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First off, thanks for all your encouraging comments! Now, about my progress:
I think I was being a bit ambitious when I wrote out my lesson plans. One week in and, according to my schedule, I’m meant to be working on transitions from the I to the IV chord in the key of G. What I’m actually doing is still getting my head around the G, C, and D major pentatonic and blues scales.
What I hadn’t counted on is that it would take my fingers some time to get used to these new finger patterns. The major pentatonic is pretty easy, and I guess I use it a lot anyway without thinking too much about it, but the blues scale is crazy. I love the sound of it but my fingers were initially resistant its exotic weirdness – especially that bit in the middle where you’ve got the three notes squashed together. It is the blues scale that makes me feel like a total beginner again. But when you feel that way, it means you’re learning, so that’s good.
Just for the record – and correct me if I’m wrong – I understand these scales to be as follows:
Major pentatonic: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 1
Blues: 1, flat 3, 4, flat 5, 5, flat 7, 1
In order to grasp the blues scale I found it helpful to visualise it in two halves. I’d play the 1 and flat 3 (say, open G followed by B flat), then repeat this on the next string up to get the 5 and flat 7 (open D and F natural). I’d go up and down on these notes for a bit, and then, when I felt comfortable, add the 4 and the high 1. The finger pattern remains identical on each string (open, low second finger, third finger – easy!). Then once I was comfy with that all I’d have to do is add the flat 5. This is where I’d go a bit woozy as the symmetry is disrupted. But not as woozy as if I hadn’t built up the scale in the way that I had.
This month’s key is G which means I’m working on G, C, and D scales. Every day I do the major pentatonic and the blues scale for each. And every day I do them a bit faster. I haven’t even got as far as messing around with them; I’m just shuffling my way up and down the scales.
A technical aside: I know a lot of bluegrass and OT fiddlers don’t do this but I generally use open strings on the way up a scale and fourth finger on the way down. Because my pinky is so small and feeble I like to stick to this, at least in my home practice, just so to keep that fourth finger in training.
The reason I’m doing all these scales is just to get them into my muscle memory before I start letting loose. A fine fiddler called Roy Nicholls gave me a great tip once on the subject of muscle memory; I think he called it the “Rule of Three” or the “Magic Three”. When you’re learning a difficult passage and you’ve got to get it right, the most efficent way of building it into your muscles is by playing it three times in a row, perfectly, and then stopping. So, the idea is that you play it at a speed that you can manage cleanly and in tune, and you do this three times. That’s three times in a row, though, so if you screw up you’ve got to start over. And don’t try and do it four or five times because then you might start making mistakes and then those will get into your muscles too.
It has been really interesting to witness this theory in practice this week. On the third day I was still playing these scales embarassingly slowly. My notes read:
Done 3 x @69bpm:
G major pentatonic
G blues
C major pentatonic
C blues
D major pentatonic
D blues - DIDN’T MANAGE
Just to clarify, I’m talking quarter notes at 69bpm, so painfully slow.
The next day I was still at the same speed (although I did manage the D blues scale this time).
The day after that I decided to simplify things and just stick to the G scales. Something happened – I could play the G scales at double the previous day’s speed, so eighth notes at 69bpm. Three times with no mistakes.
The next day I could play the G major pentatonic at quadruple my original speed, so sixteenth notes at 69bpm. The blues scale lagged behind a bit but I did manage it three times at eigth notes at 100bpm.
For the rest of my Month of G I think I’ll concentrate on the G scales and just dip into the C and D ones. As I get used to the new finger patterns I’m sure I’ll be able to take on more scales at once, so I’m not too worried.
As I write I am bracing myself for replies of, “Loosen up!” and “Just relax and have fun!” Some people learn better that way, but for me, I prefer to know how to walk (preferably in a straight line) before I start running. I did manage to sneak a few cheeky blues notes into my fills in band practice last night though, so it’s a start!
10 comments on “Bluegrass Improvisation Blog 02: Scales, Scales, Scales”
Bart Says:
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 @12:18:59 PM
I love this, I'm grateful you're blogging about it, and I'm very intrigued. I'm embarking on a year of scales work with 1 major scale and its relative minors per month. I'm going to toss in the pentatonic versions, double stop chords, greater understanding of relationships to the circle of 5ths and various chord progressions, and use it all as a backdrop for various bowing exercises and dexterity exercises (with variations of scale patterns and arpeggios). I love doing this stuff, it helps me improvise, and it is helping my bowing. So, you won't hear me put down your ideas at all, and I'm going to follow your blog!
BoFiddley Says:
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 @12:53:40 PM
Excellent! I'll be interested to know if you have any exercises that you find particularly useful! One major and its relative minor per month sounds like plenty to do to be honest. Good luck and keep in touch!
bj Says:
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 @5:08:32 PM
Scales? They're why I decided to play Oldtime. ;-) (not totally, but I'd be lying if I said scales or the lack of them didn't figure into the equation at all!)
BoFiddley Says:
Thursday, November 11, 2010 @5:46:43 AM
I can't blame you BJ! :)
Humbled by this instrument Says:
Thursday, November 11, 2010 @6:26:44 AM
Forty years ago I learned scales all over the neck of the guitar, modes, diminished, etc. Yet at every jam--blues and rock and more blues--the best would tell me, "Just learn patterns, lics." Now to the fiddle. Yeah, I still do scales, and they're great to know, yet again--kick offs and endings; lics, jumps, and bendings; slurs, tricks, and trendings--I guess I'm suggesting that one can get...burned out just going up and down and up and down the fingerboard?
BoFiddley Says:
Thursday, November 11, 2010 @7:02:04 AM
Humbled - I totally agree. My idea was to pick a key, get to grips with the scales, then move on to all the fun stuff. It's just taking me longer than expected to get the scaley bit under my fingers! Besides, I kind of enjoy them in a twisted way...
Bart Says:
Thursday, November 11, 2010 @9:15:33 AM
Humbled, I would agree too, but I wonder if "scales" can imply just going up and down the board one note at a time, whereas I think it is possible to work on all kinds of scale patterns that take it all into the realm of playing and fun, and out of that drudgery. For instance, one of the things I'm going to be doing is adding ornaments to the scale patterns. Same with slurs, rhythms, bendings and lots of other stuff. For me, this is a way to get to know a scale so thoroughly that my hands just know what all can be done with. I'm far from there, but now and then I get a wonderful flash of where I'm headed, and it makes it really, really fun.
Humbled by this instrument Says:
Thursday, November 11, 2010 @10:29:26 AM
Brilliant, Bart! Yep. I actually do that very thing, I "roll" up a scale, slurring G A B, then ABC, then B C D, etc. for instance, or go down by thirds, staccatoey, etc.
eerohero Says:
Saturday, November 13, 2010 @8:50:25 AM
You like blues scales, try some Western Swing fiddling, you just might like it. www,youtube.com/watch?v=ShIR-639GnY
Bart Says:
Saturday, November 13, 2010 @2:22:02 PM
Hi Fiddlinang, just checking in. So far, I am in week one of my G scale month. I am ecstatic with the results. All I've been doing for a few days is the G scale, various patterns, the blues scale, the pentatonic scale, and variations on those. I've been using a metronome, working on bowing, and throwing in stuff like putting in an Irish fiddling cut with each note of the scale (as best I can, that is). And, I've been doing the E minor scale...just the straight scale. This worked great during the week when I can just steal a few minutes before work to practice. But, today I revisited some blues solos for a tune in the key of G, and lo and behold, what had eluded me before was possible! And, I could improvise without hitting off notes! Woohoo! Oh, PS: I took a page out of your book and have been using the 4th finger on some scales, both up and down. Gonna be helpful. OK, just checking in! Keep at it!
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