Literature Review: The Scales Handbook by Brian Scarborough
Kansas City-based jazz trombonist Brian Scarborough has written The Scales Handbook to be a very approachable scales book that will allow any student to learn techniques for not only mastering scales but also in applying them through everyday practice.
While sometimes scales are not the most exciting order of notes to play, they have fundamentally established the basis for Western Music. As a start, Scarborough presents a foundation with several pages of text filled with research on the understanding and necessity of scales. Guided by a clear academic approach that is complemented with footnotes, Scarborough’s words indicate not only hard facts but also thought-out reasons.
From the beginning, Scarborough introduces the reader to the 12 major scales, followed by studying the different modes of the C scale. While this information is readily accessible for anyone, Scarborough begins to highlight the necessity of going beyond what could have been learned in music school and begins to apply the advanced knowledge that branches off from conventional practice, such as practicing the scales through all seven modes but starting on the same root. As another example of thorough research, Scarborough outlines the triad and seventh chord for each mode after the written out scale pattern.
In addition to a complete understanding of the scales, this Handbook also contains clear musical engraving with a wonderful balance of written words and musical notation. Topics throughout the book include Modes of Melodic Minor, Modes of Harmonic Minor, Modes of Limited Transposition, Octatonic Scales, Diatonic Key Centers, and other valuable scale resources.
To top it off, Scarborough has adapted this Handbook for instruments in Bass Clef, C Treble Clef, Bb Treble Clef, and Eb Treble Clef. As a fellow bass clef player, oftentimes, it is difficult to find a thorough resource for jazz trombonists without having to also transpose from Treble Clef. No longer.
Making sure to not do all of the work for the student, Scarborough only writes the scales and patterns with “C” being the main root note. This purposeful intent allows the learner to dive into the creative process by applying these studies on other Key Centers.
The Scales Handbook by Brian Scarborough is an excellent resource for any music student taking the basic fundamental of a scale and then applying those scalar patterns to a well-researched routine that develops a more defined musical ear with a stronger understanding of the capabilities of their musical instrument.
Click here to purchase the book (Direct).
Click here to learn more about Brian Scarborough.
