The latest news from Scott August and Cedar Mesa Music The Scott August Newsletter January 2009
	Welcome! January Newsletter 2009           Echoes From The Mesa IN THIS ISSUE Scott August's First East Coast Appearance The Mojave flute Pentatonic Scale Explained Starting Your Own Record Label: part 3 Appearances Kokopelli's Flute book Helpful Member's Information   SCOTT AUGUST'S FIRST EAST COAST APPEARANCE!                 Photo © Susanne Von Schroeder Don't miss Scott August's first east coast appearance! For those of you living on the east coast getting a chance to see Scott perform live has been a challenge. Up till now. In March of next year that's about to change. Scott is coming to the east coast to perform at the Potomac Flute Festival in Rockville Maryland on Friday, March 27, 2009! This is your chance to see Scott perform your favorite songs on Native American flute and Anasazi flute. Accompanying Scott will be his visual presentation of images of the southwest. March 27, 2009 The sixth Potomac Native American Flute Festival Richard Montgomery High School 250 Richard Montgomery Dr. Rockville, MD For more info and tickets Potomac Flute Circle Directions THE MOJAVE FLUTE During last July's INAFA convention Michael Graham Allen played what he called a Mojave Flute. It had a sound very similar to an Anasazi flute but the scale was quite different. Michael didn't have any to sell at that time but I put in an order and got my flute a few months later. I didn't mention to very many people that I had one, but surprisingly the largest number of emails I've gotten lately with flute questions have been about this flute. So instead of responding to each one, one at a time I thought I'd post a short article about them here. THE OVERALL DESIGN These flutes are shorter than Anasazi flute being 24-3/4" long with a proximal (the playing end) bore width of 7/8". They also only have four holes instead of six. Read the whole story and listen to this flute   PENTATONIC SCALES: HOW THEY WORK What are pentatonic scales? How are they constructed? What makes them different than major and minor scales? Why are they the most common scale used in the world? In this article we're going to take a closer look at these very popular scales and explain them in an easy to understand nonacademic way. Scales are one of the most important building blocks of music. Notes from scales, combined with rhythm, form the basis of melodies. A haunting, solo melody can be a rich and rewarding musical expression. Therefore a basic knowledge of scales is beneficial to anyone that wishes to make music, especially if they are creating their own tunes or just improvising ("playing from the heart"). In the two previous articles we looked at diatonic major and minor scales and then the diatonic modes respectively. A good understanding of these principles will help you with the subject of this post exploring pentatonic scales. You might want to review them before diving into this article. READ THE FULL ARTICLE AND LISTEN TO FIVE PENTATONIC SCALES   THE ARTIST'S GUIDE TO STARTING AN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL PART 3 TRACKING SALES, INVENTORY AND ORDERS In previous posts we've looked at some of the steps needed to set up your own label. While the idea of having your own label might seem romantic, the truth is that it's a business and like all business you need to keep track of your product, sales, promos, purchase orders, invoices and business contacts. The best way of doing this is to have a database. Now I realize that databases aren't sexy or hip or have the allure of a new piece of gear for your studio, but in the long run could have an equal, if not greater, impact on the success of your label. READ THE WHOLE STORY   SOME UPCOMING SCOTT AUGUST PERFORMANCES JANUARY 2009 Sunday, January 25, 2009 Quail Creek, Madera Club House 886 W Arbor Ridge Dr. Green Valley, AZ 85614 Time: 1:00 PM Cost: $10 For more info and tickets: (520) 403-9039 This performance is part of the Tucson Native American Flute Circles 3rd annual Winter Flute Festival. There will be flute makers with flutes for sale, flute accessories, CD's, food, and an open mic. If you live in the Tucson area you don't want to miss this event. Performing with Scott August will be renowned percussionist Will Clipman Scott August photo Bill Leyden Will Clipman photo Nancy Smith-Jones   Monday, January 26, 2009 Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 1100 West Ruins Drive Coolidge, AZ 85228 Visitor Information (520) 723-3172 Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Price: FREE Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 1100 West Ruins Drive Coolidge, AZ 85228 Visitor Information (520) 723-3172 Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Price: FREE   Wednesday, January 28, 2009 "An Afternoon with Scott August" Western National Parks Assoc. Bookstore 12880 N Vistoso Village Drive Tucson, AZ 85737 Time: 11:00 AM & 2:00 PM For more info and tickets: (520) 622-6014 February 2009 Tuesday, February 13-15, 2009 2009 American Indian Music Fest at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument 1100 West Ruins Drive Coolidge, AZ 85228 Visitor Information (520) 723-3172 Time: Friday and Sunday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM Price: $5.00 More information about the location, parking, schedule admission and performers and performance times Come join this festive event celebrating the connection and continuity of prehistoric and current American Indian cultures through concert and demonstration. Experience a blend of prehistoric and modern Native American instrumentation, music, dance, storytelling and poetry.  Observe American Indian crafters and artisans engaged in authentic production of traditional and contemporary cultural items (available for purchase). Taste authentic American Indian foods, and dance to the rhythms of the past and the present. March 2009 March 27 - 29, 2009 The sixth Potomac Native American Flute Festival Richard Montgomery High School 250 Richard Montgomery Dr. Rockville, MD For more info and tickets Potomac Flute Circle Directions Don't miss Scott August's first east coast appearance! April 2009 No Performances currently scheduled for November   May 2009 May 17 - 22, 2009 Zion Canyon Native Flute School PO Box 362, Springdale, UT 84767 ( 435 ) 772 - 0778 zioncanyonnativefluteschool.com Scott August will be teaching a 5 day Anasazi flute playing course.   LEARNING TO PLAY THE ANASAZI FLUTE   KOKOPELLI'S FLUTE The Complete Guide to The Anasazi flute Scott August   Price Member Price   $18.99 $17.09 BOOK DESCRIPTION The Anasazi flute does not give up its secrets easily. Its sound, however, is unforgettable. Until now finding information about how to play the Anasazi flute has proven to be almost as difficult as learning to play one. Very little information exists. Virtuoso Anasazi flute performer Scott August guides you through all the aspects of mastering this marvelous instrument and giving you a head start to begin playing like a pro! Learn how to produce your first sounds, discover its many scales, and explore techniques to quickly improve your playing while learning the fascinating history of this captivating instrument and its first virtuoso, Kokopelli. Fully illustrated with over 18 photos and diagrams Topics include THE ANASAZI FLUTE The History of the Anasazi flute Kokopelli and the Anasazi flute BEGINNING PLAYING TECHNIQUE How to Hold the Anasazi flute The Embouchure Tips for Getting your First Note A Basic Exercise THE ANASAZI FLUTE SCALES The Ansasazi flute major pentatonic scale The Anasazi flute minor scale The Anasazi flute extended scales   Reviews and Comments for Kokopelli's Flute: The Complete Guide to the Anasazi Flute "an invaluable resource in revealing the techniques that can lead to success playing this ancient and difficult instrument." -Voice of the Wind "This is a smart guide... It gives you a more concise understanding of this magnificent and hauntingly secret instrument - to the point that I am continually extracting its secrets with every practice session. Finding information about how to play the Anasazi flute has been quite a task... until now. There are very few who are on the front lines of the Anasazi Flute Renaissance. Scott is one of them with this truly unique and innovative work. I predict a new wave of Anasazi enthusiasts as a result of this tome of previously esoteric knowledge. I am finding I am going back to this guide quite frequently as I learn to play and hopefully master my Anasazi flute. This book as turned my practice sessions from 'frustrating' to 'fun'." -C Blackwolf Here is some helpful information about how to access your Cedar Mesa Music / Scott August Emailing List Benefits PLEASE BOOKMARK THESE PAGES FOR FUTURE VISITS. THE CEDAR MESA MUSIC MEMBERS SECTION All member benefits can be accessed through the Members Page The Member's Section is not available to the public nor is it linked from the main site. We strongly suggest you bookmark this page. HOW TO GET YOUR 10% DISCOUNT For your 10% discount on CD purchases please visit the Cedar Mesa Music Member's Store. NON U.S. ORDERS: be sure and click on the International Order link once in the store. HOW TO ACCESS YOUR FREE MP3 DOWNLOADS The current free Member downloads can be found on the Member's Page. Look for the link called Downloads ECHOES FROM THE MESA: THE CEDAR MESA MUSIC NEWSLETTER Every quarter you will get our newsletter "Echoes from the Mesa" with news about my music, the Native American flute, free music downloads, my performance schedule and more. The latest issue and archives of past issues can be found on the Members Page Echoes From The Music is the quarterly newsletter from Cedar Mesa Music and Scott August © 2008 Cedar Mesa Music Please direct all correspondence to news@cedarmesa.com
About Recordings Purchase Reviews News Photos More Stuff Appearances Mailing List Contact Articles   Recordings by Scott August