Scales and Modes for guitar - Learn Major & Minor

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Guitar Scales Step 1

Tab - Learn Guitar Scales

A lot of the big rock and metal guitar players are very scale oriented. In the past all that was being played was the major and minor pentatonic scales. Scales are used to create a mood or atmosphere, and to give you the opportunity to be able to play up and down the neck as fast as possible.

Scale construction is a lot like chord construction. All scale types are made from the major scale of the same letter name. Any type of C scale, whether it's C blues, C harmonic minor, etc., will be constructed from the C major scale. Any type of B scales (B blues, B diminished, etc.) is made from the B major scale, etc..etc.. The major scale is the "Master" of all scales. That is easy to remember. And it is called the "Major" scale!

The major scale has it's own formula for construction. The major scale is made up of whole step and half step "intervals". An interval is the amount of distance between two notes. A half step is equal to the distance of one fret on the guitar. B to C, C# to D#, D# to F, etc. are all half step intervals. A whole step is equal to the distance of two frets. B to C#, C# to D#, D# to F, etc. are all whole step intervals.

The major scale is made up with the interval formula: whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step. Two whole steps and a half step, three whole steps and a half step. Every single major scale is going to have the same formula. The major scale contains seven different notes, starting and ending on the root note or tonic. (The tonic is also known as the key center or root-the letter name of the scale.) The 8th degree of the major scale is one octave higher than the 1st degree.

You can see below the major scale in all keys. Each of the keys contains a different amount of sharps and flats. Because each key must be changed in a different way to fit the major scale interval pattern. There are 7 keys containing sharps and 7 keys containing flats. The key of C is the only key that contains all natural notes ( natural = no sharps or flats.)

Key Of C	C	D	E	F	G	A	B	C
Key Of G	G	A	B	C	D	E	F#	G
Key Of D	D	E	F#	G	A	B	C#	D
Key Of A	A	B	C#	D	E	F#	G#	A
Key Of E	E	F#	G#	A	B	C#	D#	E
Key Of B	B	C#	D#	E	F#	G#	A#	B
Key Of F#	F#	G#	A#	B	C#	D#	E#	F#
Key Of C#	C#	D#	E#	F#	G#	A#	B#	C#
Key Of F	F	G	A	Bb	C	D	E	F
Key Of Bb	Bb	C	D	Eb	F	G	A	Bb
Key Of Eb	Eb	F	G	Ab	Bb	C	D	Eb
Key Of Ab	Ab	Bb	C	Db	Eb	F	G	Ab
Key Of Db	Db	Eb	F	Gb	Ab	Bb	C	Db
Key Of Gb	Gb	Ab	Bb	Cb	Db	Eb	F	Gb
Key Of Cb	Cb	Db	Eb	Fb	Gb	Ab	Bb	Cb

You can also use this scale to construct other scale types. Scale construction is no different than chord construction, every chord has it's own formula, all scales have their own formula, as well. The formula for the blues scale is 1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7. That means that the blues scale contains the 1st degree (or root), flatted 3rd degree, 4th degree, flatted 5th degree, 5th degree, and flatted 7th degree of it's major scale. To construct a blues scale in any key, all you do is use the blues scale formula to the major scale of the key you like to use.

Blues Scale Construction - Key Of C

Blues scale construction - Key Of C - C Major Scale - C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C Blues Scale Formula - 1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7 - C Blues Scale - C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb

Diminished Scale Construction - Key Of A

A Major Scale - A B C# D E F# G# A - Diminished Scale Formula - 1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, 6, 7 - A Diminished Scale - A, B, C, D, Eb, F, F#, G#

Harmonic Minor Scale Construction - Key Of G

G Major Scale - G A B C D E F# G - Harmonic Minor Scale Formula - 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, 7 - G Harmonic Minor Scale - G, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F#

All scales types are made the exact same. You just need to learn all the formulas.

It is also not bad to know the chords that go with each scale when you want to improvise. In order to understand how chords and scales work together, your going to have to learn diatonic chord harmony. (Diatonic means to come from or relate to a particular key.)

If you want to harmonize the C major scale, you have to stack two more notes on top of each note in the C major scale to form triads. Just the notes within the key of C major may be stacked. (No sharps or flats.)

When you are done harmonizing the the C major scale using three notes, you get the following triads:

C major (C, E, G)- D Minor (D, F, A)- E Minor (E, G, B)- F Major (F, A, C)- G Major (G, B, D)- A Minor (A, C, E)- B Diminished (B, D, F)- C Major (C, E, G)

The chords above are diatonic to the key of C major. If any major scale is harmonized with 3 notes, these chord types will be the end result.

We now know the following information about the triads in any given key:

The I chord is a major triad. The II chord is a minor triad. The III chord is a minor triad. The IV chord is a major triad. The V chord is a major triad. The VI chord is a minor triad. The VII chord is a dim triad. The VIII chord is major triad.

Note: It is common to use Arabic numerals when describing the note degrees of a scale, and to use roman numerals when describing chords.

To find the triads in any key, it is not necessary to go through the whole process of harmonizing the major scale. All you really have to do is apply what we just covered about the chords diatonic to any key. Let's say you wanted to know the triads contained in the key of C major. Below is the C major scale. All the scale degrees have been numbered.

C D E F G A B C

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Since the 1st degree of the C major scale is "C", the I chord in the key of C is C major. Since the 2nd degree of the C major scale is "D" the II chord in the key of C is D minor. The III chord is E minor, the IV chord is F major, the V chord is G major, the VI chord is A minor, the VII chord is B diminished, and the VIII chord is C major. You can use this method to find the triads in any key.

Scales and Modes for guitar - Major & Minor Scales - Pentatonic - Theory

Guitar Scales in Tablature
by William Bay. For Guitar (All). technique. All
Styles. Level: Multiple Levels. Book. Size
8.75x11.75. 80 pages. Published by Mel Bay
Publications, Inc. (94760)
See more info...

Guitar Grimoire - Scales & Modes
Written by Adam Kadmon. For guitar. Format:
instructional book. With introductory text and
illustrations. Scales. 211 pages. 9x12 inches.
Published by Carl Fischer.
See more info...

Al Di Meola: A Guide To Chords,
Scales & Arpeggios
Performed by Al Di Meola. For guitar. Format:
instructional book. With standard guitar notation
(no tablature), introductory text, instructional text
and illustrations. Jazz Fusion and Instructional.
110 pages. 9x12 inches. Published by 21st Century
Publications.
See more info...

Modes For Guitar
Written by Tom Kolb. For guitar and voice. Includes
instructional book and examples CD. With guitar
tablature, standard notation, chord names, guitar
chord diagrams, instructional text, introductory text
and guitar notation legend. Scales and Soloing.
56 pages. 9x12 inches. Published by Musicians
Institute.
See more info...

Pentatonic Scales for Guitar
The Essential Guide. By Chad Johnson. Guitar Educational.
Book & CD Package. With notes and tablature. Size 9x12
inches. 40 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (695699)
See more info...

All Scales in All Positions
for Guitar
A Pocket Reference for Constructing and Playing
Guitar Scales Anywhere on the Fingerboard. By Jim
Scott, Muriel Anderson. Pocket Guide. With notes
and tablature. Size 4.5x12 inches. 72 pages.
Published by Hal Leonard. (695414)
See more info...

Scales
By Joe Charupakorn. Guitar Educational. Size 9x12
inches. 224 pages. Published by Cherry Lane Music.
(2500121)
See more info...

[ Guitar Scales Step 1 ] [ Guitar Scales Step 2 ] [ Harmonic Minor Scales ] [ Extended Scales ] [ Diminished Scale ] [ Melodic Minor Scales ] [ Blues Scale ] [ The Modes ] [ Minor Pentatonics ] [ Major Pentatonics ]

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