Ask Me About Jazz Scales

This is what I think about scales. What are they good for? When should you use them? Which ones should you use? My philosophy about these questions and how I teach my students to learn and use scales.
If you'd like to support me, you can do so here: PayPal.me/AimN
www.aimeenolte.com

[@joeblakeukeman]

What I love about you, Aimee, is your whole 'thing' - your patient intelligent way of teaching, your voice, your looks, your style, what you put in and what you leave out. You care about your students, the ones who come to your house and us, the ones who come to your videos. I'm a jazz player - old enough to be your dad and been playing since I was a kid, yet willing to learn. Thank you! ♥️

[@KentHewittpiano88]

This is a great video, Aimee!...just be yourself and always play what's in your heart. Best advice you can give (a musician). An important life lesson that's not easily learned.

[@AimeeNolte]

Kent Hewitt oh thank you, Kent. I really like your videos, by the way! Everyone always says, "I like it best when you use a camera angle like Kent Hewitt!" Ha!

[@KentHewittpiano88]

Ha!...Thanks, ...are you kidding? (actually... I'm low tech.) But truly!...I'm very impressed with everything you do...you have a great style, you know jazz, and you are versatile, unique, and very talented, and I really admire you. Keep it up!

[@huhehiho9892]

I recently discovered yours & Aimee's videos & very thankful for them. Your both great in your own ways. It's ironic that 'being ourselves' can sometimes be so challenging & scary. I guess that's because we are still trying to figure out who we really are!

[@bausin]

Except that's pretty useless advice for someone learning to play. They don't have anything "in their heart" yet. Until you have a pretty substantial vocabulary, there's not much to work with. Classic chicken and egg.

[@camtaylormusic]

Anyone who's had life experience has something in their heart. Have you never heard a heart-felt song from a totally "untrained" musician? I had a mean blues jam with a 4 year-old who had never played piano or drums before a few months ago, she sang, screamed, and totally let loose, totally instinctively "getting" it, diving into the rhythms we were playing, and seeing what worked for her. Sure, for many people they have no idea what to do as a starting point, but once you've unlocked that energy in some form or another, it can be pretty magical.

[@jocr6230]

I think I just had the best music playing advice of my life delivered for free! Loved the whole video!

[@charlesarseneau8956]

Bravo!Bravo!Bavissimo! Excellent and challenging exercise. I used to tell my students "singing before playing is like thinking before talking" . Your video is inspiring. Thanks ! Charles🤓

[@mollygarrett2104]

Yes! You're so right. I'm a jazz student and we learn to practice scales for ear training purposes only. In practice, I sing scales over changes so I know "wow that #9 sounds amazing over that!" and I can lock it into my brain and bring it out during improv :)

[@AimeeNolte]

+Molly Garrett LOVE it, Molly

[@ndykman_pdx]

Well, I know this is a older video, but my mind was expanded. I used to think of the modes as flattening (or adding a sharp) to the major scale, which does work. However, it never occurred to me (because I left music at this point way back when) that to find the notes for a scale, I just need to find the key that the note I want is in the right position. E Dorian? Okay, Dorian is based on the second note (C, D) Well, D major has E as the second tone and there we are. Such a simple insight. Thanks.

[@samueltorres7550]

I wish she was my teacher, I'll never miss a class. Nice and clean class, Thanks

[@Jiebasdf]

I really wish to see this advices at the same time I was starting to learn "Shapes and Arpegios" that fit over the chord Changes. Trying to play and sing is the best way to really find your own voice. Now I realized that basically every important musician / Teacher says the same. Richard Bona, Gurthie Govan, George Benson, Tomo Fujita, Barney Kessel .....

[@charlesmartel7502]

I've been making my way through as many of your videos as I can find time to watch, and every one of them is informative, insightful, and helpful. You always manage to be clear without dumbing down, and your examples are masterful. But this one just totally blew me away! Now I have a new ear-training challenge.... (thanks!)

[@joseph4756]

Thank you for all you share and project! Be well always!

[@specjalistaneurolog9932]

one of the best videos, thank you. singing is soooooo important :)

[@jorgeherrera1074]

I am someone who when I play a solo, I forget everything I played seconds after. But I’ve always been told how amazing I am at soloing, and I’d say technical as well. I think different people just approach it differently. To me I feel a flow just leaving my body (I play saxophone) and it manifests as music. I’m going to start practicing more melodically for practice, but I don’t discard what I already can play just cuz I can’t sing it afterwards or cuz I’m not actively thinking about it. But that’s just me. I do really like your material though and it’s very informative!

[@ailishbethd4033]

Finally a great lesson on modes. Thanks for this Aimee. You're amazing. 😘

[@bingispaceman]

Aimee, thank you so much for your amazing videos. It's like a rabbit hole, where the more of your videos I watch the more that I learn, and the more I realize that there is to learn. This time, you got me with the diminished whole tone scale. So cool! And the way that you execute the exercise by moving in your singing range by half tones... You are like the white rabbit and I am like Alice. I find you have become one of my biggest inspirations and mentors, along with Corey Taylor from skilled musician(check him out sometime). Best wishes to you and thanks again. This is a great video among many on your channel. What a gift you are to the aspiring musicians of the world!!

[@williambunter3311]

You are SO right Aimee. I once heard a jazz pianist in Brighton, England, 'improvise' with nothing but a succession of scales and arpeggios. He had an advanced technique covering the whole keyboard at a rapid tempo, but it was as soul-less and boring as eating cardboard! I felt a bit sorry for him because he clearly had no idea of how wooden he sounded (although he was still better than me by a long chalk). By contrast, on another occasion I heard a bass player trot out a blues on my old piano at home, just for fun, which was beautiful. He was playing from his heart. He did indeed have a great knowledge of theory (he used to play bass guitar with Georgie Fame before the Blue Flames period), and this knowledge informed his playing, but it did not govern what he played. I suppose you could say that he made use of theory, whereas the first guy let the theory make use of him! One thing I have always wondered, Aimee, on a video such as this one, as well as on other videos, is how you film it. Is there somebody walking ahead of you filming you? I am 73 years old and the technical world of today leaves me bemused. Who is filming you? How are they doing it so smoothly without jerking the camera or phone up and down as they walk? Thanks for your wonderful videos Aimee. Your playing is so beautiful, and literally brings tears to my eyes, as does your angelic voice. Your harmonies and melodies are so rich and luxuriant, they take my breath away. You are in many ways unique. God bless you, Aimee, as he has blessed all of us who love and enjoy your music, and learn so much from you.

[@phaedrus6891]

Friends don’t let friends play “barf” over the changes 😂 I’m still trying to master major/minor scales before any fancy jazz scales. From watching your videos I’m really trying to make sure I know what sound is coming out of my piano before I press those keys. You seem to hammer that point across in a lot of your videos. Practicing from your heart can be discouraging sometimes because you can’t just bust out with Oscar Peterson like licks right away. You can fake it with a couple months practicing scales and blues/jazz patterns and impress the layman but that’s just “barf” lol. Eventually the ear catches on you’re not playing musically to people. Just random practice patterns.

[@drandrewdobo]

I had a great jazz teacher in Pittsburgh. Frank Cunimundo. Frank would call mindless showoffy runs without soul; popcorn. All fluff no nutrition. When he would solo he would breath with every phrase as if he was playing a sax. His soul in every note. He's probably almost 80 but probably still playing. He and Aimee play with soul. Oozzes out of their DNA. Love this video.

[@drandrewdobo]

Aimee, I was watching your top 25 list. Did you ever play them in a solo piano format on your channel? If not might you. I guess it would almost be a concert series but still teachable. I wish more great Jazz players would sit down and interpret 10-12 standards. I wish Lyle Mays would have done that. Just verbalizing a wish list.

[@MomLAU]

Thanks, Aimee! I've been doing these scales since seeing your video! I came up with a game that i call "scale roulette". I draw (without looking) a key name (white paper) out of an envelope and a scale name (yellow paper) out of another envelope, and then play that scale in that key. Then i put the slips of paper in a "done" envelope. When I'm finished with all of them, i draw a white slip and a yellow slip from that envelope (I have the sides with the writing facing the other way so I can't see it ahead of time) and do it all again, then put them back in the separate envelopes. Recently I've taken to doing the scales in contrary motion (2 octaves)--rh going up and lh down the first time, then rh down and lh up. Haven't tried it with singing yet!

[@MomLAU]

Updated: The other day I tried it with playing 2 octaves, then singing 1 octave. Not easy!

[@wyattstevens8574]

Interesting game- I might want to try that out!

[@DonMPhotography]

That's crazy Aimee! Crazy good to end up on the right note!

[@waltzguy14151]

Great insights as always. I wanted to add some of my experience to yours. You know what most great musicians love more than a musician who can burn? A musician who can then play simple and soulful. Accent on "then". I'm a drummer. I have found out that if you come out "too sensitive", it might be thought that's your maximum octane. I always overplay on auditions to be able to show off my chops and give them a chance to say, "Ok dude.. great chops, but can you just play four on the floor and groove?", which is where the bulk of my practice really is, the same way the bulk of your practice is building melodies, not endless scales. I used to always play for the song at auditions and try to be as musical as my heart would sincerely emote. Which is the way one should play. But that never seemed to get me the gig. So I started overplaying. Still being stylistically correct, but just overplaying. THEN the cats would say, "that's cool, but a bit choppy. Can you simplify that a bit?". And THEN I play the way I really play. Lots of space, not much for frills and if there was a fill the song was calling for, to make sure it was stylistically faithful and with a great downbeat landing. The impression I try to leave is: "The guy has a lot of energy, lots of chops, but can THEN also play simple, soulful and has a nice pocket." Obviously not every auditions the same, but I would simply say that you didn't offer them the chance to get to "then". There is something in human beings that pleases them when they feel like they were able to direct a performance out of you. So if you blow lots of chops, and then let them direct you,, their impression will be heightened not only because your musical attitude (appeared to) change so dramatically, but because now they heard both sides. The burner and the emoter and as an added bonus you showed them you're open minded and willing to take direction. Musicians need a balance of both, don't we? And if you come in only emoting, how do you ask someone, "Hey great musicality, but can you burn a bit more?" It sounds a bit vapid doesn't it? I've never been asked to overplay or use more chops. Usually the other way around. But in an audition, those rules don't apply the same way. That's why you need to give them the burn first. Give them a chance to get to "then". "Wow lady.. you can burn. Okay what if I asked you to play more inside.. less runs.. could you do that?" THEN you get to say, "Absolutely, let me try that." as if you were using a whole different approach and shows you're willing to take direction. There is a great sincerity and feeling in your playing and you're far more interested in being musical and serving the tune than using the tune as a vehicle to propel your own stylings. In short, you and your attitude rocks. But... Auditions are precisely the opposite. You must employ the tune as a means to expose your chops first. FIRST. Let them get used to the sound of your notes and your attack and your physical facility around the instrument.. and let them ask for your soul THEN. And only THEN do you bring out your true spirit, which is entirely musical, unselfish and not prone to being a show off. But only THEN. Not before!! Thanks for the awesome vids. Always something interesting in your corner of the world!

[@AimeeNolte]

+waltzguy14151 what a thoughtful essay! Lol it was long and I'm teasing you...but really. Such good thoughts. Much truth here and lots to think about. Thank you.

[@waltzguy14151]

Sorry Aimee... I type like 70wpm lol.. I have received a lot from watching your channel.. even if I'm just a drummer I care about music and what happens in it. So if there was even one suggestion that might help you in future auditions, it would be the very least I could do for all the knowledge you've shared with me and everyone else who digs your channel. Remain Awesome :)

[@fredrikandersson7554]

i think you just typed in like 180Bpm ;) Funny how this could aply to what you just described, first over doit, THEN , make it tasteful but less words... Just kidding awesome :)

[@quentinmorales]

waltzguy14151 awesome answer. lots of thinking ahead ^^

[@sidneyrichard5319]

Thanks for another brilliant video. Your enthusiasm is wonderful, but the most important thing is your honesty. That's what keeps me watching. Some people just seem to have an enviable facility that leads to speed. We all want it: pyrotechnics impresses people if done well. We know this is dishonest, fool-the-rubes playing, but most of us would secretly like that facility. And I think you correctly expose why it's not the goal. I actually found that the single thing that affected my playing the most was learning t'ai chi, which completely changed my ideas, practice habits, and playing level. And that's a really nice exercise, because it automatically encourages people to go to different keys to suit their voice. And once you've done that, you can also tweak the choice of scales: you've still got a few melodic minor modes and all the modes of the harmonic major and minor to play with. You've definitely chosen the most important scales - although I bet there're people out there who'd lobby for say, binning the whole tone in favour of harmonic minor - but if I were applying it, I'd probably bin Ionian and Mixo in favour of something a little more in the direction I want to go at the time. Btw, there is a really confusing moment early on in the piano section, where you're talking about modes but then switching abruptly to "the phrygian scale" which seems to be the relative major scale built on the third. So E major = the PHRYGIAN SCALE of C. I skipped over it because it seemed like mis-speaking, and because this issue never came up again. I'd never come across this before, though I think I understand it.....

[@simoneveronese2901]

Listen to what you say 3,18 - 3,21. That's bepop! You improvise patterns even when you speak. It's a gift you have and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you.

[@AimeeNolte]

+simone veronese 🙏🏼😍

[@ultramother]

I’m in awe. Thank you so much for this!

[@onumahobart8832]

Looks like La Mesa. I used to live in Mt. Helix. Miss the neighborhood but not the freeway noise. (silence is a necessary ingredient of good music). I've only watched a few of your videos. You're a good teacher. And a cool person. Thank you. (I am John, not Onuma).

[@JariSatta]

Sesquitone Progression: Equal division of one octave into four parts (C, Eb, F#, A, C) by Nicolas Slonimsky. Interpolation of one note for the alternating semitone-wholetone and wholetone-semitone diminished scales. You can also fill the intervals chromatically (C,Db,D,Eb, F#,G,Ab,A, C) for variations, and explore its modes. I use one of its modes w/ Phrygian Dominant Scale.

[@Tededison]

I love your vocal scatting !!!!!!!!! I just love your heart!!!!!!

[@headmasterjason2071]

Aimee, you are a godsend! This is the best piano scale tutorial that I have ever seen! I could never seem to get the hang of them so I would spend hours on the piano learning the hard way which notes sounded good or bad when played in sequence! You are the first person who could explain them in a way that I could understand! Words cannot express how truly grateful I am! So I'm gonna make a song for you! After I finish binge-watching the rest your videos of course! (I only have twenty-three left to go!) You are the best teacher I have ever had!

[@AimeeNolte]

Funk Instructor Jason so nice! I can't believe you have watched them all! Or, have you yet? LOL I really appreciate your feedback and kind words. Thank you so much.

[@headmasterjason2071]

No no, thank you for all your wonderful videos! I haven't watched them all as of yet, (I'm kind of a slow learner; but once I get it, I got it!) so I appreciate your patience, (laugh out loud.) ... I especially liked your "point and sing" technique! I have an electric keyboard which enables me to practice now and then with no sound! (It worked for Beethoven!) ... I just hope you keep making videos! You are truly a gifted artist, and a phenomenal teacher! ~ You rock Aimee Nolte! (^-^)

[@dbrady6172]

What a bravura performance at the end there!!! Astonishing skill. So, what I take from it is not playing anything I am not already capable of singing - that is both liberating and challenging at the same time Thank you

[@jodi183]

Charlie Haden, the late great bassist, played what was in his heart. He had a strong sense of harmony and a really strong ear. Anyway, great advice Aimee! Scale patterns and various permutations of these patterns are also really important to practice (singing along is always important. It's helped me soo much!).

[@AimeeNolte]

+jbassmesser183 ❤️👏🏼

[@CurtisMcLeodMusic]

Just stumbled upon your Channel and I Love it! Thank you. Keep doing this. Subbed for sure.

[@AimeeNolte]

Curtis McLeod thx so much, Curtis

[@mastery7984]

Right, Curtis...Ive be been telling everybody I know since I've stumbled upon Aimee's channel.. love it...Makes learning a blast!! So down to earth and a heck of a muscian...I'm binge watching for the weekend 👍

[@Beulzabob]

Hi Aimee, I'm a guitarist and a big fan of Joe Pass. He always said that if you can't sing it, don't play it (paraphrasing), because you aren't playing the guitar, the guitar is playing you. Most guitar players, myself included will occasionally play technical figures because it sounds cool (diminished runs for me), but that's not my goal when I'm improvising. Regarding scales, I think learning to outline a tune with arpeggios is far more useful and musical than learning scales/modes. It has helped me tremendously. Love these videos, please keep them coming!

[@AimeeNolte]

Robert Van Housen wonderful thoughts! Thank you so much.

[@natemunoz1002]

thanks to you I now better understand the concept of modes.

[@johnlogginssr938]

my music teacher advised me to try piano because he said John on the guitar you have to practice and memorize your chords. on piano the chords and notes are right in front of you. aimee you are making this very easy for me thank you . John Loggins SR. Guitar Player

[@AimeeNolte]

Lol idk if he’s right about that...

[@moniquemeneses6503]

Hey Aimee, i appreciate all of your videos. I aaaalways watch them. I am in my preparation for the entrance exam to music college next year. Thankyou so much for your work. You have an amazing vibe

[@Jakalia]

I love your love for music. The topics you cover is very helpful that anybody that is into music can relate to. Thank you for being you!

[@AntarblueGarneau]

Many many musicians, especially young guitrists, get hung up on modes. They wanna play modes and they just end up giving up. They get confused because someone shows them how to access the modes thru a major scale usually C major. Every heard a student say? "What's the difference, they all sound the same to me" It's an intelligent question because the diatonic modes are all the same intervallic pattern starting from different scale degree. Without something underneath the modes they can't hear the flavor of each different mode. A different method of teaching is needed. One idea is to teach each mode based on what tones are in the mode ie "This is Dorian it has a flat third a flat seventh and the other notes are natural. The student can practice that particular mode on all 12 notes of the western scale either chromatically or around the cycle of 4ths. Or if the student is into intervals it can be Dorian W-1/2 etc because shifting the starting note changed the intervallic pattern with respect to the starting note. It the student learns these modes by rote first she will very soon grok the relationship between Dorian, Mixo and the other modes. Then those Aebersold type graphs that tell you Maj 7 chords = ionian or lydian, min 7 = Dor if functions as a ii in the key etc etc will make sense to the student.

[@RSProduxx]

love your philosophy. greetings from germany

[@lemuscarlos]

You are SO F***ing AMAZING! I have a lot to study. That singing part was mindblowing. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us the "earthlings". Greetings from Colombia.

[@liegon]

Thank you very much for sharing your valuable insight and experience!

[@carlos-bt4dt]

great to see how its are in real USA. allways wounder how they live and what give them inspiration when all big Jazz musicstars wrote Music. fun to see how its are in your area, and what give you Aimee inspiration to your Music. you are best- i have a Clock with California time, maybe it was meant for me to live in LA, I aways is tired when daytime in sweden so my internal Clock belongs to California time.!

[@AimeeNolte]

carl os maybe you were! That's awesome. Thanks for your comment.

[@paxwallacejazz]

I totally get you ! It's weird that I subscribed both to you and Ken Hewitt on the same day . He's great . Anyway I will "never" be considered a technical monster but I can get around a bit and, I like who I've evolved into as a melodic improvisor over advanced harmonies . Wayne Shorter Ballads and Kenny Wheeler etc. So if we are to play Iris or Fall or Infant Eyes then we must hear/sing our way through them of course . I was pretty sure I was but now I need to re-make sure damn it . I guess I am not too advanced to be your student .

[@m.a.g.3920]

Amazing video Aimee, so many things but well connected and crystal clear most of times. I'm happy to hear of you the way you understand scales, I think I understand them kind of the same. Regarding to what you say around minute 5, I think that is good to have days which you free your fingers, let your fingers have the control, other days that you must "control" them and let your heart/mind take control of them and other moments (specially on concerts or gigs) where you need to make them to agree and meet precisely.

[@AimeeNolte]

+MIguel Alemparte 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@robertkerr3059]

music is part of the glue that keeps all peoples talking to each other, or better yet, singing to one another,....got it, scales, scales and more scales but as my cousin Talus would say, dont forget the arpegios! cheers to all

[@frederickthorne2496]

such a great and inspirational teacher - thank you!

[@MichaelGordonPenn]

Thank you!

[@racejones8784]

whole tone scale is easy to remember. Just listen to a lot of Thelonius Monk. I totally agree with the idea of singing through your instrument. That's what I aspire to do when I play- make music. Technique is not necessarily music, but what comes from you is (hopefully).

[@Eranrit]

Hi Aimee, thank you for all the information you share, ?"I would like to ask you, what is your opinion about "avoid notes one of the reasons for using different scales is to avoid some notes that sounds dissonance or to add more dissonance like in dominant chords.. Thanks..

[@jonnycoombes2247]

George Benson could do that simultaneous thing, sing and play the lines, still just basically singing I guess? This is a brilliant video - thank you Aimee.

[@AimeeNolte]

He’s the master ;)

[@jonnycoombes2247]

@@AimeeNolte Yup. Soul.

[@jonnycoombes2247]

@@AimeeNolte Massive Tal Farlow fan...pretty sure he was singin' those old tunes.

[@MyTube4Utoo]

Cool clouds! Cool Aimee!

[@berniejii3739]

That exercise is a BEAST

[@steveosoro5785]

This is all I have ever been looking for!

[@AimeeNolte]

Steve Osoro thanks, Steve!

[@fuzzylightning]

Maybe that particular pianist played what was in their heart? Different strokes for different folks.

[@scottdaly2621]

Amen! From listening to you, and for what it's worth, I don't believe you were beat that day! ;-)

[@AimeeNolte]

Scott Daly that made me smile

[@RSProduxx]

i´d agree...if the band was so easily impressed, who knows if it would have been good to join them...

[@AimeeNolte]

Scott Daly thx RS

[@joeya5438]

I have hard the second track of a love supreme literally hundreds of times. I can listen to it in my head all the way through if I want, I still can't really sing most of the piano solo.

[@jaimefuentealba4745]

Espectacular your scales......good musician and a lovely woman. (Chile)

[@stevenkohler2486]

Really great video, Amy. Great way to learn the modes and ear train as well. I have a good ear and relative pitch, not the greatest voice, but can hold a tune. I'd love to work on my voice simultaneous to developing accompaniment skills. Your videos are really spot on. Thanks for the contributions.

[@dfaria1000]

Your talent continues to astound me. Love your free-spirit and "take" on jazz. Would love your insight on how to apply these scales to a simple jazz standard like Summer Time.......Stay Warm.

[@AimeeNolte]

DrDee sure. Ok soon. :)

[@davidfriedman7823]

Me being. self taught unconventional. I just started going on line. l agree what you say about singing what you play. l once replaced a college kid as music director at a festival who just ran scales and I played what I felt.

[@AimeeNolte]

David Friedman 👊🏼

[@abelilla2791]

Very impressive ! I am a beginner on piano and I can understand your lessons!! you are a very good teacher. And from now I am your student! And how much does it cost? free!!! awesome!

[@minglian6433]

Lochrian is precious! Great video and inspiring. Thanks!

[@AimeeNolte]

Ming Lian precious huh? Lol thank you.

[@AimeeNolte]

Ming Lian oh sheeze I spelled it wrong. Holy moly 🙄ahhhhh

[@minglian6433]

It sounds even powerful than ever with a h

[@AimeeNolte]

Ming Lian 😂

[@MomLAU]

How do you film these while you're walking, Aimee? P.S. i may try this. I can see how singing the scales might help me hear them in my head better.

[@nickrees4706]

I thought you were leading us up the garden path with that intro

[@6841]

Thank you so much for sharing this exercise!

[@MarioVapenik]

You mentioned scales as something what is good for practicing and something that can be used for display. IMHO there is one more aspect of scales. They are core rudiments of any conventional song. Everything what happens in a song builds and derives it's meaning from the scale present in the background. It is basic music logic.

[@MaxTooney]

Haha, were you using a baby carriage for your camera dolly? (I wonder what the neighbors were thinking?) I really enjoyed the lesson. This is a difficult but very useful exercise for me since I'm a bit of a novice with my modes.

[@AimeeNolte]

MaxTooney it's a selfie stick! Lolol

[@carlos-bt4dt]

thanks for your videos I learn a lot of Music and Jazz Music. i recording my own pianoriff and it are jazz without to know that Before!

[@hermanschryer2910]

I knew about the 7 modes, but the 5 jazz scales are new to me. I'll take your advice and play by ear and have some fun, until I'm ready to venture into the abysmal depths of music theory - under the tutelage of a good teacher (you). I'll even try to have as much fun as I can while practicing the major and minor scales with both hands, lol.

[@AimeeNolte]

Herman Schryer 🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@Johpat1]

Great Aimee thanks, a good advice if i can sing the scale/solo i should can play it...

[@jaylozier4083]

Lyrical playing is best playing, Aimee.

[@bepkororoti8019]

I think there is an XY problem with the questions you're receiving. People in actuality want to know what they can play over a chord change (Y) because they (me) don't know where to start. So they ask you which scales you're using (problem X) because they think that will bring them to their goal (problem Y). To which you answer that you don't think about scales, because that's your truthful answer to problem X. Which - not that you intend to deceive - is only partly true for problem Y: you went over those scales so many times that you don't have to think about them but there is no doubt that you're using a set of scales while playing lyrically. There's nothing inherently "natural" about this, it's about growing accustomed to what you listen to habitually/intentionally. If you only listened to middle eastern microtonal music your whole life you probably wouldn't just burst out an ionic lullaby tune when "playing from the heart". In my book it's not that helpful to tell beginners to play from the heart because they haven't had the chance to "train their heart" to hear in their heads what you can hear. I think it would help to acknowledge more explicitly that good, informed improv only comes from a lot of practice and memorization, it's not an achievement unlocked by finally having learned mode Z. In martial arts and other disciplines there is the concept of Shuhari that can be applied here: "Shu" is mastery of all the forms exactly like they're taught without deviation, so it's the repitition to learn all the basics. In "ha" after you have acquired mastery in the basics you can innovate on the known forms to explore the boundaries. After that in "Ri" you are able to break free from form and really do what's in your heart, because the rules are a part of you and you just "know" where you can bend or break them without bringing down the whole. My impression is that you are firmly based in "Ri" and the people asking for scale advice maybe haven't even arrived in "Shu", they (me) don't have the same understanding of the vocabulary as you. I always found it fascinating that in Shuhari there is no concept of a beginner, if you've not mastered all the basics you're not even on the scale so to speak 😀. Speaking of scales, are you familiar with Emmett Chapman's "Offset Modal System" employed on his Parallel Galaxy record? I'd love to hear your opinion on that one. Another interesting video, thank you for your content!

[@VictorWerke]

Great video ! Thanks!

[@AimeeNolte]

Victor Werke you're very welcome!

[@TinoCarugati]

Very, very good!!!

[@ApakukiNayacakalou]

that was freakin amazing!!!

[@MeekeyCee]

You are just the greatest!

[@drmichaelshea]

Ego wounds can be as painful as broken bones, right? But there isn’t anything wrong with your musicianship, Aimee. Glenn Gould would sing along too, so it’s nothing restricted to pop and jazz musicians.

[@MartinGureasko]

Aimee, I hate to be a dolt, but I'm not quite getting it. I understand each of the modes and scales you refer to...that part is crystal clear...blame it on all those semesters of ear training/theory. What I'm confused by is why you are proceeding by half steps as you explain the different formations. For example, if you start on Eb as the Ionian, why wouldn't you go to F for the Dorian, G for the Phrygian, etc.? Does my question make sense? By the way, I would give anything to live close to you and study jazz with you! You have a God-given gift to teach, besides being uber-talented as a singer and pianist. Blessings to you!!

[@AimeeNolte]

+Martin Gureasko it's more of an ear training exercise. I'm not thinking about it like that. I just took the most common scales that I use in my jazz improvisations, and made an order out of them to take me through 12 keys. That's it. You're doing just fine. :-)

[@MartinGureasko]

Thanks.

[@mitchelledels9762]

I listen to horn players when I try and think of solos .If my tune sucks I think what rhythm can I have or can I change the key.i watch George Benson he is always singing what he plays.

[@juliancho637]

thanks for your videos aimee you give many ideas for understand and study the scales, i play sax, un beso y un abrazo !

[@eltacrash]

Amazing Aimee! So hard but funny!

[@allanhenderson5262]

Isn't music really a magical key to unlock "pure pleasure" in another person? The key has to fit into the other person's lock in order to work. Sometimes you have to wonder if some players, like the guy you mention who played from his fingers, are aiming to unlock the pleasure in their own minds, or in the minds of their audience. Or if they even know they are supposed to be unlocking pleasure at all. (So much depends on what the locks are like in the audience right in front of you, because different people are so different.)

[@AimeeNolte]

allan henderson beautiful thoughts. I love that.

[@saxorexic]

My problem is learning and playing the correct (or even mostly right) fingerings.

[@bunnycatch3r]

This is advanced. Where do I go to learn to play barf?

[@88KeysMan]

Great video!

[@hahabass]

Brilliant ideas! But were you actually going anywhere in particular on your walk?

[@AimeeNolte]

No...just walking. :)

[@designleostudio]

thanks for plaing harmonica :)

[@WagnerMuccillo]

Very well !!!

[@AimeeNolte]

Wagner Muccillo 🙌🏼

[@ltavare]

It's great what you do.

[@AimeeNolte]

+Louie T. Aw thanks, Louie

[@carlos-bt4dt]

what harmonica are you use 21:20 ? i gonna buy one, wich is best för a beginner? thinking about för hohner special 20 in c scale ? or Hohner marineband crossover ? or what?

[@AimeeNolte]

carl os yes but it's chromatic.

[@MichaelBB]

Do you espouse a one-to-one correspondence between the root of a chord and the scale that could or should be used for melodic material on that chord? have you read Hal Galper's Forward motion book, which talks about the rhythmic alignment of chordtones with the strong beats, and the non-chordtones on the off beats, regardless of scale, chord or key? I do not espouse the singing of all this material, for the record. www.jwpepper.com/BeBop-Hanon-Part-Two-The-Scales/10360524.item#.WIREn1MrKUk

[@emmetthouse5600]

When you play the scale scale what cord progression you use with all of the scale in your left hand 🤚

[@sam45354]

Is there an ebook that you would recommend so that I can learn all my scales including the degrees of the major and minor scales?

[@larryfernandez1623]

Eb f# G A# B D, en esta escala hay tres tonalidades (Ebmaj7) (Gmaj7) (Bmaj7) en otras palabras (giant steps) is a combinatión of two augmented chords (Eb G B) & (F# A# D) do you know what is the name of this scale And Who teach about this? Sorry I'm from Peru And no hablo ingles.

[@31763660]

thanks for the thoughts. btw, i'm sure the people in your neighborhood think your nuts walking around with a selflie stick after a rain shower talking about the barf music... hope all is well where you are. --sam

[@AimeeNolte]

31763660 yes yes. Only one person saw me, I think and they didn't seem to mind. :)

[@ariefwaskito6071]

Thank you Aimee...( Indonesian )

[@domenicociccimarra3445]

is it your soul speaking__well there is no one else in the world like you wrinting from italy domenico

[@OllytheOzzy]

Thats a cool exercise

[@richard9480]

Brilliant.

[@cals29utube]

Hi Aimee. Love your vids. Thanks. You say in this one at 7:51 that people "play [the modes] in C" and I just wanted to check my understanding. I would have thought that, say, phrygian, starting on E, would be "in the key of E" not C. Playing on "the white keys" makes mode teaching easy, but is it not the case that playing a phrygian scale starting on the E note, would be playing an "E phrygian scale" (in the key of E)? If I play that pattern of intervals starting on the C note, then would that not be "playing C phrygian - in the Key of C"?

[@cals29utube]

no forget that - now by 9:47 you say "ionian, in the key of Eb", and you start and end on an Eb - makes perfect sense. But then you do dorian, "in the key of D", but you did not start and end the dorian scale on a D. that is confusing. You start on E. I guess the reference at 10:05 to "using D's key signature" helps to pick out the correct notes for the dorian scale "in E"? So if I play the usual two sharps from the key of D but start on E I am playing E dorian, but I want to say "in the key of E". Why not?

[@sam45354]

What's the best way to learn your scales the major scales, minor scales? Is there any way to learn scales to the point where I can hear them in my head before even playing them. Also what should I be practicing and how should I be practicing music?

[@pappy439]

Samuel Colp practice and sing them just like in the video, this technique applies to all scales.

[@peregrinagonzalezalberto1844]

😍