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Guitar Scales Step 2
When we stack one more note on the top of every triad.
Once the C major scale is harmonized using 4 notes, we get the
following chords:
C major 7 (C, E, G, B) - D minor 7 (D, F, A, C) - E minor 7 (E, G, B, D) - F
major 7 (F, A, C, E) - G dominant 7 (G, B, D, F) - A minor 7 (A, C, E, G) - B
minor 7b5 (B, D, F, A) - C major 7 (C, E, G, B)
The chords above are diatonic to the key of C major. If any major scale is harmonized with four notes, these chord types will always appear.
Here is the information about the chords within any
given key:
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The I chord is major 7. The II chord is minor 7. The III chord is minor 7. The IV chord is major 7. The V chord is dominant 7. The VI chord is minor 7. The VII chord is minor7b5. The VIII chord is major 7. |
Apply the principles of diatonic chord harmony to find the major 7, minor 7, and
dominant 7 chords within any given key.
The power chord functions as a major or minor chord in a given chord progression.
A chord progression consisting of F# minor, D major, E major, C# minor is in the key of A major. If that same progression contained power chords only, it would still be in the key of A major. The F# power chord functions as the F# minor chord, the D power chord functions as a D major chord, the E power chord functions as the E major chord, and the C# power chord will function as the C# minor chord. It doesn't matter whether the progression consists of "7th" chords , triads , or power chords, it is so important to which key the progression is associated with for you to know which scales to use when the time comes to play them out.
Every major scale has what is called it's "relative minor" scale. The relative minor scale has the same notes as it's major scale, except with the relative minor scale you start and end on the major scale's 6th degree.
Let's look at the C major scale again. The 6th degree of the C major scale is A. If we take the exact notes of the C major scale, and arranged them starting and ending on the scale's 6th degree, this would be the end result:
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A B C D E F G A |
The scale aove is called A relative minor (also known as pure minor, natural
minor, and the Aeolian mode). The A relative minor scale contains the same notes
as the C major scale. A minor is relative to C major.
The E major scale has the 6th degree in C#. If all notes within the E major scale are arranged starting and ending on the scale's 6th degree, this would be the result:
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C# D# E F# G# A B C# |
The scale above is called C# relative minor. It has the same notes as the E
major scale. C# minor is relative to E major.
The chords within the relative minor key are the same as the chords within it's major key. The only difference is that the relative minor key starts on the VI chord.
Chords in the key of C major:
C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor, B diminished, C major.
Chords in the key of A minor:
A minor, B diminished, C major, D minor, E minor, F major, G major, A minor.
Chords in the key of E major:
E major, F# minor, G# minor, A major, B major, C# minor, D# diminished, E major.
Chords in the key of C# minor:
C# minor, D# diminished, E major, F# minor, G# minor, A major, B major, C# minor.
Unless somebody is speaking of the order in which the notes or chords are, a
chord progression can be named by it's major or minor key. Because most rock and
metal songs and progressions center around power chords that function as minor
chords, are usually named by the minor key.
Now we are ready to explore the different scale types as you can find them on the guitar fretboard. For every scale, at least 5 different fingering patterns will be shown. If you learn all the fingering patterns for any scale type you will get the ability to use that scale all over the entire fretboard.
All scale patterns are moveable. This means that you can move them from fret to fret, with every position giving the scale a new letter name. All circled notes will show the scale's root - the note that determines the letter name of the scale. The method is the same as with moveable chords. If pattern 1 for the minor pentatonic scale is played at the fifth fret, it is in the key of A, since the sixth string , fifth fret is an A note. (The root notes on the fourth and first strings are also A notes.) play the same pattern at the third fret and is is in the key of G, as the sixth string , third fret is a G note.
Once you really know the scale patterns and see how easy it is
to change keys by moving them to different positions on the neck, you probably
won't feel tempted to create scales using the formulas. The scale patterns that
you are about to learn are better served to the actual playing of the
instrument. The method of constructing scales using formulas was demonstrated to
show you the theory side of things. As each different scale type is shown, it's
formula for construction will also be shown.