Moving Motives Volume Two - Scales Working Together
The primary objectives of this method book include ear training, development of insight and understanding, flexibility in all keys, and achieving a feel for how different scales work together.
Moving Motives Volume Two - Scales Working Together
Moving Motives Volume Two - Scales Working Together
Scales and arpeggios are the building blocks of music. Every musician has to practise them in one way or another. As a musician and teacher, I have found that most people practise scales by isolating them. The main purpose is often to improve technical facility.
But in the music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell, scales are not isolated, they interact with each other; scales work together to create a whole that is much bigger than the sum of its parts.
Volume Two of Moving Motives offers a practical method for practising scales and arpeggios in this interactive fashion.
When scales and arpeggios are practised in such a manner, the benefits will go far beyond increased technical facility; you will improve aural skills and create understanding, insight and intuition for how scales work together.
In Volume One, the six basic tonal scales have been introduced. Motives (using thirds, triads and seventh chords) have been embellished with Lower Leading-Tones and Upper Diatonics. In Volume Two embellishments will be further developed using Diatonic and Chromatic Passing Tones.
The chapters about Important Seventh Chords, Connecting Thirds and Chromatic Scales are inspired by concepts I learnt in lessons from pianist Barry Harris, and clarinettist/saxophonist John Ruocco. I have applied these concepts to the degrees of the harmonic scales using the concept of Scales Working Together.
As in Volume One, the exercises in Volume Two are examples that explain an idea. I encourage the reader to take these ideas, and use them to make up their own variations.
The possibilities are infinite.
Simon Rigter
Simon has created a book that is sorely missing within improvisation instructional literature, because Moving Motives has horn players and singers at its heart. I’m not aware of another book that shows scales in relation to their key centre, which is such a vital step in understanding harmony.
Volume Two introduces, amongst others, Scales Working Together. This is a unique concept, as the exercises combining the melodic, harmonic and natural scales give such a strong sense of movement and melody that I find it difficult to practise anything else.
Gary Kavanagh (trumpet)
Discover the transformative power of musical scales with Simon's enlightening and inspiring books. Simon's exercises are not only challenging and enjoyable; they're also beautifully melodic, making the learning process both enriching and delightful. His innovative concepts, such as Scales Working Together and Extended Scales, unveil timeless truths about melodic and harmonic relationships in tonal music. Explore how Simon's teachings can enhance your improvisation skills over jazz standards and various musical contexts. With years of dedication and expertise, Simon's books promise to be invaluable companions on your musical journey.
Thank you, Simon, for your unique contribution!
Bart Defoort (saxophone)
Moving Motives stands out to me as a uniquely concise, thorough and practical explanation of music theoretical issues. All of the exercises within show how to use theoretical information to create both improvisation and warm-up drills that can be adapted to personal taste.
Simon's idea of combining different scales in one tonality and using all of them to weave a musical phrase through each scale degree, is a new, unique and comprehensive approach. The almost endless possibilities and melodic variations Simon offers, are both challenging and inspiring; not only for improvising artists but for anybody who wants to explore their instrument and music in general.
