Introduction by Steve Barta

Improvisation is certainly not new, but improvisational ideas are growing and changing, harmonically and texturally, at a very fast rate. Electronics have definitely made their mark as far as helping to inspire new textures, which in turn create new areas of musical thought and performance. At the other end of the spectrum, people are, as always, exploring new areas in acoustic music and its endless possibilities.

The scales in this book represent a collection of contemporary and traditional scales, which one can think of as "tools" of improvisation. The information in this book is meant for anyone who is interested in learning new scales and chords to aid them in their musical interest, whatever it may be.

Section One consists of various scales written in treble and bass clefs: two octaves ascending and descending, with fingerings included for piano players. At the top of the page for each new scale, it is laid out in one ascending octave in order to get an overview of that particular scale.

Included on the first page of each scale is a "Chord Choice," a list of chords one might use with the scale. Most of the chords referred to under "Chord Choice" are shown in the key of C on page 78, under "General Chord Information." Only the main quality of the chords are given here, whereas altered chords, such as a major 9 b5, are not included here. It is assumed that one will make the appropriate changes to alter a chord with the information given on page 78.

The reader should be aware that certain scales have more than one name. For example, the Aeolian scale is also known as the Pure Minor, Natural Minor, Ethiopian, and the Mohammedan. The various names are provided, where applicable, on the first page of that particular scale.

Section Two covers the various inversions and piano fingerings for the five seventh-chord qualities. The five qualities include the major seventh, dominant seventh, minor seventh, half-diminished seventh, and diminished seventh. The Source is not meant to be a "how to" music instructional book, but rather a source book of information with regard to scales, chords, and piano fingerings.