Scales are often the broccoli of flute practice (no offense to the broccoli lovers out there). We know they are good for us. They keep our fingers in great shape, our brains super sharp by helping us recognize patterns, and offer versatility for drilling various articulations. When it comes to broccoli, however, sometimes we need to mix in some butter, cheese, or bacon bits in order to add these fibrous greens to our regular diets. Scale games serve a similar function to these tasty enhancements, giving scales a permanent place in our daily practice routines by adding a touch of fun. In this blog, we will explore ways to turn practicing your scales into a game. To quote Mary Poppins, “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun.You find the fun and—snap!—the job's a game!”
Michel Debost’s Gamme-Game (Taffanel and Gaubert’s Exercises Journaliers, No. 4). Michel Debost initially shared his now famous scale game, Gamme-Game, (which
literally translates to “scale game" in French) in his book, The Simple Flute. The Gamme-Game grew further in popularity when it appeared in a 1988 Flute Talk article by Frances Averitt. This is the OG scale game! In this document, we see all major and minor scales featured in the iconic Exercise No. 4 from Taffanel and Gaubert’s Exercises Journaliers listed with 60 different sets of articulations and speed markings. The intention is to make your way down the list, matching the scale listed as “1.” (C major) with the articulation listed as “1.” and so on, for the first 30 articulations and scales. Then the exercise begins again on C major, this time matching each scale with the articulations listed numerically from numbers 31 through 60. This provides a lot of variety to how the exercise can be practiced. In fact, if you mix up the numbers a bit, the amount of possible combinations of scale and articulation patterns is enormous (30 scales, 60 possible articulations for each scale – whoa!). Flutist Jolene Madwell offers a great downloadable Scale Game Tracker on her website for you to use as you make your way through all of these possible combinations.
Variations on Michel Debost’s Gamme-Game. Flute professionals throughout the years have expanded on the concept of Debost’s Scale Game, introducing new rhythms and extended techniques to the practice of good, old Taffanel and Gaburet’s Exercise No. 4. Molly Barth, for example, introduced a revised and updated version of the Scale Game in a January 2011 article published in Flute Talk Magazine which incorporated extended techniques such as pitch bends, singing and playing, and tongue rams. Patricia George has also developed her own version of the Debost Scale Game, which she discussed at the 2021 New York Flute Club Flute Fair, that offers a more flexible, accessible version of the game, relating how we play scales to how we use physical gestures. Ask your friends, teachers, and colleagues – they will likely have their favorites. Or better yet…
Devise your own Gamme-Game. Although the Debost Scale Game is less of a “game,” per say, and more of a list of possibilities for practicing Taffanel and Gaubert’s Exercise #4, the idea is a basic one that invites creativity. Each scale combines with an articulation and a speed. Armed with that approach, the sky is really the limit. Find 60 of the weirdest, wonkiest rhythms you can find in your repertoire. Close your eyes and point to a random rhythm in your music. Add a few super cool extended techniques and some beatboxing. Pop in a jazz scale or a whole tone scale. Think way outside of the box! This is your opportunity to make your scale game as fun as you’d like.
Mix it up! Although Taffanel and Gaubert’s Exercise #4 is the standard Holy Grail of scale exercises in our flute world, there are so many other scale exercise books out on the market. Patricia George and Phyllis Louke’s The Flute Scale Book is a great alternative while Walfrid Kujala’s The Flutist’s Vade Mecum expands scale study to include arpeggios, trills, and other fingering techniques. If you want other tried and true old school options, Andrew Maquarre’s Daily Exercises for the Flute is another great resource. Mix these and other scale books in with your Taffanel and Gaubert once in a while to avoid a scale game rut.
Scale Dice. I picked up this idea recently from Katherine Emeneth as a teaching game for students learning their scales. This technique can also be used by flutists of all ages and levels. Invest in two sets of dry erasable board-style dice. Each die has six sides which means that two dice will contain all 12 major scale names listed on them. On another die, write six different combinations of rhythms. Since these dice are erasable, you may keep changing up the rhythms from week to week or even day to day. On the last die, write down various speeds (andante, vivace, allegro, etc.). You can even add specific metronome markings if you’d like. Then roll the dice! Play the scales shown on the dice with the articulation and speed indicators on the other dice. If you want to have some more fun, add another die with dynamic markings, and perhaps another with specific performance scenarios (ex. perform scales for family members, perform scales while standing on a trampoline, march and play, etc.). This is like the John Cage of scale games. Leave it all up to chance!
The Hat Trick. Okay, it doesn’t need to be a hat. It can be a beautiful gold pouch, a small pail (like I use with my students), or even a plastic bag. The idea again is one of randomization. Write down all of the scale names you can think of (yes – even those weird ones you might be learning about in your Musicology class from the Dark Ages) onto small pieces of paper. Place all of the pieces of paper in your hat/pouch/Ziplock bag, etc. Pull out a few scale names. Place a set of articulations in another bag and a set of dynamics in another. Pull out one of each – These will be your patterns for the day. Ready. Set. Play!
Spin the Scale Wheel. I went to a county fair this past summer and participated in a raffle at a vendor booth where I spun one of those large wheels with the colored spaces to determine my prize. The same device can be used for scales! These can easily be purchased from Amazon. Write your scale names on one spinner and articulations and dynamics on another. And then spin to win! Of course, reward yourself with a treat after crushing your scales for the day (hello, carnival candy!).
Rock out with Scales. There are a number of decent rock music backing tracks on YouTube that you can use as an accompaniment with your scales. This is less of a game and more of a super fun way to give your scales a glow up. Dress up like an 80s metal head. Toss on your favorite leather jacket and some sunglasses. Turn your scale practice into a rock concert. Post it on your Instagram story. Let’s all add a bit of style to our scales with some rock and roll!
What is your favorite scale game? How do you breathe new life into your scale practice when it becomes mundane and broccoli-like? Have you created your own scale game?
Happy fluting!
About the Author, Rachel Taylor Geier:
Rachel Taylor Geier holds a DMA in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, an MM in Flute Performance from San Francisco State University, and a BM in Music Performance from DePauw University. Former applied instructors include Immanuel Davis, Linda Lukas, Anne Reynolds, and Rhonda Bradetich. Dr. Geier currently teaches and freelances in Davis, California and hosts a popular Flute Friday Blog Series.
10-17-24