Speed Bursts & Scales Practice

Speed must be introduced in practice using the metronome and never at the cost of sacrificing the quality of your sound. Keep the speed of the metronome constant and increase the number of notes in each beat. Start at 100 BPM (Beats Per Minute) and increase gradually. Shift the accent on the notes as you practice the scales. Put an accent on the first of 2, then on the first of 3, and finally on the first of 4 and 5. The key here is to stay in control and not sacrifice sound quality in exchange for speed. Always remember that nothing in music is more important than the beauty of your sound and that every other aspect of technique ought to take the back seat. Read the complete article on Scales here →

ARPEGGIO STYLE SCALES: Is what I define a scale when it is better approached as if they were arpeggio. Although there is always some degree of arpeggio style fingering in all scales, some scales present this characteristic very vividly. There is an active participation of the Thumb and a finger that carry just as much work load as the i & m fingers. In this type of scale, the Right Hand is kept much more steady. One piece that fits this scale format to perfection is the Big Scale in Agustin Barrios Mangore "La Catedral". Read the complete article on Scales HERE →