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"ACCIDENTALS
HAPPEN!" books for
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"ACCIDENTALS
HAPPEN!"
Reviewed
by STRINGS
Magazine
(April, 2009 - P. 66)
Accidentals
Happen! A Compilation of Scales for Violin
by William H.
Somach. (Also available for viola, cello, and bass.)
somaxmusic.com,
$25.00.
This
scale book is a well-informed guide for teachers and
players who are looking to learn about scales, modes, key
signatures, and accidentals. As Somach states in the
preface, his book is for “accomplished musicians and those
who may not be well versed in classroom music theory.” The
language is clear and concise—certainly approachable for
beginners—but the content covered is vast. From western
scales and modes to Hungarian, Arabic, and Hindu scales,
this book offers plenty for the experienced musician. The
scales are easy to read (half steps and augmented second
intervals are clearly labeled), and terms and definitions
are provided throughout. Recommended for anyone who needs
to develop his or her scales.
—Graham Pellettieri
"ACCIDENTALS HAPPEN!"
A Summary
"ACCIDENTALS
HAPPEN! A Compilation of Scales",
available for violin,
viola,
cello,
double bass,
flute,
clarinet,
french horn,
bassoon,
oboe,
saxophone,
trumpet,
trombone &
keyboard is a music
scale book with twenty-six different scales which are
building blocks for many types of music including
western classical music, some ethnic and eastern music
as well as jazz. Each different scale is notated in all
fifteen key signatures for a total of 390 scales notated
in the book. The half steps are indicated where
applicable as is the augmented second interval in a few
scales where this larger interval is important to the
tonal identity of the scale. For each scale type in this
book, there is accompanying reference material that
explains the interval relationships, which types of
music utilize these scales and which composers and
artists utilized certain scales in their music. The
twenty-six scales included in this book are the
following:
•Major
•Harmonic Minor •Melodic Minor
•Dorian Mode •Phrygian Mode •Lydian Mode
•Mixolydian Mode •Aeolian Mode •Locrian Mode
•Major Pentatonic •Minor Pentatonic •Spanish/Jewish
•Hungarian Minor •Arabic •Hindu
•Augmented •Lydian Augmented •Major Diminished
•Minor Diminished •Whole Tone •Diminished Whole Tone
•Harmonic Major •Blues •Bebop
•Lydian Dominant •Chromatic
This book is designed to be used in routine daily
practicing to improve one's ability to sight-read
unexpected accidentals and become more familiar with the
diverse musical harmonies existent in a wide variety of
western and world music.
For those who purchase the book and start to work with it,
I would be very interested to get feedback on your
experience with the book. Tell me what you think is good
about it, or not good about it, or feel free to suggest
things in it that might be improved or modified. I have
labeled this the FIRST EDITION because I anticipate that
it will evolve with the help of the expertise of those
who are using it to make it even better and more useful
in the future.
William H. Somach