Scale Patterns

Scales and scale patterns are essential for technical development and should be utilized along side your daily tone development. These will help you learn and become more comfortable with different finger patterns that you can apply to your music later on.

This scale pattern can be applied across all key signatures, but here are three common keys in band (Bb, Eb and F) to get you started. These can and should be practiced slow to fast (from about 60bpm up to 150bpm and beyond).

Remember to:

Always start with a good breath.
Set your embouchure before you play.
Think about directing your airstream through the phrase to the very last note.
Move your fingers and tongue perfectly in time with a metronome.
Keep your fingers close and rounded. Don’t allow them to “fly” away from the keys.

Try these variations for articulation to further advance your technique:

Pattern 1: Slur four notes
Pattern 2: Slur two-tongue two
Pattern 3: Slur 3, tongue 1

Finger Dexterity Exercises

Developing your dexterity is important for working up towards faster, more technical passages that you may come across in music. Remember to work these slow to fast and focus on playing within your best possible sound and finger technique. Practice these in many keys and utilize the different articulation variations.

You can also come up with your own articulation variations depending on your needs!

Scales and Patterns

IN THIS LESSON:

Scale Patterns

Finger Dexterity Exercises