[Agent27]

This was given to me by Eastman grad Rob Hardt when he was living in San Antonio. He's a fantastic musician and sound amazing on all saxes, clarinets, and flutes. He now performs in Los Angeles

http://www.robhardt.com
http://www.thrasherband.com

At Eastman, Rob tells me you would be asked to run all these over a particular key (you wouldn't know which one) over all the scales you were supposed to know by that time. One semester would be Major scales. Then you would add harmonic minor, melodic minor, and symmetrical scales.

Play each pattern the full range of the horn, ascending and descending.

First Pattern: 1357 2468 3579 etc.

Second Pattern: 7531 8642 9753 etc

Third Pattern: 1357 8642 3579 etc.

Fourth Pattern: 7531 2468 9753 etc.

Fifth Pattern: 13576543 24687654 35798765 etc.

Sixth Pattern: 13 24 35 46 57 etc

Seventh Pattern: 14 25 36 47 58 etc.

Eighth Pattern: 135 246 357 468 etc.

Ninth Pattern: 531 642 753 864 etc.

Tenth Pattern: 7135 #1246 #2357 3468 etc. (ascending triad with a leading tone to the root)

Eleventh Pattern: 7164 #6753 #5642 #4531 (descending triads with a leading tone to the 5th)

Twelfth Pattern: 3135 4246 5357 etc.

Thirteenth Pattern: 3531 4642 5753 etc.

You see how patterns 1-4 are just broken 7th chords that go through 4 different inversions (Up Up; Down Down; Up Down; Down Up)? You can do the same thing with the broken 3rds (pattern 6), broken 4ths (pattern 7), and broken triads (patterns 8 and 9). You can also combine patterns 10 and 11 to create 2 more new patterns. All this adds 10 more patterns bringing the total to 23.

If you want to be one of those people who practice 8-10 hours a day but don't know what to practice to fill up the time, this is a good place to start. If you practice (and I mean practice, not just playing it once and saying "Good enough" or "I have it") these patterns the full range of the horn in every key, it will take at least a few hours to get through. It's been a while (I want to get back into it, especially after my layoff) but I seem to remember a minimum of 3 hours of straight practice. And that was just the basic 13 patterns.

Enjoy and happy practicing.

 

[mhup82311]

Wow, this seems like a good method of learning them. Mostly for me because it forces me to think more in terms of scale degrees as opposed to the notes or chords that I am playing.

Thanks!

 

[Nefertiti]

I received a sheet of these from a guy that was going to Eastman back around 1980. I still have the sheet. It's all crumpled and torn but it brings back memories when I see it. It's a great one page practice routine for you major scales.

 

[SaxJ]

Is it possible for someone to explain this in a dumbed ExplainLikeIamFive (ELI5 is short for "Explain Like I'm 5," a request for a simple explanation to a complicated question or problem) version?

 

[Dr G]

Is it possible for someone to explain this in a dumbed ExplainLikeIamFive (ELI5 is short for "Explain Like I'm 5," a request for a simple explanation to a complicated question or problem) version?

This assumes you know the alphabet and a few numbers:

Pick a scale. Assign a number to each degree of the scale, ascending from the root.
Ex.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C D E F G A B

135246 becomes CEGDFA

P.S. I am amused that you have to decode ELI5, but thanks.

 

[SaxJ]

This assumes you know the alphabet and a few numbers:

Pick a scale. Assign a number to each degree of the scale, ascending from the root.
Ex.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
C D E F G A B

135246 becomes CEGDFA

P.S. I am amused that you have to decode ELI5, but thanks.

Thank you! I thought that that was the way it worked but I was not sure at all! Yeah, I figured someone out there would not understand it. I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to help me.

 

[bartone]

My head spins...

 

[Arundo Donax]

I realize the beauty of the number system is that the pattern is then independent of the key or scale. It also allows the exercise to be described in a concise manner.

But I like to see and automatically react to the notes, I like to see the pattern. That’s why I like those old Rubank books.

Edit: of course, the downside to that is that I become dependent on looking at the sheet. I’m going to need to stop that and just listen to scales and intervals.

 

[JimD]

That's some workout, I'll get on it tomorrow.

 

[mascio]

I realize the beauty of the number system is that the pattern is then independent of the key or scale. It also allows the exercise to be described in a concise manner.

But I like to see and automatically react to the notes, I like to see the pattern. That's why I like those old Rubank books.

Edit: of course, the downside to that is that I become dependent on looking at the sheet. I'm going to need to stop that and just listen to scales and intervals.

You make an astute observation. It is best to not write these out and look at the notes. It is best to work out each pattern thinking in scale degrees or when appropriate chord names. For example; pattern 1 in C major would be Cmaj7, Dmin7, Emin7, etc.

 

[Romie1958]

so let me see if I understand this pattern 1through 13 would start with C, F, Bflat, Eflat exc. or can I use any scale for any pattern? Sorry I'm trying to teach myself and I don't understand the language of music. I need help can you recommend a sax teacher who can so even a child can understand.

 

[swperry1]

@Romie1958 Yes. Pick a key/ start note and a scale. Like it says, the major scale would be the first, but you can use the same patterns for any scale. Remember as you’re getting into this that it’s a routine geared for the university music student practicing several to many hours daily, and more on weekends. Bite off smaller chunks to fit your level and the amount of time you have each session. Use a metronome and be as humble as you have to in order to play cleanly.