Why Scales?

During my first private lesson in college, my teacher asked me if I like practice. “Sometimes...the fun stuff, when I'm feeling inspired. I don't really like scales though”. I gave an answer that is probably standard for most students.

Jim, an energetic man over fifty years old, replied with a smile, “I like practicing. I really enjoy it”. I thought how? How could a man have practiced almost every day for decades and still love it?

The answer, in large part, is scales. The typical student views scales as a chore, some sort of maintenance. I'm surprised by how few people (myself included, once upon a time), really know why we practice scales.

Music is made of rhythm, melody, and harmony, but also by musicians. We master these elements, as well as our instruments, through scales. We don't practice scales to learn the notes; those are important bu they come quickly. Practicing a scale, in an effective way, meas practicing in time (using a metronome), focusing on using good technique, and training our ears to recognize the sound and tonality of it. Scales are the fundamentals of music. An athlete trains his body through running, weight lifting, and isolating specific parts of his sport (like batting practice in baseball). We must do certain exercises in music too. 

​Scales are a musician's tool for exercise. A talented athlete can only go so far without strong fundamentals, but anyone with strong fundamentals can go very far indeed regardless of talent. So next time you pick up your instrument and practice scales, know that it's not for your teacher to be satisfied, but for you to grow your potential in both mind and body. Focus on using good technique, play with a metronome to improve your sense of time and rhythm, and try to understand how the sound of a major scale is different than the sound of a minor scale. 

That's when practice becomes fun. When every day you go to your instrument and are surprised by how much you improved. You can play faster, you can play more complicated rhythms, you can learn more music by ear, and it all feels easier even though it's harder. Every morning is like unwrapping a present; a box containing a new set of skills you gave yourself through yesterday's practice. ​​​
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-Isaiah Sanderman