Scales 101

[arodlinux]

After searching the web, I convinced myself that scales are good for you. I will use them as a warm up exercise. I found tons of website talking about different exercise and different scales. However, what are scales? Is there any good book (I searched amazon already that take a complete beginner from knowing zero about scales to at least an intermediate level.

[arodlinux]

Nevermind masters....

I found what I was lookin for!

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/SC-009-B ... aleFAQ.php

[LVR]

Even though you've already found a good resource you may also want to check out Aaron Shearer's scale book. I thought I knew my way around the fretboard very well thank you and I'm finding it useful and somewhat humbling.

[Peter_Mortelmans]

Nevermind masters....

I found what I was lookin for!

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/SC-009-B ... aleFAQ.php

That site gives part of the answer, but I think I can add something.

First of all. The pentatonic (5 notes) scale, as mentioned on justinguitar, is mainly used in rock and blues, but in classical music it's all about (7 note) major and minor scales.
With respect to practicing: Scales are excellent warm-up exercises and will also help you to get to know the notes on the fretboard. However, don't play just the patterns. Patterns are like road maps without street names on them. When I play scales on parts of the fretboard that I don't know so well yet, I say the name of each note that I play.
On the guitar, a scales is determined by certain pattern in a certain position, so I usually practice scales in 2 variations: First I play different scales (I am a beginner so C, G, F, and D will do) in first position, and secondly I play the C major scale in 2end, 5th, 7th and 9th position. (there are plenty of fretboard diagrams on the internet showing you the correct fingering in each position). I am now discovering the segovia scale patterns that I found elsewhere on this forum (2-octave scales with position shifts).
Which exercises can you do (in the scale of C, for example)?
1. C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C-B-...D-C-D-E-F-...C-D-C-...E-D-E-F-... and so on (each underlined not is a quarter note, all the rest are eighth notes)
2. C-E-D-F-E-G-F-A-...
3. C-D-E-D-E-F-E-F-G-F-G-A-...
Always practice up and down the scale, and always use all six strings (e.g. when playing the C-scale in first position, also play the E-F-G on the sixt string, A-B on the 5th string, and the high D-E-F-G on the first and second strings. I usually start with the root note - Cin this case-, then go all the way up, then all the way down, and then back up to the root note where I started, but other people prefer to start with the lowest note.


If you buy books about scales, all they have are just these exercises, but written as sheet music, in each key. Waste of paper if you ask me. If you want some more free resources or sheet music for scales, check out the Delcamp pdf's on this site, or Carcassi's method (opus 59).

Oh, and don't bother about the whole CAGED thing on Justin's site. It's an overhyped way of explaining movable patterns. The essences is this: if you play a C major scale in 5th position, and you play that same pattern in 4the position, then it's a B major (all the notes are half tone lowered by moving up 1 fret); in 7th position it's a D major (Remember, you're still using the same pattern; C Major on 7th position is a different pattern). In the same way, you get movable chords, by using the open chord finger patterns up the neck, but with a bar. e.g. an Am open chord in first position, becomes a Cm if you play the same pattern with a bar on the 3rd fret.
If you knowledge of music theory is limited, you might have to think about this or google a bit, but once you make the click and understand this, you won't need any so-called "systems"

[LVR]

If you buy books about scales, all they have are just these exercises, but written as sheet music, in each key.

Pretty big assumption to make without actually having seen the book which was recommended. Incorrect, as it turns out, too.

[Peter_Mortelmans]

I have seen several other books, and I wouldn't use them, even if I got them for free.
I just had a look on Amazon to "look inside" Aaron Shearer's book, and that one seems to offer more variation, so it looks a little better. Nevertheless, I won't buy it. Practicing scales is necessary but boring. A little variation will make it only slightly better, but I don't think that all the variations have any effect on left-and right hand technique. I know a few sequences like the ones in my post, which I can apply to any scale without the need of any sheet music in front of me. once in a while I use Mel Bay's book to play some single line studies in a certain key, but even those are only slightly more interesting that pure scale exercises.

[arodlinux]

also want to check out Aaron Shearer's scale book.

Thanks a lot for your input! Do you know the name of the book? I looked on amazon... it is the first one to show up?

[arodlinux]

[/quote]
First of all. The pentatonic (5 notes) scale, as mentioned on justinguitar, is mainly used in rock and blues, but in classical music it's all about (7 note) major and minor scales.
With respect[/quote]

Thanks for the for the info! I just keep realizing how little I know

[Gaius46]

I have seen several other books, and I wouldn't use them, even if I got them for free.
I just had a look on Amazon to "look inside" Aaron Shearer's book, and that one seems to offer more variation, so it looks a little better. Nevertheless, I won't buy it. Practicing scales is necessary but boring. A little variation will make it only slightly better, but I don't think that all the variations have any effect on left-and right hand technique. I know a few sequences like the ones in my post, which I can apply to any scale without the need of any sheet music in front of me. once in a while I use Mel Bay's book to play some single line studies in a certain key, but even those are only slightly more interesting that pure scale exercises.

I beg to differ. Scales can be boring but do not have to be if you're a little creative about it.

What you suggested about playing all the notes of a scale is a good start but you can go further. Starting the C major scale on the E you're actually playing the 3rd - or Phrygian - mode of the C major scale. Each scale degree has its own mode and you can start by playing one mode ascending and the next descending. You'll have to shift positions a as the notes get higher but that's not a bad thing.

The do the same in all keys - I completely disagree with the idea of starting out with the easy keys. You should practice in all keys all the time.

Then do the same thing playing the scales across multiple octaves up the neck. Try playing the scales across only two strings, that gives you a path to higher registers on the neck.

Learn the major scale using your pinky to fret the tonic - ie play C major in the 5th position.


Play the scales in thirds - C-E-D-F-E-G etc. That gets the fingering and the sound of major and minor third intervals into your head.
Saying the notes as you play them is a good idea. Singing them is better. Do the same with fifths. Then harmonize the scale by playing the arpeggio for each scale degree.

Then you can practice slurs. Play the scale by hammering or pulling the next note ascending or descending in the scale. Then practice slides in thirds and fifths.

The you can try some rhythmic variation. Quarters get boring fast so try 8ths. And then triplets and 16ths. And not just hitting the same note 3 and 4 times but as consecutive notes - CDE DEF EFG or CDEF EFGA FGAB. Then you can switch it up and try quarter note triplets and sextuplets (people seem to forget those)

The you can syncopat things and do just the "and" eighth note. Or just the middle or last note of the triplet. Or the second and fourth note of set of 16ths.

Then finally use the scales to improvise melodic lines over chord changes. All the while making sure that you practice different RH alternations, the different strokes and making sure you get a good even tone and volume across all the strings.

Then you can start on the melodic minor, diminished and whole tone scales.


Lot of this stuff is foreign to classical players but it's bread and butter to jazzers and will make you a better musician. And is so not boring.