Guitar Scales
As a beginner the best Guitar Lesson you could start off with are scales. Scales are a group of notes played in a specific order. All Music that you hear irrespective of instruments or genres, is based out of a certain scale or multiple scales. Apart from giving you choice of notes to compose a melody, Scales are a great way to start understanding and mastering the instrument.
Lets discuss 4 types of scales in this section. Major Scale, Natural Minor Scale, Harmonic Minor Scale & Jazz Minor Scale.It is advisable to learn and practice as many of them as possible as it helps you know the guitar thoroughly. Ensure that you start off very slow, making sure each and every note is clear and you are able to play the entire scale in one go without making a mistake. Also memorize the location of each note on the fretboard as you play it. Please remember to go to the guitar tutorial page to understand how to read the TABS correctly.
Lets discuss 4 types of scales in this section. Major Scale, Natural Minor Scale, Harmonic Minor Scale & Jazz Minor Scale.It is advisable to learn and practice as many of them as possible as it helps you know the guitar thoroughly. Ensure that you start off very slow, making sure each and every note is clear and you are able to play the entire scale in one go without making a mistake. Also memorize the location of each note on the fretboard as you play it. Please remember to go to the guitar tutorial page to understand how to read the TABS correctly.
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Major Scales
Major Scale is considered to be the mother of all scales. Formulas for every Scale found in music is formed keeping in mind its relation to the Major Scale.
The Major Scale itself is formed by using the following formula W-W-H-W-W-W-H. (W=Whole Step) & (H=Half Step).
For eg; If you want to form a Major Scale starting with the note C, you would use the above mentioned formula. A Whole Step from C would be D, another Whole step would be E, Half step would be F, Whole step G, Whole Step A, Whole Step B & Half Step C. Hence the notes of C Major Scale are
C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. This in numerical form is considered to be I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII
The Major Scale itself is formed by using the following formula W-W-H-W-W-W-H. (W=Whole Step) & (H=Half Step).
For eg; If you want to form a Major Scale starting with the note C, you would use the above mentioned formula. A Whole Step from C would be D, another Whole step would be E, Half step would be F, Whole step G, Whole Step A, Whole Step B & Half Step C. Hence the notes of C Major Scale are
C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. This in numerical form is considered to be I-II-III-IV-V-VI-VII
Minor Scales Overview
Melodies created from Minor scales have a unique sound. A lot of Funky Riffs, Rock Riffs & Solos as well as ballads are created using the Minor scale. Minor scales have evolved over the years and at present there are numerous forms as well. Lets explore some of the common minor scales used in pop & Rock music viz. Natural Minor, Harmonic minor & Jazz Minor.
Natural Minor Scale
Natural Minor scale is formed by lowering the 3rd, 6th & 7th note/degree of a Major scale. Hence the formula of a Natural Minor scale is 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7.
If we were to form an A Natural Minor scale from the A Major scale (A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#) we would have to lower the 3rd-6th & 7th notes and keep the rest of them exactly the same. This is what you get by doing so - A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Another way of figuring out how to play the natural minor scale is by playing the scale starting on the 6th degree of a Major scale. For eg; If you play the scale starting on the 6th degree of C Major Scale (which is the A note) you would get the A Natural Minor Scale with notes that belong to the C Major scale. A-B-C-D-E-F-G. The Natural minor scale is also known as the Relative minor of a Major scale.
If we were to form an A Natural Minor scale from the A Major scale (A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#) we would have to lower the 3rd-6th & 7th notes and keep the rest of them exactly the same. This is what you get by doing so - A-B-C-D-E-F-G
Another way of figuring out how to play the natural minor scale is by playing the scale starting on the 6th degree of a Major scale. For eg; If you play the scale starting on the 6th degree of C Major Scale (which is the A note) you would get the A Natural Minor Scale with notes that belong to the C Major scale. A-B-C-D-E-F-G. The Natural minor scale is also known as the Relative minor of a Major scale.
Harmonic Minor Scale
Harmonic Minor scale was used extensively by western classical music composers like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart etc. It is also used extensively in Neo-classical music by guitar players like Yngwie Malmsteen & Vinnie Moore to name a few. This scale is formed by raising the 7th degree of a natural minor scale. For eg; in A natural minor (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) if you raise the 7th you get G#. Effectively A Harmonic minor contains the following notes -
A-B-C-D-E-F-G#
Below is the TAB for all 12 Harmonic Minor Scales.
A-B-C-D-E-F-G#
Below is the TAB for all 12 Harmonic Minor Scales.
Jazz Minor Scale
Jazz Minor scale is formed by raising the 6th & 7th degree of the Natural minor scale. For eg; in A natural minor by raising the 6th & 7th degree you get notes A-B-C-D-E-F#-G# This scale shares notes of the ascending Melodic Minor scale.
Melodic Minor Scale
The melodic minor scale is a combination of the Jazz Minor scale & the Natural Minor scale. Use notes of the Jazz minor while ascending & Natural minor while descending you get the Melodic minor scale. For eg; in A Melodic Minor use notes of A Jazz minor (A-B-C-D-E-F#-G#) to ascend & while descending use notes of A natural minor (A-B-C-D-E-F-G). Use the TAB mentioned above in the Natural Minor section & Jazz minor section, to get the shapes & positions of all the 12 melodic minor scales.
Chromatic Scale
There are 12 notes in music including enharmonic notes (the sharps & flats). When you play all these 12 notes in a way where each note is a half step away from the other it is called a Chromatic scale. For eg; you could play a chromatic scale starting on the A note. These are the notes the scale will contain
A-A#(Bb)-B-C-C#(Db)-D-D#(Eb)-E-F-F#(Gb)-G-G#(Ab)
Below is the TAB indicating chromatic scale starting on E o the 6th string
A-A#(Bb)-B-C-C#(Db)-D-D#(Eb)-E-F-F#(Gb)-G-G#(Ab)
Below is the TAB indicating chromatic scale starting on E o the 6th string
Pentatonic Scale
One of the most popular scales in Blues, Rock, Funk, Country in fact almost all the genres of music! As Pentatonic scale forms the base for a lot of styles it is a must learn scale. The scale consists of only 5 notes. Due to its construction, the pentatonic scale can be divided into 2 notes per string which gives it a box like shape, excellent for creating bluesy licks and phrases.Pentatonic Scales can be Major or Minor.
The Minor Pentatonic scale is formed by eliminating the 2nd and the 6th note of the Natural Minor scale of the same root. The Major Pentatonic scale is formed by eliminating the 4nd and the 7th note of the Major scale of the same root.
For eg; a) G minor contains the notes G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb-F. Removing the 2nd (A) and the 6th (Eb) gives us the G minor pentatonic scale containing the following notes. G-Bb-C-D-F.
b) The G Major Scale contains the notes G-A-B-C-D-E-F#. Removing the 4th(C) & the 7th (F#) gives us G Major pentatonic scale containing the notes G-A-B-D-E.
Do note that the Major pentatonic notes will be the same as the notes of its relative minor pentatonic! G Major pentatonic (G-A-B-D-E) and E minor pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) will have the same notes. Similarly C Major & A minor will have the same notes & so on!
(Please refer to the PDF below for the 2 note per string shape.)
The Minor Pentatonic scale is formed by eliminating the 2nd and the 6th note of the Natural Minor scale of the same root. The Major Pentatonic scale is formed by eliminating the 4nd and the 7th note of the Major scale of the same root.
For eg; a) G minor contains the notes G-A-Bb-C-D-Eb-F. Removing the 2nd (A) and the 6th (Eb) gives us the G minor pentatonic scale containing the following notes. G-Bb-C-D-F.
b) The G Major Scale contains the notes G-A-B-C-D-E-F#. Removing the 4th(C) & the 7th (F#) gives us G Major pentatonic scale containing the notes G-A-B-D-E.
Do note that the Major pentatonic notes will be the same as the notes of its relative minor pentatonic! G Major pentatonic (G-A-B-D-E) and E minor pentatonic (E-G-A-B-D) will have the same notes. Similarly C Major & A minor will have the same notes & so on!
(Please refer to the PDF below for the 2 note per string shape.)
Blues Scale
The Blues Scale contains 5 notes of the Pentatonic scale & in addition the b5 note of the Natural Minor scale.
For eg; In G minor pentatonic by adding the b5 note (Db) you get the G minor Blues scale with the following notes. G-Bb-C-Db-D-F
(Please refer to the PDF below for the blues scale in 5 different shapes.)
For eg; In G minor pentatonic by adding the b5 note (Db) you get the G minor Blues scale with the following notes. G-Bb-C-Db-D-F
(Please refer to the PDF below for the blues scale in 5 different shapes.)