Trumpet performer and teacher in the North West of England. He is a Fellow of the Trinity College of Music London.
No comments:
Post a Comment