Playing multiple notes in one breath (as well as practicing the notes you don’t always play in beginner music) allows the tone to improve and difficult notes to become easier to play. This trains the embouchure to remain stable as you play up the saxophone. As you practice the chromatic scale you’ll begin with a low note and work your way up to a high note, with the same breath. Playing fast (effectively) is only accomplished with many repetitions with the chromatic scale. When you practice this pattern every day, the saxophone begins to feel more natural, your fingers relax, and you’ll continue to increase how fast you can play the notes. Sure, there are different octaves, but on a simple level, this is everything. When you play the chromatic scale from G to G (1 octave), you’re playing every note there is.

There are several benefits from learning the chromatic scale. Just play them in order and don’t skip any notes. In this case, you would play every black and white key between the two Gs. For example, here’s a G chromatic scale (ascending): G G♯ A B♭B C C♯ D E♭E F F♯ G.įor the first time, it will be easier playing on a piano. This scale is played by using all the notes (in an octave) by half steps. In this post, we’re going to share what these benefits are and provide a beginner approach for learning the chromatic scale.

Why is that? Well, you can tell a lot from a chromatic scale, but more importantly, if you can play the chromatic scale well, huge benefits are the results. a D# note between chords such as Cmaj7 and Dm7) or part of longer sequences of notes.Have you ever heard of a chromatic scale? In auditions at the collegiate level (whether freshman or doctoral candidate), the professor will most likely ask the student to play a chromatic scale. This can be done with single chromatic notes (e.g. Using chromatic notes between chords are a common approach, not at least in jazz. In the C Major, for example, the scale tones are C, D, E, F, G, A, B and the passing tones are Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb. Many scales include seven notes and there are five passing notes in a such scale. These can be seen as the opposite of target notes. Chromatic passing tonesĬhromatic notes can be used as passing notes, which are played shortly between notes in the key. This short melody line shows how a bass walk made by adding chromatic notes (F# in the second bar and D in the third bar) can be constructed. You can also bring in more octaves in the exercise. As you get more secure, you can gradually increase the tempo. The exercise can be mirrored for the left hand. Begin slowly and play strictly according to the advised fingerings. Notice the instructions for fingerings: you should mainly alternate the thumb and the middle finger. This scale can be used for an exercise of the control over your fingers: Therefore, the G Chromatic Scale would begin at G and consist of all notes to the next G including one octave. The formula is uncomplicated: all notes are included. You will not find pictures of chromatic scales in all keys, it would be somewhat unnecessary due to the similarities. If we take the Chromatic Scale in C as an example, it can be played as:Īscending: C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, Cĭescending: C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G, Gb, F, E, Eb, D, Db, C This can be referred to as a chromatic movement.

For example, in a sequence of notes such as G - F# - F as a bass walk from the G to the Em chord.

Chromatic scales are not very useful as groundworks for a composition, instead they can be integrated as parts of songs. As you can see on the picture below, all notes in the octave are included. The Chromatic Scale consists of twelve notes that each are one semi-step apart (it can be compared with the contrary diatonic scale), and is also called the Half-tone Scale.

Chromatic scale piano