|

Scarpology Book on Improvisation: a look into the book

BySteve Horn
Scarpology Front Cover

Here are some pieces extracted from the preface of Scarpology: A Mapping of the Fretboard and an Introductory Method for Improvisation on Mandolin and Other Instruments Tuned in Perfect Fifths

Scarpology as a book and comes in both digital and print format. The print version is highly recommended! But there also is a digital version at a greatly reduced price.

Print Version of Scarpology Digital Version of Scarpology

Who is this book for?

This book is written to be read by novices or by well-versed musicians who want to increase their playable range to include the entire neck of their instrument* and to be able to play and improvise in any key. This book also is for music instructors who are interested in this method as a teaching tool for their students.
*The target instrument is mandolin, but the information in this book can apply to any instrument tuned in perfect fifths (mandola, octave mandolin, violin, viola, cello, tenor guitar, tenor banjo, etc.)

What is improvisation?

Simply put, improvisation is making it up as you go. The term has similar application in many circles: in music, in theater, in debate, and in daily living. We develop ideas and concepts, build upon them, manipulate them, and embellish them, always taking into consideration the expectations of our audience. In music we can improvise in many styles, and in each style we have room for our individual identity to shine. In this book we will focus on the harmonic aspects of tonal music, learning a framework to support our own creativity and using tools that open up possibilities for exploration.

What is Scarpology?

Scarpology is the study of scarps. A “scarp” is a cross between a scale and an arpeggio. A scarp is like a diatonic scale built on the interval of a third rather than the stepwise interval of a second. The musical term “scarp” mimics the geological term, a shortened use of the word “escarpment” which implies tiers of elevation with hollowed out areas in between.

What do I need to know?

You need to listen. That is the first rule of improvisation. Listen when you play and be open to new ideas so your ear will learn the topics we cover in this book. To start, you will need to be able to hear the difference between major and minor. We will be learning about major and minor keys, scales, modes and chords.

What will I learn?

Using scarpology you will learn how to

  • play in any key: major, minor, or modal
  • transpose or shift to any other key: major, minor or modal
  • play, transpose, improvise over the entire range of your instrument

Do I need to know how to read music?

Reading music is not required, but it may be helpful. It would be good to know the basic elements of music notation and we will be using some terms found in music theory. But this does not mean you need to be good at reading music. This book is written for mandolin players or players of any instrument that is tuned in perfect fifths (tenor guitar, tenor banjo, octave mandolin, violin, viola, cello, etc). You will be able to learn to play as far as your ear can carry you. Whether you read music or not, you will be relying mostly on your ear and may find yourself in the middle of a riff, not knowing which notes you are playing or the key you are playing in.

Why the Author Wrote This Book

Author Steven Horn was well versed in a number of traditional styles that used open strings, mimicking fiddle music, and adhering mostly to a handful of keys and related chords. But when a singer needs to move to a more comfortable key or when horns such as trumpet, clarinet, or saxophone were present and wanted a key that fit well with them, Steve was unable to shift to accommodate them. Steve also was interested in learning music with more complex key shifts and harmonies. Steve Horn came up with this method for his own benefit and thought it should be made available for others to use. He discovered a methodology that melded well with the tuning of mandolin and similar instruments; one that actually took advantage of what the mandolin could do; one that was easy to get a foothold onto and that produced results even in the early stages of learning. So he approaches learning with an attitude of encouragement and pragmatism focusing on Progress Rather Than Perfection!!

Get a copy in either digital and print format. The print version is highly recommended! But there also is a digital version at a greatly reduced price.

Print Version of Scarpology Digital Version of Scarpology

Similar Posts

  • |

    Jazz Chord Theory

    BySteve Horn

    With a focus on the tetrad as a basic building block for jazz and popular music today, we hope to offer some basic information on chord theory that will enhance and work in conjunction with the rest of this website. An understanding of theory serves to explain in words what we do in music. This gives us a medium on which to communicate the language of music with our language of the spoken word.

  • |

    Density/Expansivity in Music

    BySteve Horn

    Sound can be dense or expansive, relatively speaking. In fact, any element of sound or of music can have its own density/expansivity attributes that contribute to the overall density/expansivity of a sound, of a piece or music, of an ensemble, or any element of music or sound. This will be referred to as the Density/Expansivity Factor or D-E Factor. Every musical instrument has it’s own D-E make-up.  Mandolin is relatively expansive for a variety of reasons. But before we go into these characteristics particular to the mandolin, lets talk about the D-E Factor or D-E in general terms. Density could be summed up as “stuff drawn together into close proximity”. A collection of “stuff” could be strewn across it’s measuring scale and therefore expanded, or…

  • | | |

    The G-L Factor Found in the Diatonic Modes

    BySteve Horn

    The Seven Diatonic Modes: an established system for comparison The seven diatonic modes are have their roots in early music of the Medieval and Renaissance eras. These modes survived and thrived through the centuries in folk music and can be found today in popular music, rock, country, blue grass and jazz. Although the original modes of early times have been expanded upon (even Ionian and Locrian modes are later additions), we can use the 7 diatonic modes as basis for “weighing in” regarding the G-L Factor of other scales and elements of music. Ionian mode – identical to the major scale “c” to “c” using white notes on the piano Dorian mode – a minor scale with a raised 6th scale degree “d” to “d”…

  • |

    Tetrads – the 6 and 7 chords

    BySteve Horn

    While conventional harmony is based on the triad, the basic building block in jazz is the four note chord or tetrad, a basic triad with a 6th or 7th scale degree added.  There are 6 basic tetrads that serve as these fundamental building blocks:  three major six chords seventh chords  (aka: dominant seventh or major-minor seventh) major seventh chords (aka: major seventh or major-major seventh) three minor minor six chords minor sevenths (minor-minor sevenths) minor-major sevenths Six Chords The major six chord uses the exact same notes as the (relative) minor seventh chord. That is to say a C6 (C-E-G-A) uses the very same notes as an Am7 (A-C-E-G). The difference between these two names for the same chord depends on how they are used…

  • | | |

    About Chords for the Mandolin

    BySteve Horn

    Mandolin has a pitch range that starts from G below middle C and  spans 3 octaves or more. It’s short string length means a person’s hands can spread over more frets than larger instruments. Moving up the neck, the player will notice a greater ease of reach counteracted by cramped spaces, crowding fingers into miniature shapes to play chords that are easier down low on the neck. This necessitates some change in strategy when playing high up the neck, and generally means that the higher up the neck one chords, the wider the interval spacing becomes. (read more about “Density/Expansivity“.) Although this is true on any stringed instrument, on the mandolin this can be an issue that demands more attention from each individual player depending…