Why Scales Need Sharps and Flats: Notes on Music Theory, #1

By Philip Jackson

Be more at ease with a better understanding of the scales.

 

Imagine you're with your group at a practice session when someone suggests playing the piece in a different key. Your mind goes blank as you try to remember how many sharps or flats are in that new key. You really don't want to play the wrong notes. That would be so embarrassing.

 

The problem is that you were never properly taught the different keys and scales. You picked them up as you went along. At best, your teacher may have tried to make you remember some mnemonic which you confused with that other mnemonic about the colors of the rainbow.

 

With over twenty years' experience, Philip Jackson brings new approaches to provide you with the tools to harness the power of your visual memory. He links the tools to the theory in an easily visualized manner which will help you embed the techniques and gain confidence in your playing.

 

Why Scales Need Sharps and Flats is the first volume of a new series, Notes on Music Theory, for all musicians young and old who feel the doubts created by their lack of knowledge. It brings you a solution to improve confidence in your knowledge.

 

In this book, Jackson guides you to a better understanding of :

• the construction of the major scales,
• the logic behind this construction,
• the major tetrachords,
• why flats or sharps have to be added to some scales.
• and in addition, he gives you some aids to help use your visual memory to supplement your hearing..

 

When you have completed this book, you will know the fundamental characteristics of a major scale. You will be able to construct any major scale using the correct set of sharps or flats. You will understand where the so-called modes come from. Fear of embarrassment will be a thing of the past.

 

A better understanding of the foundations of musical theory will help your performance and improvisation skills. You will become the one to offer help to your friends.

 

A set of audio-visual material is available as an optional free download to help you see and hear the characteristic sound of a major scale and the differences between a major scale and some of the modes.

 

Buy Why Scales Need Sharps and Flats now to be more at ease when playing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Philip Jackson
• Release date: Sep 21, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393417705

Book preview

Contents

Preface, Copyright, Media

The Nature of Scales

The Major Scale

The Need for Many Major Scales

Constructing a Major Scale - 1

Constructing a Major Scale - 2

Constructing a Major Scale - 3

The Circle of Fifths

List of Illustrations

Resources and Other Books

Preface, Copyright, Media

Why Scales Need Sharps And Flats

Part of an occasional series of jottings on aspects of music theory.

Preface

I have long been disappointed with the way music theory is taught in so many places. Frequently, it is said that musicians should just play and the theory will be absorbed. This is probably or possibly true but I subscribe more to the idea that practice is improved by a better understanding of the grounding principles. Note that I say principles but not necessarily rules or absolute laws.

This book is a part of my efforts to encourage those beginning their musical experiments by helping them build a stronger understanding of the basics. Comments and suggestions are welcomed by email.

Copyright

Copyright © 2020 by Philip N. Jackson, Le-Theron Publishing. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of this publisher.

Download the media files

We have prepared a set of media files to accompany the examples in this