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I have Aaron Shearer's Scale Supplement Book, have had it since the early 70s. After years of using it, I found it useful to take mine to a local Office Depot store and have it spiral bound. This was because of years of opening and it to specific pages and because it was so thick (260 plus pages), that having the original solid bound backing removed made it easier to open to pages. Oh and as Bradford says, it's an awesome study book.
Thanks for answering my question. Also, I added the the Scherer Scale studies to my daily sessions about 8 months ago and find them extremely helpful with a noticeable improvement in my playing. Thanks for talking about how useful they are compared to just plain scales. The Carulli Method does the same sort of thing except not in all the key signatures. And, I will work to stay parallel above the 12th fret. Thanks again.
Thank you for the cool class on practicing scales, and understanding why we should practice them. Working on scales is really work. It can get tedious at times. So I'm trying to work on them with different rhythms, time signatures, octaves, 3rds ect. 1/4 note, 8th note or 16ths. and different keys major an minor. I Have started working on a scale of a study or piece i am learning what ever key it is in. what I really need is a good routine a daily work slurs, arpeggios, ect. Again thanks for the class
@@Thisisclassicalguitar thank you, I have started playing scales daily now currently 1 an 2 octave scales for the key of C, G, and F major, Am, Em, and Dm scales Melodic minor. I have worked on Harmonic , and Natural minor scale as well but now spending more time on the Melodic. thank you for inspiring me to play again thank you.
thanks for this. it seems there is so much to do in just the technique/fretboard etc realm. i think i need one hour at least daily before i can turn to repertoire even as a late beginner. also, i think i moved too quickly beyond vol 2. i will revisit that book this year.
Yes, lots to do but in the end you can only dedicate so much time to each thing. Consistent practice everyday allows for very small and focused sessions on each topic. Make a well rounded and balanced practice routine with everything in it and if you have extra time at the end practice the stuff that needs the most work.
Very interesting video, and thank you for answering my questions. I'm thinking that a lot depends on the ambitions of the player. I have to admit that I do not currently, and probably will not, play any scales. It is not because I am against them, in fact I think they are an excellent learning tool, and your video hammered that point home. I simply don't want to play them. Yet I have improved significantly as a guitarist the past 3 years I've played classical guitar. As you say, if the goal is to become a professional guitarist, then practicing scales and gathering as much knowledge as possible is important, and one would want to practice all there is. However, I do believe that if I continue what I'm doing now, I'll be half decent in five years time. My dream is to play the fantasia by John Dowland. With all the pieces I have to play to get to that point, and all the work I have to put in, it's hard to imagine it won't make me a better guitarist. Probably not exceptionally good, but that's fine. Practicing scales would further that goal, so I should start playing them. I know I won't, but I hope that changes. I'll have to see how it plays out.
I think many people binge on scales and then get bored or frustrated and decide to not play them at all. Instead, I recommend working on only a very small amount everyday. So for you, maybe that means only 2-4 minutes a session or less. I do find that once a student can identify an actual technique issue they can work on that instead of the scale itself which is more stimulating. Playing scales is not the aim, it's working on the skills that are interesting and beneficial. I do understand that for some people this is just a hobby so they might not practice scales and that is totally fine but as a teacher I am dedicated to making the student a better musician and guitarist in a relatively reasonable time frame and that means focusing on a balanced (and sometimes short) technique routine that does include scales. In the end, for me as a teacher, technique exercises get to point faster an improve the student's playing faster than repertoire due to the amount of small simply things we can do in 15 mins.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thank you for that informative answer. It all sounds reasonable, I'll have to consider it going forward. I've been thinking about practicing some slurs, I could use scales to get them in my fingers. But we'll see. :)
Hi Bradford - great lesson and Q and As. I have your books too. I have a dumb question: when you say „student should say outloud the notes they play“ - practically what do you say for sharps? c d e are single syllables. C-sharp is two syllables and by the time you say this quickly oftentime you’re already late. Do you have a system for that mentally? Just curious. Many thanks
Well, when going slow you can just say sharp or flat. There are systems such as solfege etc but it's up to you. I mean, once you are playing faster it is not really practical anyway so just when you are going slow. It's more of a way to check what you are doing rather than something you have to do all the time.
Brad, thanks for the video. Very useful as a relative newbie. You mentioned Shearer's book, re scales and melodics. Can you please confirm if these types of exercises/info are also in Kappel's The Bible..? I am thinking of purchasing this book. Have already purchased your own Technique and Scales books and making my way through them.
The Kappel book and the Shearer book are very different. The Kappel book is a technique book with a vast array of techniques whereas the Shearer scale supplement is just scales and melodic reading patterns using the scales. So the Shearer is 279 pages of just scales and patterns for reading.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thanks. As an Autodidact, do you think Shearer's book is one that i should purchase sooner rather than later, to help fill the gaps that a teacher would be able to answer on the spot, as questions arise?
The Shearer book will not answer any short term questions. There is little or almost no text. It's just scale and reading practice. It's a long-game kind of book that you'd practice for years. A teacher might help you see the connections between the scales but in the end the Shearer book is also about just being a good scale / melodic line reader.
Good question. So the natural minor scale is part of the melodic minor scale (the descending part of the melodic minor) so it's there. From a music theory and, in particular, a harmony standpoint, the harmonic and melodic minor gives a better account of how the minor scale is actually used in tonal music from the Baroque era onward. Also, the Shearer book is already so huge!
@Thisisclassicalguitar Thank you very much. In the past, I noticed people usually talk about melodic or harmonic minor, I never thought about it. I decided to play natural minor anyway just to hear the sound and clarify how melodic and harmonic are made from it.
Thanks for watching. Want to support the channel? Visit the support page: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/donate-support/
All my free lessons for classical guitar: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/lessons/
I have Aaron Shearer's Scale Supplement Book, have had it since the early 70s. After years of using it, I found it useful to take mine to a local Office Depot store and have it spiral bound. This was because of years of opening and it to specific pages and because it was so thick (260 plus pages), that having the original solid bound backing removed made it easier to open to pages. Oh and as Bradford says, it's an awesome study book.
Shame shearer never mentions the 5 forms of moveable positions in the book
Thanks for answering my question. Also, I added the the Scherer Scale studies to my daily sessions about 8 months ago and find them extremely helpful with a noticeable improvement in my playing. Thanks for talking about how useful they are compared to just plain scales. The Carulli Method does the same sort of thing except not in all the key signatures. And, I will work to stay parallel above the 12th fret. Thanks again.
Thank you
Thank you for the cool class on practicing scales, and understanding why we should practice them. Working on scales is really work. It can get tedious at times. So I'm trying to work on them with different rhythms, time signatures, octaves, 3rds ect. 1/4 note, 8th note or 16ths. and different keys major an minor. I Have started working on a scale of a study or piece i am learning what ever key it is in. what I really need is a good routine a daily work slurs, arpeggios, ect. Again thanks for the class
Keep scale practice short and concise but productive, it's a long term thing.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar thank you, I have started playing scales daily now currently 1 an 2 octave scales for the key of C, G, and F major, Am, Em, and Dm scales Melodic minor. I have worked on Harmonic , and Natural minor scale as well but now spending more time on the Melodic. thank you for inspiring me to play again thank you.
Thanks for the Shearer recommendation.
Ya, it is excellent. I won't call it "fun" but it is effective!
I've been seeing a guitar teacher for a year. That's what we use.
Warm up and study 09/04/2022 absolute beginer learning alot, Thank You Friend
Thanks for the lesson and of answering my question.
My pleasure.
thanks for this. it seems there is so much to do in just the technique/fretboard etc realm. i think i need one hour at least daily before i can turn to repertoire even as a late beginner. also, i think i moved too quickly beyond vol 2. i will revisit that book this year.
Yes, lots to do but in the end you can only dedicate so much time to each thing. Consistent practice everyday allows for very small and focused sessions on each topic. Make a well rounded and balanced practice routine with everything in it and if you have extra time at the end practice the stuff that needs the most work.
Very interesting video, and thank you for answering my questions. I'm thinking that a lot depends on the ambitions of the player. I have to admit that I do not currently, and probably will not, play any scales. It is not because I am against them, in fact I think they are an excellent learning tool, and your video hammered that point home. I simply don't want to play them. Yet I have improved significantly as a guitarist the past 3 years I've played classical guitar.
As you say, if the goal is to become a professional guitarist, then practicing scales and gathering as much knowledge as possible is important, and one would want to practice all there is. However, I do believe that if I continue what I'm doing now, I'll be half decent in five years time. My dream is to play the fantasia by John Dowland. With all the pieces I have to play to get to that point, and all the work I have to put in, it's hard to imagine it won't make me a better guitarist. Probably not exceptionally good, but that's fine.
Practicing scales would further that goal, so I should start playing them. I know I won't, but I hope that changes. I'll have to see how it plays out.
I think many people binge on scales and then get bored or frustrated and decide to not play them at all. Instead, I recommend working on only a very small amount everyday. So for you, maybe that means only 2-4 minutes a session or less. I do find that once a student can identify an actual technique issue they can work on that instead of the scale itself which is more stimulating. Playing scales is not the aim, it's working on the skills that are interesting and beneficial. I do understand that for some people this is just a hobby so they might not practice scales and that is totally fine but as a teacher I am dedicated to making the student a better musician and guitarist in a relatively reasonable time frame and that means focusing on a balanced (and sometimes short) technique routine that does include scales. In the end, for me as a teacher, technique exercises get to point faster an improve the student's playing faster than repertoire due to the amount of small simply things we can do in 15 mins.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thank you for that informative answer. It all sounds reasonable, I'll have to consider it going forward. I've been thinking about practicing some slurs, I could use scales to get them in my fingers. But we'll see. :)
Hi Bradford - great lesson and Q and As. I have your books too. I have a dumb question: when you say „student should say outloud the notes they play“ - practically what do you say for sharps? c d e are single syllables. C-sharp is two syllables and by the time you say this quickly oftentime you’re already late. Do you have a system for that mentally? Just curious. Many thanks
Well, when going slow you can just say sharp or flat. There are systems such as solfege etc but it's up to you. I mean, once you are playing faster it is not really practical anyway so just when you are going slow. It's more of a way to check what you are doing rather than something you have to do all the time.
Brad, thanks for the video. Very useful as a relative newbie. You mentioned Shearer's book, re scales and melodics. Can you please confirm if these types of exercises/info are also in Kappel's The Bible..? I am thinking of purchasing this book. Have already purchased your own Technique and Scales books and making my way through them.
The Kappel book and the Shearer book are very different. The Kappel book is a technique book with a vast array of techniques whereas the Shearer scale supplement is just scales and melodic reading patterns using the scales. So the Shearer is 279 pages of just scales and patterns for reading.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thanks. As an Autodidact, do you think Shearer's book is one that i should purchase sooner rather than later, to help fill the gaps that a teacher would be able to answer on the spot, as questions arise?
The Shearer book will not answer any short term questions. There is little or almost no text. It's just scale and reading practice. It's a long-game kind of book that you'd practice for years. A teacher might help you see the connections between the scales but in the end the Shearer book is also about just being a good scale / melodic line reader.
@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thanks, your advice has been useful
I just got Shearer book. There are no natural minor scales. Maybe stupid to ask, but can you explain why they are not included?
Good question. So the natural minor scale is part of the melodic minor scale (the descending part of the melodic minor) so it's there. From a music theory and, in particular, a harmony standpoint, the harmonic and melodic minor gives a better account of how the minor scale is actually used in tonal music from the Baroque era onward. Also, the Shearer book is already so huge!
@Thisisclassicalguitar Thank you very much. In the past, I noticed people usually talk about melodic or harmonic minor, I never thought about it.
I decided to play natural minor anyway just to hear the sound and clarify how melodic and harmonic are made from it.