Raymond Scott’s “Powerhouse” (1937) is a perennial cartoon favorite. The first half of the song features a running figure that ascends an octatonic scale in 16th note groupings. It’s a fun riff to play. Here, the tail of the riff is removed, and the descent mirrors the ascent to create an exercise that works out the fingers. In the harder keys, it makes for an excellent reading challenge. (pdf)
