| THE EARS and fingers feel orderliness in the | | | | The piano is constructed in the key of C. That is, if you |
| arrangement of tunes long before we ourselves are | | | | play all the white keys on the piano, you are playing |
| conscious of any logical arrangement of the tones or | | | | the scale of C. Begin on C and play up or down the |
| the need to learn how to play scales. Since the ear | | | | next seven tones and you will recognize the familiar |
| player more or less feels his way along, rather than | | | | scale. The characteristic of the major scale is that the |
| rationalizing it, he is able to progress far without any | | | | half-steps come between 3 and 4, and 7 and 8, where |
| intellectual effort. The time comes, however, no matter | | | | there is no black key. All the other intervals are whole |
| how good he may be, when he reaches the limit of | | | | steps. Thus, the C scale runs: |
| this easy development and his progress in music slows | | | | C D E F G A B C |
| down or completely stops. | | | | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
| Few ear players progress beyond this point; it is too | | | | ½ 1/2 |
| tedious for them to begin anew with the rational theory | | | | Flats and Sharps |
| of music and develop it to the level which they have | | | | When a tune requires other notes than those in the |
| attained in performance with so little effort. Those who | | | | scale, we call these tones "accidentals." When the |
| learn to play by note carry more or less of this theory | | | | tone is lowered and uses the black key to the left, it is |
| right along with them as they improve their | | | | called a flat; when the tone is raised and uses the |
| performance. Their playing is both developed and | | | | black key to the right, it is called a sharp. Thus, G# and |
| limited by intellectual manipulation. | | | | Ab are the same key. All the scales except C, |
| The most efficient way of learning to play an | | | | however, require the use of one or more black keys. |
| instrument obviously lies somewhere between the two. | | | | These keys are not considered accidentals then, since |
| So it is necessary to learn how to play scales. That is, | | | | they belong to the scale; instead, if the b or # is |
| the ear player should rely upon his ear as far as | | | | removed, the tone is considered an accidental, since it |
| possible; but at the same time he should be conscious | | | | is foreign to that scale. Now, if we play the scale of D, |
| of the relationships which he is hearing and should use | | | | it will run: |
| his knowledge when his ear fails. How valuable this | | | | D E F# G A B C# D |
| ability is will be apparent to the reader if he will take | | | | Notice that the scale of D has two sharps: F# and C#. |
| the trouble to understand the system of scales. | | | | Now you know how to play scales and can play |
| Tonic | | | | scales beginning on any note you wish. Do not figure |
| The basis of all the music which the ear player is likely | | | | them out by steps and half-steps but trust to the ear |
| to attempt is in a certain key; it gets its effect largely | | | | to tell you what the next note will be. You will find that |
| from the relation of the tones to the tonic or basic | | | | the ear soon develops a fine discrimination and is able |
| keynote. You have probably already attempted many | | | | to determine whether the next tone is a half or a |
| tunes in different keys. In order to gain facility in doing | | | | whole step. It is of the utmost importance that you let |
| this, it is well worth while to practice how to play | | | | the ear do the work; only by this procedure are the |
| scales. This should not be continued to a point where it | | | | scales helpful in your ear playing. |
| becomes drudgery; but playing scales is fun and | | | | Learning how to play scales is an important step in |
| makes progress in learning new tunes much faster. | | | | your training as a player of music. |
| Half-steps | | | | |