1-5 THE ASSOCIATED BOARD OF THE ROYAL SCHOOLS OF MUSIC> 3 on All good jazz sounds effortless, but that sense of ease is usually achieved through regular hard work and the skills developed by the practice of scales and arpeggios. Learnt in the right way, scales and arpeggios really can create new opportunities, enabling you to do more and be more imaginative. The scales in the jazz piano syllabus have been organized progressively to develop the tech- nical control, flexibility and knowledge of the geography of the keyboard (i.e. where the sharps and flats are) needed in improvised performance. They'll also familiarize you in a sys- tematic way with the common patterns, roots and key centres found in jazz. You'll play pat- terns like pentatonic and blues scales and various modes, and over the grades you'll build up a variety of these patterns on common roots, like C, F and G, You'll also find that at differ- ent grades different keys are emphasized: at Grade 1, for example, C major, major pentatonic on C, Mixolydian on G and Dorian on D are all related to the key centre of C. Working through this structure systematically will help you broaden the musical choices you can make as you improvise. (For full details on the rationale of the scale syllabus, read the chapter ‘Scales, Arpeggios and Broken Chords’ in Jazz Piano from Scratch, published by the Board.) Fingering The fingerings given are not obligatory; many of these patterns can be fingered in any num- ber of ways. In the exam you'll be assessed on the accuracy and fluency of the scale played, rather than on how it is fingered — if it sounds musical it will probably pass. Remember, though, that poor and inconsistent fingering often leads to a second-rate musical result. At the same time, the fingerings given have been carefully chosen to prepare you for the most common chord sequences and melodic phrases. In a number of cases alternative finger- ings are provided; if you learn these different fingerings, you’ll find in performance that you can choose the one which suits the improvisation context best. Practice routines In the few weeks before an exam it’s a good idea to practise your scales and arpeggios as you’ll play them before the examiner. Bur there are lots of other ways to practise scales, and up to this point they should instead be practised more as they would be used in the performance of a piece. The chapter on scales in Jazz Piano from Scratch gives some helpful advice on different musical ways to practise scales. In short, be more flexible when practising, for example, start- ing on different notes of the scale, changing direction at random, using a variety of rhythms, including swing and straight feels, and experimenting with different shapes, dynamics and articulation. You are also strongly advised to integrate improvisation with scale practice by improvising wherever possible. Listen carefully to your own playing, in order to become aware of those aspects of your technique you need to work on, and then devise suitable strategies to improve these aspects. Use the practice routines suggested as starting-points to develop your technique.The Exam In the exam you need to play the scales and arpeggios from memory. The examiner will nor- mally ask for at least one pattern from each type of scale, arpeggio or broken chord required at that grade, and from Grade 1 can ask for the patterns to be played in swing or straight 8s. Examiners will be looking for the following qualities in your playing of the technical requirements: © accurate and fluent realization from memory of the patterns set for the grade ® even tone across all five fingers of both hands © independence of the fingers ® an even and positive sense of pulse and rhythm ° a knowledge of the geography of the keyboard ® smooth negotiation of common technical problems, for example, putting the thumb underneath, dealing with awkward leaps, running out of fingers, etc. Speeds The table below gives the recommended minimum speeds for the playing of the technical requirements at the different grades: grade scales arpeggios and broken chords 0 n So W a an " on bv w i] io) So 0 a o3 J = 46 1 =63 2 = 69 2 =76 J =88 Finally, remember that the discipline of practising scales and arpeggios does lead to freer, more expressive playing in the end. It really is worth the effort! Charles Beale4 GRADE 1 Scales with each hand separately, straight or swing 12312341 3 6 eoettte a 3 14 pee DORIAN 2 Octaves oa f (= = onD ao al o & & 2 X ——— ae of fe ¢ = ve: 213214 13 301 41 31 aid ev 5 MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves onG C MAJOR 2 Octaves ¢ r 2 q & t a? ao” a goer 8218 13 301 41 3B 4 Cog 5 4 MAJOR PENTATONIC = onC five notes of > |e ie @ AD 4427GRADE 1 el 2 3 4 5 b3 PENTATONIC e o— fe, on G five notes Arpeggios with each hand separately, straight or swing GMAJOR 1 Octave D MINOR 1 Octave AB 2637GRADE 2 Scales with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, straight or swing DORIAN 2 Octaves onA MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves onD G MAJOR 2 Octaves MAJOR PENTATONIC on F five notes b3 PENTATONIC on five notes 3 41 5 ool 2 8 Le acne 31 oe 13 13 # ae pee seine | os se eas eo 2 oe oe tt ee @ o ~~ a =i ae a Spee i a Z 5 4 3 213 21 4 1 301 41 304 5 al etete I 3 13 it 2 3 4 of Pag 14 ——— oe re ee ee beanies B- bares 2a oi pO) rere cesta fe | tee oe = —— a 4321321", 1 BOL 41 31 1 2 3 4 ae oo oe eS 2 1 5 40 3 2 2 = o— ee = ey AR 9437GRADE 2 1 2 3 4 MINOR PENTATONIC o—o— oo on A five notes 2 1 2 3 5 3 2 6 4 2#e ge 5 @ e @ 5 2 —— 5 38 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 1 2. 8 1 eT BLUES SCALE t Zoe onD 1 Octave = ogee te he 2 2 (Speco 2 1 8 beeen 1 2 1 2 @ 21 5 4 3 2 eo eo i Ds e—te—* he — ye Ut BR 4 1 Chromatic scale with each hand separately, straight or swing onD i Octave Arpeggios with each hand separately, straight or swing DMAJOR 2 Octaves GMINOR 2 Octaves AB 2637GRADE 3 Scales with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, straight or swing 5 1 4 123 1 2 3 4 1 301 1.3 1 3 g—-3-#_9. ESE DORIAN 2 Octaves — a =? a onG ea a a —— oy ee ce @2F oe tte a? Pee » Se a e e lin oe a oe 5 4 3 2 3 2 14 1 3 B01 41 301 MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves onc 12 3 4 LYDIAN 2 Octaves on Bb oo 2203 4212 2 31 4 14 1 3 14 F MAJOR 2 Octaves a8 2 4 ros 4 8 Deke ft eo 3 3 i deme MINOR PENTATONIC b 2 —e on D 2 Octaves z oa © 2 8 1 2 8 1 2 3 4 5 1 3 1 3 2 5 3 2 2 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 2 2 391 @ } = @—P—-f oe BE a 6 oe z. iD @ 3 2 Ul Og merle 4 1 °% 3 OLGRADE 3 a 8 131 2 413 tge@Pe@e@, i 3 i 4 1 3 MINOR PENTATONIC 5 eae fF oe = — J on 2 Octaves oe oes H ° 2 3 1 2 3 # 1 BO 4 1 4 i 3 ef] 1 2 2 | 5.3 2 Qed Be 2 1 301 21 | Depp z oP eg St — t “@ a —@- J 7 3 2! ve * 2 1 3 2 1 3 041 fF 4 4 1208 1 2 3 4 1 4 BLUES SCALE SS o z Fg onC 1 Octave be fa, oe * 2 1 2 38-453 1 2 5 4 8 2 4 be o 2 1 = ie H oe * _ =e — — “recalcmereniomra Tro ot 1 ee 8 44 138 BLUES SCALE = ie he onF 1 Octave 6 a _—— a 1 2 8 4 1 2 3 ——z 2 lye 213 2 bbe @be 2 pete te te * pat te be be. 5 3 2 1 38 2 1 BT Chromatic scales with each hand separately (fingering for second octave as given below), straight or swing on Ab 2 Octaves onB 2 Octaves10 GRADE 3 on 2 Octaves Arpeggios with each hand separately, straight or swing FMAJOR 2 Octaves Bb MAJOR 2 Octaves AMINOR 2 Octaves C MINOR 2 Octaves AR 263711 GRADE 4 Scales with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, straight or swing 5 1 ef @ L ga 1232 3s 4 oo ee Lees 14 ree, DORIAN 2 Ociaves w gop oP fa = onE o é ze fee po et 8a —— = B 4 3.2 1 3 2.1 41 31 DORIAN 2 Octaves on 2 3 4 1 5 14 oot 2 81 Ae 1 Ce Mo, 1 13 MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves a a8 z 2 oe Pe 4 a see “Feds Pa feee, a pS er tet te tS ‘rents ee a ee 543 213214 13 301 4.1 31 MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves onF 4 1 3 1 41 e 14 14 oP —@ LYDIAN 2 Octaves oe of = onG fener oa = fe "Fee ger 2¢ fe woe ee. ae | ‘landed ae H a 1A 1 3 31 4 1. "3 1 AB 263712 GRADE 4 f= fe [ee fe er 2 3 4 2) ees 4 1 2 8 lee fi LYDIAN 2 Octaves f oe ee fe eo teeta! on Eb eat Tse213 214% 1 3 213.1 31 2 @ L H 12312 341 3 Ot fee 3 DMAJOR 2 Octaves Jowett f i eo 2 zg Te ~ ot f° Dey ree aee a oe 5 4 30213 2~21 4 13 3°01 4 3 4 4 1 2123 1 2 1 3 1 e eee» } 3 coe Bb MAJOR 2 Octaves 6 Cana oo 1 2 =< Cc hematite = o 0 » 5 : @ eo ite 3.21 44 at 2 1 29 3 1 20) 2 3 e 1 21 MAJOR PENTATONIC Zs 2 fe e | onG 2 Octaves oe o- e- Fer sy 2 3 1-2 8 4 5 Le 1 2 4 3 ge 3 ‘ 1 1 5 4 3 3 1 4 2 ee fe & » * 1 [eee e @ ——— a 3 4 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 1 3 @ 249 3 3 21 273 7 9 1 a atetve 1 4 MAJOR PENTATONIC oe fag on Eb 2 Octaves oa 2 3 12 8 4 12 8 14 1 8 1 4 3.214 pt 8 et 2 1 2 8 —_ 3 ey be oe 1 o @ oe sy oF —— a 3 2 toe 2 TS py eg a 301GRADE 4 3 e 2 13 21 3 PENTATONIC iH tte MINOR 2 onE 2 Octaves Steen ¢ a 405 1 3 1 3 2 1 2 | 3 eo} —t—p- o— 5 ee oe a3] | + 2 1 4 1 3 OL 1 4 BLUES SCALE on I Octave a—ba bo 1 Oo ve hg 1 @_pe—| be 4 i BLUES SCALE onE 1 Octave Chromatic scales with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, beginning on any black key named by the examiner, straight or swing this example is a guide 3 3 1 3 1 2 3 1 8 1 2 8 1 “mee 3 2 1 3 1 3 2 1 38 1 38 On any 2 Octaves —————— i black key ete € bathe ba ho e ¢ abe whe a = - i : bet ere 2 bata ote fb ®t bee 301 3 2 w= 62 ULL BU Bd 1 2 8 1 3 1 3 1 3 2 3 1 3 Arpeggios with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, straight or swing 5 AMAJOR 2 Octaves AB 263714 GRADE 4 Eb MAJOR 2 Octaves Broken chords with each hand separately, straight or swing c7 G7 Am7 Gm7 ) eeg™y 1 5 3 21542121 23 ot 23421 1235212 31 5 3 21 253 12542121 5 27 21 ADAgATDm a GRADE. 5 Seales with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, straight or swing 5 14 1231 23 40 31 oft 13 ppm 1S DORIAN 2 Octaves ge @ ——} oe 2 3 onB oe e wee oe H | I DORIAN 2 Octaves onF 12 32 8 ad MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves f pee one off ev emo 343213 21 MIXOLYDIAN 2 Octaves on Bb aps 123 1 2 3 4 1 oe 13 14 13 LYDIAN 2 Octaves — 9 t onF a= SS oe — goer? Ce Seg eo eettee | = : a ED ae = 2 = eo = oe 5 4 3.2 1 3 2 1 4 1 3 B21 4 1 3 1 AB 263716 GRADE 5 4 B12 34 12 ae 4 pee es | é 13 14 LYDIAN 2 Octaves ae — = onc gee B-e ham! a = Zz ya 32 1 LYDIAN 2 Octaves onD G4 321321 4 13 301 41 31 3 3 4 3412312 1 3 Le@eths 1 13 4 -. Peseta LYDIAN 2 Octaves poe ee ea? =| on Ab owe ft eecleameal ess a ae oocsaecesl e a, é _— : oe or 26 Peas Po @ S214 PCC, 1231 3% 4. 31 3 4 1 5 14 12 a 31 ef @ 5 13 1.3 AMAJOR 2 Octaves t oa# — t ow of =o t € a — hee] eves e ote o —, e2et ttere., eco ee t @ o—@ Lio Zea 213 214 1.3 301 41 301 Eb MAJOR 2 Octaves B2143 21 3 14 121 4a. 301 4 1GRADE 5 MAJOR PENTATONIC onD 2 Octaves MAJOR PENTATONIC on Bb 2 Octaves MINOR PENTATONIC onB 2 Octaves MINOR PENTATONIC onG 2 Octaves BLUES SCALE onA 1 Octave 2 & 2 1 2 1 2 4 1 2 4 2 a oe — o a ee 2 3 4 3 3 2 1 tt BIS ay owe 2S! 4 3 2 v4 8 8 45 pot 2 1 2 4 121566 ¢ » # — # ———————— @ 3 3 1 2 4 5 3 2 ~421 1 201 e— aoe oo 1 4 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 126 4 1 3 1 eo ec i b- a ow p- : e — +a @ Sechceleeeaan! [ owe {te 8 4 1 2s - es | 1? 1zge21 | 2 x @ | 5s 3 2 2 1 Sew tites 2 i | a —— a Ct D5 oS aa 5 3 2 1 4 8 2 1 8 2 1 3B 1 2 3 1 4 oI — ope 4 5 te 1 2 201 — a18 GRADE 5 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 4 1 2 BLUES SCALE i on 1 Octave —@- e + @ @ te fe 3 fe te he Sf oot wf THR ee te a3 2 4 2 1 2 4 3 = a eo $a te 3 2 1 ame 3 1 te cena peernenet 1 2 o 1 4 o—f. BLUES SCALE ate o- eet onG 1 Octave ne t 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 Ts 3 42 Ll @ 2 oe} bo ete @ £ ££ 2be 4 Chromatic scales with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, beginning on any note named by the examiner, straight or swing this example is a guide 2 1, 3.2 3 1 3 1 3 1 2 8 On any 2 Octaves note Arpeggios with hands together one octave apart, and with each hand separately, straight or swing 1 5 E MAJOR 2 Octaves 5 4[3 2 1 AR 9427GRADE 5 AbMAJOR 2 Octaves ( cb } @ e ¢ fe ° fe te | Ee be we —= i o 5 lll 5 a t eee 1 4 2 3/2 1 4 2 F# MINOR 2 Octaves F MINOR 2 Octaves 4/3 2 1 4/3 2 1 Broken chords with each hand separately, straight or swing D7 F7 t 53 21 eeoenbeecel 5 3 2 AB 263720 GRADE 5 Bb7 Em7 3312342 35 3@ 3 5 24 1 am? 12 1 aT] 36 = I 3214321 Dm7 33215321‘What good is music if it ain’t got that swing?’ Duke Ellington The Associated Board responds with ‘Jazz Piano’, a comprehensive introduction to the world of jazz. A pioneering set of publications and a rigorously planned syllabus provide the building blocks you need to play jazz with imagination, understanding and style and to improvise effectively right from the start. This book of jazz piano scales will develop the technical skills you need to play jazz. It introduces patterns characteristic of the idiom, like the blues scale, the 3 pentatonic and various modes. It also explores these patterns on the roots and key centres commonly found in jazz. Regular and flexible practice of these forms, and using them as the basis for improvisation, will give you fluency and technical control and make your playing sound effortless and relaxed. JAZZ PIANO TITLES Jazz Piano Pieces, Grades 1-5 (one book per grade) Jazz Piano Scales, Grades 1-5 Jazz Piano Aural Tests, Grades 1-3, Grades 4-5 (two books) Jazz Piano Quick Studies, Grades 1-5 Jazz Piano: The CD, Grades 1-5 (one CD per grade) Jazz Piano from Scratch: A how-to guide for students and teachers (book and CD) Charles Beale As an accompaniment to the Board's Jazz piano syllabus, this book sets out the scales by grade and gives a table of recommended speeds. It also provides details of what the examiner will be looking for in your playing. Scales, pieces, quick studies, CDs, aural tests, how-to book — this set of materials provides a complete progressive method for playing jazz piano from scratch. So ‘give that rhythm everything you got!’ ABIRISIM | The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (Publishing) Limited ABIRISIM | ISBN 1-86096-008~-1 peed Place London W1B TLU United King igdom 9 ©781860°960086 wiviwabrsmpublishing.co.uk Cam POTPPRUNT A CTLTRPAC ARTE OT OoIn RAC errr A Acie