The Major Scale in 8 Ways

[@maciek_d]

This is golden. As someone who has quite some theoretical knowledge but starting to play jazz piano, this is awesome! I’ve been coming back to your lessons many times now and cant tell you enough how helpful they are. Thank you Adam and OpenStudio team.

[@bjb0808]

This is just what I needed. Structured practice of scales. I've been trying but was getting sick of my ways. Love the pivots. Vaguely heard of them, didn't know what they were. Very cool. Thank you for your patience and kindness in doing this video.

[@domukaz]

I'm a guitarist, but thanks for describing these exercises. I picked up some of these from Jens Larsen's videos, and so I'm not surprised to learn he might have gotten some of his concept from Barry Harris, whose workshops he has attended. Really excited to work up to those pivots.

[@CrowClouds]

This is my favorite musical education lesson EVER. i would seriously have such a shitty life without Open Studio 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

I hereby promise myself that I will practice this thoroughly in all twelve keys. I will report back here when I am done.

[@lolwtfthisshitscrazy]

hows that going for you?

[@thenewninja4726]

@@lolwtfthisshitscrazy did he die 😔

[@lamb4078]

It's taken him over a year :(

[@evanpappazisis7862]

Yeah wheres this dude at?!?!

[@happybeach777]

🪦

[@jezza7w]

OMG this is beyond fantastic! I wish I had had this video 10-15 years ago!!!! This is pure gold! Please please produce more of these, you are literally going to inspire a new generation of students. I was always so miserable and bored as piano student growing up and in my early 20s. My understanding of scales was limited to liner and contrary motion… it was all about practicing for an examiner, proving to be technically competent to pass to the next level. It never inspired or prepared me for real and wonderful applications of the skills. I’m also really pleased to se a huge increase of youtube videos explaining and teaching Barry Harris’ methodologies. Again I’m almost feeling upset that I never had access to this kind of amazing content.

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

We have Chat GPT now. 🤔

[@SuperKeswick]

Perfect thanks for this , that’s my next 6 months taken care of

[@rebanelson607]

This lesson has been SO helpful! I remember listening to Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz on public radio many moons ago and how much I loved those jazz sounds but has no idea what was happening musically. Now, almost 40 years later, I'm learning .

[@neilsaunders9309]

Some of the very best jazz instruction available - on KZbin or anywhere else. Indeed, some of the very best music instruction in any genre, anywhere.

[@clueless3398]

Help with fingerings please

[@Ev-eq8zn]

When I’m playing e.g 3-6-2-5-1 do you think of each passing chord as you improvise? Like “on the 3 I can play this triad, on the 6 this broken chord, some melodic generalization, etc..”. With good voice leading of course. Or is it better to have outlines for the whole movement memorized that you can play around with/modify on the fly? Trying to sort my brain out for easy playing. Is it the leading/guide tones I should be thinking mostly as I navigate the chords? Like 7ths to 3rds, 9ths to 5ths, 5 to 1. Just trying to streamline everything. Any help is much appreciated!

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

This was a lightbulb moment for me. Amazing. My only critique was that you didn't film your hands...or should I say hand. Especially for the thirds and chords. I'm also trying this hands together. I'm trying to use the 4 and 5 fingers for thirds just to combine a finger strengthening exercise. I just started doing pivots and I'm only doing it in Bb. But when I did pivots, it's like you're just playing a chord underneath. I - minor on the third ii- Major on the third iii- Major on the third IV- minor on the third V- diminished on the third? (Is this correct?) vi- Major on the third vii°- minor on the third Is this some sort of hack that you music guys know inherently? What is different with the IV Major and the V dominant? It might be a stupid question, but I learn better when I ask questions. For my Swiss Boards, the Physiology professor was surprised when I asked him a question during an exam. I told him that if I didn't learn something during an exam it was a waste of time. He gave me a 6, BTW.

[@MichelleHell]

Wanna hear something weird? Might be kinda long, but I had some major breakthroughs recently. So, I've struggled with trauma and depression my entire life. This has made it difficult for me to be a good musician (or anything for that matter) , because of how my focus is always shifting to escape pain. Well, after decades of therapy and meditation, the other night I was depressed and just started practicing boring metronome exercises. I was in such a funk, and normally I don't do anything musical when I'm in a funk. That's when I experienced some form of relief from my depression. Doing exercises to a metronome was literally therapeutic for me. Normally, since I have depression, when I do feel good I don't practice boring metronome exercises, I just jam and noodle. So, i never really sat down to master these kinds of simple exercises. What never occurred to me was how exercises like this can help me build my own internal clock, which would in turn help calm me down. It's almost like it's fixing my circadian rhythm, which is normally severely disrupted. When I'm depressed I literally cannot be creative, but I CAN do these exercises. They are boring, mechanical and devoid of emotion, which gels nicely with feelings of depression. I find it oddly therapeutic to do these exercises when I'm in a bad mood, rather than trying to express a bad mood musically. If I try to express a bad mood, I get lost in my trauma. My mistake has been to try and express my trauma rather than use it as a motive to master playing in time. As I stew in my funk, I'm able to develop a skill, and that's totally new to me. I entered my last practice session thinking, "I'm a boring person with a boring life, so I'm going to practice boring exercises to a boring metronome". After about 30 minutes I started to feel better, and had the epiphany that I could use this as literal therapy.

[@PirqtePig3742]

I love this comment, i hope the best for you 🥰❤

[@jackgalloway8314]

Lol

[@BestFitSquareChannel]

Thank you Michelle. An invaluable insight. An invaluable tool. A priceless application. Pardon me, where’s my metronome!? 🙌🏼🤸🏾‍♂️🫶🏻✌🏼🖖🏼

[@peoriaos6627]

Great video, however your computer notes are not in sync with the sound. It hurts my brain :)

[@chrisharrison809]

Y’all should promote the Barry Harris book. This is the chapter “the basics”. There’s a lot more in there obviously…like a ton. Plus videos of him teaching it at some blazing swing tempos.

[@tuomas3964]

Hi! Has there been a book published about Barrys concepts?

[@arandompersononearth]

Which book do you mean?

[@christodouloskarakannas3224]

Which book???

[@chrisharrison809]

The book is the “Barry harris workshop” by Howard Rees

[@chrisharrison809]

I posted the link but someone took it down

[@grzankomuzykant]

Fingerings Help

[@bradkelley8569]

This is a great way to approach learning ANY scale. I have been scuffling with D Dorian/E-flat Dorian scales ("So What?") and used these patterns to woodshed them. Thanks Adam!

[@arandompersononearth]

You had me at "taught often by Barry Harris" :) Thank you!! I might have to sign up for your videos; when you said "you got this" going into the double time I was doubting whether I had it, but then it turned out I had it!!

[@RCruzMusiCTV]

I could never express how this has just changed everything for me ….. im literally a different musician today after watching this .. I play piano and just started learning trumpet and wow this is almost too useful 😃😃 Thank you Thank you Thank you Holy f*@/!n’ sh!t

[@christopherellis2987]

F by

[@blow-by-blow-trumpet]

Beautiful, thorough and, like all of Barry's methods, building towards something that automatically creates bebop style language. Everyone should be doing this from day 1.

[@miguelmoreno-gd1zt]

You made my day!! Incredible useful video for any instrument. Good job

[@ef10s]

Great video. Would be helpful to see fingering too. Thanks.

[@LawrenceUdeigwe]

In your opinion, how useful is it to learn these exercises with the left hand?

[@user-dssjones5]

Approaching notes had me in a tizzy for a while until I figured out the approaching note follows the A major scale. So easy now. Works up and down. Even the different modes. (I've only tried Dorian, but I suspect they all should work.) Thank you for this gem.

[@nickknee-case298]

Can you please add time stamps in the description? I keep coming back for reference. Thanks so much for all of your content

[@balcomoz]

Bb scale we working today! Trumpeters are so thankful

[@amotinyabongo5659]

Hey Adam, thank you for this post showing variations and exercises...some of these I've done but this is taking it to another level. Thanks again.

[@BestFitSquareChannel]

Jaw dropping. Thank you Adam. Thank you Barry Harris, RIP 🌞.

[@kristerman]

Ok now I have something to practice for the next months, thank you Adam. Also I have a question, could the pivot happen with any other chord tone besides the tonic?

[@SteveSnelling]

Great vid! Same approach taught by my 1st jazz teacher in the '60s, Portland old-school bebopper Mary Field. One thing I just noticed from your graphic: the "pivot" versions (first inversion 7th chords) are also SIXTH CHORDS , a shape Barry references a lot in his vid's and seminars. Trippy!

[@Whatismusic123]

first inversion 7th chords and 6th chords have the same notes, but seperate function.

[@Svit.S]

Wow the next day after this video I can say that I am immediately more comfortable on the B major scale than I have been on any scale before, except maybe c minor that I keep drilling in my improvs. Instantly generating cool B major licks and it is sounding great. Will definitely explore other scales with this method. Thank you!

[@mitchkahle314]

Can a minor scale include a major 3rd? Of course! D, Eb, F, Gb (F#), Ab, Bb, C.

[@rdettwyler]

Greets. I offer my thoughts about the diatonic scales, which have seven notes, and it's weird to play only seven. How about adding the sharp 5 on the way up, flat 6 on the way down, giving us eight and eight. Think of it like the Thirds. Just a thought, something I do, to tidy things up, or down, as it were.

[@evanpappazisis7862]

Minor scale in 8 ways lets goooo

[@NatureBoyMk6]

I love these videos! I just wish I could see your hands to check my fingering. Great resource though guys! thank you!

[@ClaudioPallone]

Thanks for the exercise. What fingering should we use for playing the exercises? Cheers

[@Bati_]

I’m incredibly excited about this one! Such great work as always!

[@butterboydan]

I applied the jazz enclosures with the arpeggios in those enclosures from his videos. Man my playing has excelled since then.

[@anyC]

Very nice. Would be even better if the fingerings were depicted and discussed.

[@olebirgerpedersen]

Some very good ideas in how to play scales without being bored.

[@bobdeyoung7261]

Trying these on guitar and piano. Piano with left hand? more frustration!

[@sebastianphillips5839]

Just found this, and as a beginner, this is sincerely one of the best things I've come across to practice.

[@johnmitchell9698]

+++++++++++++++ I have to transpose to the horn l am playing Adam.

[@isaaccespedes4817]

This was really helpful. I would only practice scales so I get nervous when it comes to trying notes outside the scale.

[@Dariocomposer]

This is great! Is there also a suggested fingering for these exercises?

[@jumill]

Adam, what took you so long to come up with such great game changing video! It is super great. Thanks

[@Darrenmcbass]

Great video ! Now try pivots with an approach note

[@rajievetanck1831]

very good exercise and still it is melodic. keep it up. god bless you.

[@marcotaraddei-bassoon2460]

Really interesting stuff. Thank you!

[@josegonzales2018]

Good stuff for my mind body connection. Thanks for your efforts!

[@joaoguilhermedalmolin4630]

I was searching for your major scales exercises yesterday! haha

[@MrVesperatu]

Your videos just keep getting better. I watch TILFBH all the time, but you explained it in a way that didn't totally go over my head.

[@georgedewey6439]

Should I know the fingering? Getting the notes but w out fingering how do I figure this all out

[@guycollishaw1957]

It's probably not massively important, like he says it the end it's more about developing your music brain rather than muscle memory/technique so any reasonable fingering will be good if you know the basics.

[@bunnyhollowcrafts]

I’ve studied theory via KZbin for 2 years now. I’ve been patiently waiting for this eye opening video. A thousand thanks!!🎶

[@wolfgangzarges127]

I am a guitarplayer, but I will never listen to guitar tutorials anymore. On the piano everything seems so much more logical, expecially when its explained that brilliant. And I also dont have to listen to 2 minute "show of shreed" before things get interresting that is so much better ,thank you

[@vanessalouzon]

At the beginning of the video I was like aaaah Bb, easy peasy! I know that one really well! Then when I started playing the approach notes in double time I got so confused! Great workout as always!

[@FromTheHipp]

this is great. ive been sitting with Bbmaj for the past week, left hand and right, because i'm approaching learning by key first and the structure has helped me a lot. this is a great free one because im already there and was already doing some of these exercises.

[@mitchelledels9762]

Barry Harris -- Family of Dominants--- C diminished 7 four dominant chords from that F7 Ab7 D7 B7 - Yes ADAM going up and down 3rds is great . Taking this and using it in a TUNE is where it counts!!!

[@Alpha-Andromeda]

That was a HUGELY USEFUL video. Thanks for the content and the course sounds awesome. Going there now :)

[@louispearson8306]

I don't understand how the excercizes lead to playing what adam played at 23:50? i really enjoyed that excerpt but after practicing these exercises, i don't sound any close to it

[@leroytonge3424]

Very nice am digging this

[@elhombre2711]

Thanks! I'm off to learn B Flat then I'm coming right back here.

[@cyberoptic5757]

was that all right hand only?

[@bdragon1445]

Wow, very nice. You can do these on any instrument, even vocals! Just singing along is a great exercise. Thanks for this.

[@arpadternei6991]

Very important excersise! Amazing! Thank you Adam!!!😁

[@pogchamp7983]

Wow these approach note things... I've heard this sound and never understood what was going on before. Thanks man!

[@mitchelledels9762]

Being able to take these ideas and use them in a tune , is what this is about.. PLAYING these ideas in a tune ,NOW YOUR saying something

[@lindelholden5465]

This is great! I plan to work a different key each week. Then how about shifting an applying this to the modes. Going from Bb Major to C Dorian really twists your brain into a pretzel

[@elhombre2711]

This is going to be amazing as soon as I've learnt B Flat! I will come back in 2 days.

[@jerryforde7087]

Fingering numbers would be useful to stop learning any bad habits…?

[@deadSalesman_GD]

I haven’t finished the video yet so maybe you’ll cover this but I would take the triad and 7th chord exercises and work them with inversion as well

[@Taki_Music_TakuyaKimpara]

Omg this is almost music! Thank you. This is so helpful!

[@penguin776]

Also for everyone doing this as a practice routine it is good to sing each of these exercises/ways to help internatlize these better and train your ear

[@richardbradley3684]

This is wonderful. I love how my ear could tell which of the approach notes were diatonic and which weren't.

[@eydiguttason1961]

Thank you Adam very very foundation- an angel from God

[@richardsinclair5922]

Great Stuff

[@KamilKisiel]

Great lesson, especially the pivots and approaches!

[@cristianslapbass]

i´m a bass player, love your lessons Adam, pure gold

[@hoboken5224]

Fingering?

[@Owenkelleberger]

Thank you for shouting out Chris at TILFBH. I have learned so much from his channel!

[@josean_piano]

THANKS!

[@franzkarl3452]

This is pure gold! I m a guitarist but anyway. great!

[@ah1548]

Awesome. Absolutely game changing.

[@jegoy68]

i never would have realized this approach...thanks very much Mr. Maness!!! :-)

[@sojourner-kl6ei]

g o l d

[@roberthead]

This is the best lesson I've had in a looooong time… Fantastic.

[@andrephillips3448]

Incredible Bro, Thank You.

[@drumsmith215]

I really enjoyed this! Thank you

[@Celestinelee11]

I adore these instructional video lessons!

[@marloncharles7328]

Thanks for the reminder of relationships when playing music . We hear them everyday in all songs .

[@kabelomkhabela4766]

This is definetly life changing!🙆‍♂

[@CrowClouds]

This are exactly the excersies I need!

[@paulhegarty8380]

Reminds me a little of JS Bach.

[@danoreilly5020]

Very cool tips and exercises thanks guys!

[@stephencraig8578]

Fun way to practice scales. Do you have a pdf that is not in sheet music form? I don't care to read music notes(I'm 60) and like to see the notes as played on the keys. thx

[@dhiguera13]

The notes are there

[@Sn00ze]

Hey Stephen, the next time you're having a cup of tea or coffee, if you can just look up any short tutorial on KZbin and you'll be able to read sheet music pretty much immediately. You don't even have to learn all the notes, just memorize the ones that go in the spaces between the lines (FACEG, starting from the bottom up) and then you can logically figure out the other ones on the spot.

[@marioguarini]

great lesson thank you

[@flober1970]

Can add a bit of forward motion to spice it a little more.

[@MrFedemoral]

Great Exercise adam!, super complete

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

I'm a Nooby that watched only a couple minutes of two of your videos with an intention of coming back when I get more chops. But I was learning a Vegan version of the piano. This was RED MEAT RAW. I'm not at the piano now, but I know what I'm going to be doing for the next 12 days, then the next 12 minor days, and I'll tackle those modes....Merci beaucoup.

[@MichaelMcCabeGuitarist]

So very helpful! Thanks!