You Have to Practice Scales and Arpeggios to Play ANY Style of Music Let me tell you a short story...
In the late 70’s, between semesters while in College, I would hang out at a popular night club in Washington DC called The Mark IV.
This club would bring in popular R & B “recorded" vocal acts... The Spinners, The Main Ingredient, The Whispers, The Stylistics... just to name a few.
I was a Percussion major at that time, and would love to go and hear the acts because I would enjoy watching and learning from the drummers!
Often during the group’s break, I would venture back stage and talk to the musicians and vocalist.
This one evening, and I’ve forgotten the group’s name, but they were performing and their back-up band was so funky! I mean this group really sounded great!
Now understand, this was a pre-dominantly African-American Night Club that featured the “hottest" Rhythm & Blues acts at that time. I couldn’t wait for the group’s break, so I could talk to the drummer.
During the break...
I happened to notice the drummer sitting at the bar. I strolled over to him and asked if I could sit next to him, while expressing my praise for his drumming ability... “how did you get so funky?"... “man you’re unbelievable!"... “what do you practice daily?"... “what do you recommend I do?"... and so on and so forth.
The drummer was so cool... He happened to be an American Caucasian, with long hair and a full beard. He looked like a very young College professor, sipping his tea and smoking his pipe, just staring ahead.
He didn’t immediately respond. After about 6 or 7 seconds, he turned to me and said smilingly, “rudiments!"
Now if you don’t know what rudiments are... they are basically 26 rudiments (drumming patterns) that a drum student should master.
They’re basically “scales" for drummers. They are a combination of “single-stroke" and “double-stroke" patterns!
After his response, I smiled and thanked him, but was honestly disappointed because I thought he would share some “magic" formula daily practice scheme.
The moral of the story...
There isn’t a magic bullet or formula to play ANY musical instrument. To be able to play any style of music on the piano, be it: Jazz, Soul, Hip-Hop, Rock, Pop, Blues... etc. you have to at least be familiar with scales and arpeggios.
Those “self-taught" folks that play instruments well, learned how to play scales and/or arpeggios smoothly enough to be able to invent their own SOUND!
If you want to really start playing, you should start learning to master the scales and arpeggios. I mean you should be able to play a scale 2 or more octaves. The optimum range is 4 octaves... each hand separately!
This is the only way you will be able to identify the problem areas in your fingering, and develop endurance to play effortlessly.
A word of caution...
If anyone says to you, “you don’t need to practice scales..." Run away as fast as you can, because they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about!
To your success, Ron Worthy
-------- Ron Worthy is a Music Educator, Songwriter and Performer. To learn more "Trick of the Trade," go to:
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