How many activities can people do without some sort of knowledge of it's fundamentals, or building blocks? Athletes cannot effectively execute their positions without a knowledge of the fundamentals. Basketball players need to be able to shoot, pass, and dribble before they can properly execute a pick and roll. Baseball and softball players need to be able to play catch, before they can take an infield. Even mathematicians need to be able to do simple addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication computations before solving calculus or trigonometry problems.
So, why do so many student musicians choose to ignore the fundamentals needed to execute their music? I'm talking about scales. "I don't like scales. I just want to play music," says a student. Scales create the horizontal line that IS our music! Key signatures provide us with the tonal center which creates the mood of the music. How do we instill in students the importance of this knowledge for the sake of music?
Jason Heeren
Director of Bands
Storm Lake, High School
So, why do so many student musicians choose to ignore the fundamentals needed to execute their music? I'm talking about scales. "I don't like scales. I just want to play music," says a student. Scales create the horizontal line that IS our music! Key signatures provide us with the tonal center which creates the mood of the music. How do we instill in students the importance of this knowledge for the sake of music?
Jason Heeren
Director of Bands
Storm Lake, High School
Find something they enjoy, and compare them:
ReplyDelete1) Scales are the strategies of assault (CoD, Chess, or similar hobbies)
2) Scales are the foundation of the building (construction)
3) Scales are the spells inside the blade (Fantasy Gamers)
4) Scales are the key to the crime (Detective story buffs)
etc.