Trumpet Pro Pentatonic Tonalization
Introduction
Pro Pentatonics is a new book from the constantly growing Total Tonalization Series. It is book number five in the pentatonic series.

Technique in the form of pentatonic scales is most enthusiastically sought after by jazz musicians. Although the scale and its compositional uses are not limited to jazz, the practice of those scales is almost exclusively a \"jazz thing.\" Not only is the pentatonic scale the root of the blues scale, but it is also used to varied degrees by most modern jazz musicians.

That said, there are certain benefits to practicing pentatonic scales that apply to all musicianship. For example, I believe that the best way to begin to learn and understand quartal harmony is via practicing the pentatonic scales. Pentatonic scales are constructed in perfect fourths. Let\'s look at the C pentatonic as an example:

E - A - D - G - C

Five notes a fourth apart from each other, beginning on E, produces all of the notes of the C pentatonic scale:

C - D - E - G - A

For this reason, the traditional scale patterns come alive with the sound of perfect fourths when applied to the pentatonic scale.

Quartal harmony is not limited to jazz compositions or improvisation. Many musicians since the early twentieth century have written compositions utilizing quartal harmony, and I believe that the first step to understanding those compositions and performing them is in practicing the pentatonic scales.

Aside from the theoretical applications of the pentatonic scale, there are also technical reasons to practice them. The removal of the fourth and seventh scale degrees (the tritone) creates a scale and inherent patterns which become far clumsier to perform than the traditional major scales. The agility and flexibility required offer the diligent practicer an edge over those who do not practice such things.

The Saint Jacome Manual is a 63 lesson course that takes you progressively through the entire Saint-Jacome Grand Method for Trumpet or Cornet. For those of you familiar with The Arban Manual, this will be a welcome addition to your library and practice.

Saint-Jacome?s Grand Method for Trumpet or Cornet has, along with Arban?s Complete Conservatory Method, been a staple of trumpet practice and pedagogy since it?s inception in 1870. Most serious trumpet players are familiar with the duets of Saint-Jacome, which are considered to be some of the finest ever written and many have played the etudes. But when it comes to the remaining 300-plus pages of the Saint-Jacome, most trumpet players have not scratched the surface. While most trumpet players have spent a considerable amount of time working from the Arban, the Saint-Jacome collects dust sitting on the shelf.

Why has the Saint-Jacome taken a back seat to the Arban for over a century? The reason is quite simple: organization. The Arban is fairly well organized by type of exercise and study, while the Saint-Jacome is seemingly put together randomly. The fact that the book has never been edited properly doesn?t help either.

That brings us to the purpose of the Saint-Jacome Manual: To bring order to the chaos. To give the trumpet player a day-to-day plan for practicing from this great book. Each lesson is a balanced, complete practice routine that will take you progressively through the entire Saint-Jacome Grand Method. Good luck!