Piano Technique Series for Synthesia

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Electrode
Posts: 195

Post by Electrode »

This new series of technique exercises is the logical continuation and expansion of the previous series of scales and arpeggios I created for Synthesia, taking into account new features that have been implemented into Synthesia since the old series was created.

However, things will start slowly. I will initially be working at duplicating the original set of scales while adding fingering data, and then things will get interesting!

There are a few differences from the old series of scales. These are:

- Scales are now chromatic instead of based on the circle of fifths. This was the original way I wanted to organise the scales, but having to write fingering information in a separate file necessitated that I group them into another logical (but still musical) order to reduce the amount of duplication.

- There are a lot more properties in the file names now, allowing for many different variations in future.

- There are no gaps in the MIDI files, and no bookmarks. The scales run back-to-back without stopping. (The reason for this is below.) You are free to create your own bookmarks if you need them, but these files will come without them.

My intention for these scales is that they will be more like drills than simple exercises. Indeed, once you memorise the fingerings and get proficient at switching from scale to scale quickly, you can blitz through a set of scales (even in their longest, 4-octave form) in seconds, or minutes at most. This makes them effective memory joggers, and even more effective warm-ups.

This is a project that will never be truly complete - it will be forever ongoing. There are literally hundreds of different scales out there, and with the variations I am planning to work on once the core set is done, there are potentially thousands of different permutations of scales that can be practiced. I will probably be working on this for the rest of my life! (Just kidding!) In reality, this series will not be able to cover every single variation that exists. What I do hope to do, though, is give you ideas as to how you can use your own creativity to invent new patterns and ways of practising scales. Remember, scales are only boring if you let them be boring! It's up to you to make it interesting for yourself!

This series will eventually show you why I do not advocate the use of Hanon. I realise it can be a sticking point for some people, but honestly, with the variations you can get out of scales as well as the music theory scales teach you as you do them, I find scales a lot more useful in the wider world of music. They also teach you more about how to move about on the piano than Hanon exercises, which generally stick to one fixed hand position per exercise. (Well, that's until you get to the scale section at the end of Hanon, but then again, why did he put it at the end? It should have been at the beginning! Scales are that important!)

So, without further ado, the first set up are the major scales! All further updates to the Piano Technique Series will be contained in this post as future edits, so be sure to check in here every once in a while.

Happy New Year, and of course, happy practising!

LICENSING INFORMATION:
- This series is copyright © Ashley Kampta (Electrode).
- It is being released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. (CC-BY-NC)
- You are free to share these files, and create derivative works based on these files as long as you do not sell them for profit.
- Credit must be given to Ashley Kampta for the creation of the original work. If you wish to share anything your create from these files on this forum, then referring to me as Electrode is permitted. If you want to share your derivative works (or the original files) elsewhere, then please use my full name when giving credit, and also link back to this forum post.

UPDATES:
30 December 2011: major scales, parallel motion an octave apart, 1-4 octaves, legato, simple
31 December 2011: harmonic minor scales, parallel motion an octave apart, 1-4 octaves, legato, simple
10 January 2012: melodic minor scales, parallel motion an octave apart, 1-4 octaves, legato, simple
19 February 2012: major arpeggios, parallel motion an octave apart, 1-4 octaves, legato, simple
Attachments
major arpeggios - parallel 8ve apart - 1-4 octaves - legato - simple.zip
(21.18 KiB) Downloaded 11490 times
minor (melodic) scales - parallel 8ve apart - 1-4 octaves - legato - simple.zip
(8.82 KiB) Downloaded 10245 times
minor (harmonic) scales - parallel 8ve apart - 1-4 octaves - legato - simple.zip
(9.28 KiB) Downloaded 10575 times
major scales - parallel 8ve apart - 1-4 octaves - legato - simple.zip
(8.52 KiB) Downloaded 10394 times
Last edited by Electrode on 02-19-12 1:00 pm, edited 4 times in total.
TonE
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by TonE »

Thanks a lot Electrode, happy new year, to you and everybody else who reads this.
Shildrak
Posts: 3

Post by Shildrak »

Thanks a lot for your effort, Electrode.
egyptsons
Posts: 1

Post by egyptsons »

Thank you so much Electrode 8-)
Electrode
Posts: 195

Post by Electrode »

I'm glad I can help all of you become better at playing the piano. I'm a teacher, so I couldn't resist! :)

Quick public service announcement: I'll be away for the next two weeks, so I won't be able to update until then - but the good news is that I'm taking my laptop with me and I will be able to use a digital piano while I am away, so I'll keep working and hopefully I'll be able to make another update soon after I return. Until then, I've just uploaded the melodic minor scales, so the three sets of scales I've done so far should be enough to keep you going until the next update.
AlexHHHHHH
Posts: 7

Post by AlexHHHHHH »

I just started learning the piano and found the scales very useful.

However I wonder how many attempts it should take to master the simpler ones at full speed? I feel I progress but it is painful!!
kiwi
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by kiwi »

Thx electrode!

I know how to build scales and to harmonize them but i have never learned them on the pinao :mrgreen: (but i have on the guitar)

So i 'll spend a month of practicing on it and 'll reporting my progress on them
Again thx for to sharing!
kiwi
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by kiwi »

Hi studying them but can have scores because i have a driver-synth problem but very good/fun to work!

Hope minor arpeggio 'll come soon :)
Electrode
Posts: 195

Post by Electrode »

Hi all,

Glad you're enjoying the scales and arpeggios! Apologies for the delay with the minor arpeggios. My sister is getting married tomorrow (after 18 months of planning), and I'm handling all the music for it, so I've been ridiculously busy for what seems like forever. Things will calm down for me over the summer and I should hopefully get the minor arpeggios out sometime in August. I have been slowly working on them, bit by bit, but I am looking forward to the time when I have a decent day or so of nothing going on, so that I can just sit down from morning until night and get some more of these exercises done!

Life is busy!
alexfsu
Posts: 1

Post by alexfsu »

thanks for these! looking fwd to the minor arps!
Kevf
Posts: 9

Post by Kevf »

I'm planning on using Synthesia again, so tnx!
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Laserbeak43
Posts: 102

Post by Laserbeak43 »

Thanks!
I really need to catch up on my scales. Seems I've forgotten most of how it works. This will also serve as a great reference!
kiwi
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by kiwi »

This link can be usefull if you like Electrode series
http://jclp.netii.net/midi/
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Laserbeak43
Posts: 102

Post by Laserbeak43 »

kiwi wrote:This link can be usefull if you like Electrode series
http://jclp.netii.net/midi/
yeap, found a post about that today. Really nice stuff.
kiwi
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by kiwi »

Yep me too but these ones are better ;)
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5958
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Laserbeak43
Posts: 102

Post by Laserbeak43 »

Both are great contributions, I'm sure! I have a full plate of material to research! This is going to be a fulfilling vacation after all!!
kiwi
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by kiwi »

Well i like electrode series and cadenza from Mr Himpe but i don't think i 'll use the triad .
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Laserbeak43
Posts: 102

Post by Laserbeak43 »

I've found so much material that i'm going to have to decide which to start first. :shock:
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jimhenry
Posts: 1899

Post by jimhenry »

My advice is to pick something that provides a clear roadmap of what to do and in what order and that you think will take you through at least six months and then stick with your choice for at least that long. Trying to jump around through multiple approaches to learning is likely to result in confusion and lack of progress.
Jim Henry
Author of the Miditzer, a free virtual theatre pipe organ
http://www.Miditzer.org/
kiwi
Synthesia Donor
Posts: 1180

Post by kiwi »

I think it's better to work on many things but efficiencely.But sometime to stick is necessary too.
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