Introduction.
Hi!
If you are looking into scales, I think you are comfortable playing chords.
Learning Scales will give you variety and freedom to your guitar playing.
Also, you will be able to Jam with your buddies. I think it’s the most fun thing you can do with guitar.
Alright! I’ll list out what I’ll cover in SCALE INFO section.
I’ll teach you how to build these scales, and give you chart you can refer to when you’re practicing. Also, I’ll give you some tips and suggestions to learn scales fun and easy.
I’ll write down explainable and important scales in here.
1. Major Scale
2. Minor Scale
3. Major/ Minor Pentatonic Scale
4. Blues Scale.
I think those scales will be enough.
Actually, they are more than enough if you know how to use them and embellish them.
Your beginner time is almost over! Ain't it just fun to learn this?!
Cya!
If you are looking into scales, I think you are comfortable playing chords.
Learning Scales will give you variety and freedom to your guitar playing.
Also, you will be able to Jam with your buddies. I think it’s the most fun thing you can do with guitar.
Alright! I’ll list out what I’ll cover in SCALE INFO section.
I’ll teach you how to build these scales, and give you chart you can refer to when you’re practicing. Also, I’ll give you some tips and suggestions to learn scales fun and easy.
I’ll write down explainable and important scales in here.
1. Major Scale
2. Minor Scale
3. Major/ Minor Pentatonic Scale
4. Blues Scale.
I think those scales will be enough.
Actually, they are more than enough if you know how to use them and embellish them.
Your beginner time is almost over! Ain't it just fun to learn this?!
Cya!
1. Major Scales - Bright, Joyful, and Basic.
Hi!
Welcome to SCALE INFO section.
Learning scale isn’t that hard. The hard part is getting one scale to fit your fingers.
Once you know how to build a scale, you will be able to build one. You just have to practice it till you become comfortable playing that scale with your guitar.
Learning scale has nothing special.
Just PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and More PRACTICE.
Some says that you can learn forms instead of learning how to build a scale. I think that’s wrong and stupid.
Learning forms to play a scale maybe easy and practical when you are playing solos.
However, what is point of learning scales when you don’t know which note you are playing?
Do you want to play guitar without knowing what note you are hitting? Really?
Where is soul in that? Where is your color of guitar when you are automatically hitting one ‘spot’ instead of a ‘NOTE’?
In these lessons I will give you forms, however I beg you that you have to consider ‘Building a Scale’ as your best interest.
Okay, I think you get my point. I’ll give you how to build a Major scale and one example of it.
Major scale is very commonly used. You can hear this everywhere. Pop, country, Blues, Jazz, whatever type of music, you will hear this scale.
Let’s learn how we can build a Major scale then!
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
If you already looked into scales, I’m sure you’ve came across this thing.
Do you remember how we built chords with Half Steps?
Okay, Two Half Steps equals a ‘Whole Step.’
W-W-H-W-W-W-H: W means Whole Step and H means Half step.
W-W-H-W-W-W-H: This is our formula of building a Major scale.
If we set our root to be C and want to build C Major Scale, just follow this formula to find needed notes of the scale.
Okay, what is whole step (2 half steps) up C?
D! Great. Now we know C Major Scale has D.
Then, what is whole step up D?
E!
Okay! We have C-D-E
What is Half step up E?
F!
What is Whole step up F?
G
What is Whole step up G?
A
What is whole step up A?
B
What is Half step up B?
C! Now we have a C Major scale!
C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
W W H W W W H
Do you understand how we used our Major Scale formula to build a scale?
Pretty simple, ain’t it?
Since we know this formula, let’s build G Major Scale! Try doing this for yourself.
G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
W W H W W W H
Did you get this? Good!!
Now, let’s apply our knowledge into frat board. Find every notes of G Major in your guitar!
You will be able to get this.
Welcome to SCALE INFO section.
Learning scale isn’t that hard. The hard part is getting one scale to fit your fingers.
Once you know how to build a scale, you will be able to build one. You just have to practice it till you become comfortable playing that scale with your guitar.
Learning scale has nothing special.
Just PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and More PRACTICE.
Some says that you can learn forms instead of learning how to build a scale. I think that’s wrong and stupid.
Learning forms to play a scale maybe easy and practical when you are playing solos.
However, what is point of learning scales when you don’t know which note you are playing?
Do you want to play guitar without knowing what note you are hitting? Really?
Where is soul in that? Where is your color of guitar when you are automatically hitting one ‘spot’ instead of a ‘NOTE’?
In these lessons I will give you forms, however I beg you that you have to consider ‘Building a Scale’ as your best interest.
Okay, I think you get my point. I’ll give you how to build a Major scale and one example of it.
Major scale is very commonly used. You can hear this everywhere. Pop, country, Blues, Jazz, whatever type of music, you will hear this scale.
Let’s learn how we can build a Major scale then!
W-W-H-W-W-W-H
If you already looked into scales, I’m sure you’ve came across this thing.
Do you remember how we built chords with Half Steps?
Okay, Two Half Steps equals a ‘Whole Step.’
W-W-H-W-W-W-H: W means Whole Step and H means Half step.
W-W-H-W-W-W-H: This is our formula of building a Major scale.
If we set our root to be C and want to build C Major Scale, just follow this formula to find needed notes of the scale.
Okay, what is whole step (2 half steps) up C?
D! Great. Now we know C Major Scale has D.
Then, what is whole step up D?
E!
Okay! We have C-D-E
What is Half step up E?
F!
What is Whole step up F?
G
What is Whole step up G?
A
What is whole step up A?
B
What is Half step up B?
C! Now we have a C Major scale!
C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
W W H W W W H
Do you understand how we used our Major Scale formula to build a scale?
Pretty simple, ain’t it?
Since we know this formula, let’s build G Major Scale! Try doing this for yourself.
G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
W W H W W W H
Did you get this? Good!!
Now, let’s apply our knowledge into frat board. Find every notes of G Major in your guitar!
You will be able to get this.
Good, above chart is just to check if you are correct.
Try to play melodies in this scale and figure out what positions you feel comfortable in.
Remember that if you are trying to memorize scale by broken down forms, that’s no good for you.
First, you don’t know what notes you are playing, second, you will be like one of friend asking me ‘how do I connect this form with other forms?’
Don’t do that, that’s way to limit your guitar. You guitar won’t like it.
Okay, then I now suggest you some methods that I think are Best to learn scales.
Option 1. Get Jam Tracks that are like a band playing just for you solos (which is great scale practice.)
Option 2. Get an accompanist such as other guitar player, or instrumentalist to play music so you can practice solos.
Option 3. Play music of one key and play on top of it.
Warning!: Don’t play by yourself. Practicing scale by yourself won’t be that effective and it will be boring. You might even feel retarded playing scales by yourself. I almost quit guitar when I got into scales. But, I found sound tracks to back me up then I learned scales and soloing with a lot of fun and ease.
What are these 3 options tell you? Get back ground sound! Whether it’s Jam Track that you can purchase, accompanist whom you probably have to pay a lot, or play music of your practicing key.
Option 1 will be Best Way to go, if you already got that Professional Lessons. Jamorama gives you Jam Tracks. Find It Useful. If you don’t have Jam Tracks, go Get One. Whether you buy one or make one, I don’t care. I Strongly SUGGEST you that BUY something Professional. Jamorama is 40 buck and has everything you need to learn guitar, that includes Jam Tracks.
Option 2. Getting an accompanist? This will be hard. If you have a tutor, first, it’s expansive; second, they won’t sit there to accompanist your clumsy scale practice. They will tell you to practice scales on your own. That mean, you should get Jam Tracks or Background music anyway if you want to practice scales with Ease and Fun.
Option 3. Practicing scales on top of music. I think this can be good way if you can play solos well. However,…..no. Just try this and see what you feel. You will probably feel confused and exhausted. Why? Because that music is not made for you! It’s not a song made for you to practice your scale practicing. Even if it has parts for solos, there are already solos played by musician. You won’t be able to play your own solos and you will feel frustrated and exhausted.
I say, get Jam Tracks. Even if you just got into scales, it is best for your sake to practice scales on top of Jam Tracks. Remember how I said to practice melodies within one scale? Yeah! That’s soloing! With Jam Tracks backing you just for your soloing, you will have great fun and learn scales fast and easy.
I want you to learn guitar with the most fun. You know it will be FUN!
Alright, that’s enough said for this lesson.
Practice this scale. This is basic of basic in the scale world.
Bye~!
Try to play melodies in this scale and figure out what positions you feel comfortable in.
Remember that if you are trying to memorize scale by broken down forms, that’s no good for you.
First, you don’t know what notes you are playing, second, you will be like one of friend asking me ‘how do I connect this form with other forms?’
Don’t do that, that’s way to limit your guitar. You guitar won’t like it.
Okay, then I now suggest you some methods that I think are Best to learn scales.
Option 1. Get Jam Tracks that are like a band playing just for you solos (which is great scale practice.)
Option 2. Get an accompanist such as other guitar player, or instrumentalist to play music so you can practice solos.
Option 3. Play music of one key and play on top of it.
Warning!: Don’t play by yourself. Practicing scale by yourself won’t be that effective and it will be boring. You might even feel retarded playing scales by yourself. I almost quit guitar when I got into scales. But, I found sound tracks to back me up then I learned scales and soloing with a lot of fun and ease.
What are these 3 options tell you? Get back ground sound! Whether it’s Jam Track that you can purchase, accompanist whom you probably have to pay a lot, or play music of your practicing key.
Option 1 will be Best Way to go, if you already got that Professional Lessons. Jamorama gives you Jam Tracks. Find It Useful. If you don’t have Jam Tracks, go Get One. Whether you buy one or make one, I don’t care. I Strongly SUGGEST you that BUY something Professional. Jamorama is 40 buck and has everything you need to learn guitar, that includes Jam Tracks.
Option 2. Getting an accompanist? This will be hard. If you have a tutor, first, it’s expansive; second, they won’t sit there to accompanist your clumsy scale practice. They will tell you to practice scales on your own. That mean, you should get Jam Tracks or Background music anyway if you want to practice scales with Ease and Fun.
Option 3. Practicing scales on top of music. I think this can be good way if you can play solos well. However,…..no. Just try this and see what you feel. You will probably feel confused and exhausted. Why? Because that music is not made for you! It’s not a song made for you to practice your scale practicing. Even if it has parts for solos, there are already solos played by musician. You won’t be able to play your own solos and you will feel frustrated and exhausted.
I say, get Jam Tracks. Even if you just got into scales, it is best for your sake to practice scales on top of Jam Tracks. Remember how I said to practice melodies within one scale? Yeah! That’s soloing! With Jam Tracks backing you just for your soloing, you will have great fun and learn scales fast and easy.
I want you to learn guitar with the most fun. You know it will be FUN!
Alright, that’s enough said for this lesson.
Practice this scale. This is basic of basic in the scale world.
Bye~!
2. Minor Scale - Sad, Sad, Sad Songs.
Hi~!
Hope you have tuned your guitar and practiced Major Scale!
Wasn’t it Fun to play on top of Jam Tracks?
Yeah, even if you aren’t good at soloing, I’m sure you have figured out some great melodies and had much fun practicing.
In this lesson we will talk about Minor Scale. This will open up a new horizon.
When you were practicing Major Scale, you’ve noticed the quality of the Scale. It’s bright, joyful, and comforting.
If you master Major scales, you have doorway opened to express these feelings.
Minor Scale will give you other kind of emotions that you can express yourself with. It’s more sad and melancholic.
Let’s dive right into it.
As we did before, I will give you formula to contrast every Minor Scales. Hope you still remember that W = Whole step = 2 Half Steps.
Have that in mind, here is Minor Scale Formula.
W - H - W - W - H - W - W
Got it? In this Lesson, Let’s try making E Minor Scale. Note that E is 3 half steps below G!
Figure out notes in E minor scale, you should be able to do this on your own.
E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E
W H W W H W W
Got it? Hold on ain’t this notes look familiar? Try playing them on your guitar.
That’s right, these notes are exactly same notes we had for G Major.
The Only different you should note is that E Minor Starts with E and ends with E, unlike G Major starts with G and ends with G.
This is called Relative Key. It refers to this 3 half step relationship. In this case we will call “E is Relative Minor to G major.” Or “G is relative Major to E Minor.”
Knowing this 3 half step relationship can help your soloing to be more creative, sophisticated, and awesome.
Let me write this out in simple form.
Same Notes = Certain Key Major & Certain Key – 3 Half Step Minor (Ex. G Major & E Minor)
Same Notes = Certain Key Minor & Certain Key + 3 Half Step Major (Ex A Minor & C Major)
Certain Key Major = Certain Key Minor with 3 Half Steps(Frats) down.
Certain Key Minor = Certain Key Major with 3 Half Steps(Frats) Up.
We will cover later two in next lessons.
Let’s check how we can use this relative relationship to our advantage.
First, we will be able to know which notes to play for two scales if you know one. I wish you’ve already practiced Major Scale and have it comfortable. Well, if you can play G Major Scale, you can play E Minor scale with Ease. Why? You just play that same notes that you feel comfortable, but just start with E and end with E. Try it, and check out how it feels different.
If you can find Minor tone melodies, you just have discovered more emotions you can play through your Guitar.
Second, when you get more advanced, you will be able to Change Keys, and changing to relative keys is the simplest one of all time. I know you aren’t there yet. Just have fun playing these to scale and you will learn to change scales to express more of you when you get more advanced.
Great! Have fun with these scales and make sure to practice them before you go on to pentatonic scale. These two scales are what make pentatonic scales.
Aight~! Play your Jam Tracks and start soloing~!
Bye!
p.s: Below chart is E Minor scale. I Put Blues Dots for Roots, E.
3. Major/ Minor Pentatonic Scale - Simple, Fun, All You Need To Play Solos.
Hi~!
I’m sure you’ve heard this name before.
This scale is the most prevalent scale in our days. Most of pop, rock, country, blues use this scale.
How is this scale so popular? Because this is the simplest of all scales.
Pentatonic scale only has 5note.
1, 3, 4, 5,7. For Minor Pentatonic and 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 For Major Pentatonic
Why doesn’t it have 2 and 6, and 4 and 7? Technically 2 and 6 can do same function of 4 and 7 in theoretical sense. To have a scale simplest, we don’t need two notes doing same function
Maybe this is why pentatonic scales are used often in rock music. One of Rock music qualities is Simplicity. Pentatonic Scale is the simplest of all, thus fits well with Rock music.
Anyway, if you already have good feels for major and minor scales, you will be in great shape to learn Pentatonic Scales.
That means, Pentatonic Scales are just merely part of Major and Minor Scales! It’s So EEASY~~!
Aight, let’s look into Major Pentatonic first.
Do you remember our Major formula?
W - W - H - W - W - W - H
Good! This time we will make A Major Pentatonic. To do so, first make A Major scale.
A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A
W W H W W W H
Now, Remember that for Major Pentatonic we take out 4 and 7th of Major Scale.
Then we get.
A - B - C# - E - F# - A
Simple, ain’t it? To make Major Pentatonic, you just take out 4th and 7th notes of a Major Scale!
Now! Let’s learn How to Make Minor Pentatonic Scale!
I think you already know how! Yes! We just take out 2nd and 6th notes from Minor Scale!
Let’s make A Minor Pentatonic!
We first need A Minor Scale! Do you remember the formula for Minor Scales?
W - H - W - W - H - W - W
Good! Let’s make A Minor Scale.
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A
W H W W H W W
Let’s take out 2nd and 6th.
A - C - D - E - G - A
There we go! We have A Minor Pentatonic Scale!
Remember to take out 2 and 6 in Minor Pentatonic.
For a Major pentatonic take out 4 and 7 of a Major scale.
Got it?
Okay, play A Major Pentatonic and Minor pentatonic while I’m enjoying an Ice cream in a hot summer day.
Aight~! Did you figure something out? What?
Is A Major Pentatonic is exact same shape with A Minor Pentatonic pulled down 3 frats?
Yes! Do you recall what I gave you about relative keys?
Certain Key Major = Certain Key Minor with 3 Half Steps(Frats) down.
Certain Key Minor = Certain Key Major with 3 Half Steps(Frats) Up.
Do you recall this? If you pull down A Minor Pentatonic by 3 Half Steps, you get A Major Pentatonic! Same applies to Major and Minor.
With this knowledge, I’ll give you a tip for your soloing.
To make your solo more colorful, try changing Major and Minor in a same Key.
Turn up your Jam Track and start playing A Minor Pentatonic, and when you feel right change that up to A Major Pentatonic, then change it back.
You will find out that overall structure and quality of your music changing.
It’s Fun!
Okay, below this lesson, I’ll post A Major and Minor Pentatonic scale. Before that I want to warn you about something.
There is common trap that many guitarists fall into. When you fall into this, you might stop progressing forward to be better.
This trap is what I call “I’m good with what I am” mentality.
Many people learn pentatonic scales when they first dip their toes in the scale world, however, not that many of them break off from pentatonic scales and learn other things.
Pentatonic scale is easy to play. When people hear you play good solos with this scale they will love you. You’ll be happy.
But, it is hard to learn other scales other than this because other scales will require you to learn music theory.
Theory is hard. Of course! Some says that it’s easy, but that’s because they learned it for long time.
So, many guitar players get stuck with pentatonic scales because that is Enough.
When you play guitar for a while, and get these scales to suit you well, you will eventually find yourself saying “I suck.”
Once when I was practicing with my Jam Tracks on, I found myself asking ‘why all my shit sounds same? Why!!!!’
One day, when I was having this problem, I was jamming with my buddy Jonah. He was a great mandolin player. He knows how to play. So, we are playing, but I just can’t get satisfy with my sound.
After our session, I told him that I fell like shit because all my sounds are same and yours isn’t.
He was surprised. He told me that he thinks his sound is all same and mine was not.
I just couldn’t take that because I thought one of reasons why I feel down about my sound was because his stuff was awesome.
It is a funny thing that even your buddy who plays music with you all times won’t notice if your stuff is limited to pentatonic and other few scales.
That means people who don’t play music will not feel that you suck because you only plays pentatonic. They will think it’s awesome!
So, many people fall into thinking that ‘I’m already awesome at guitar, I don’t need to learn hard theories to expand my scale dictionary.’
But, I BEG You IF YOU REALLY WANT TO PLAY YOUR OWN MUSIC, YOU HAVE TO LEARN MORE!!!!!
Basic Pentatonic Scale won’t be Enough for you! You will eventually feel that your music sucks and limits what you want to express!
Do not get stuck with Pentatonic! This scale doesn’t even have 2 notes!
I’m telling you because maybe someday we will play music together.
I’ll be travelling and maybe I’ll stop by around your town, and maybe we can play music together.
I’ll be so happy, if we can do that.
So, for your sake and for my sake DON’T GET STUCK IN PENTATONIC SCALE!
This is the basic scale that you want to branch yourself out to whatever musical taste you pursue.
Major, Minor, and Pentatonic is the Basic!
You won’t get satisfied if you can play C,D,E in Piano wouldn’t you?
Don’t get satisfied with this! Okay? GET MORE! LEARN MORE! PLAY MORE!
Alright?
I know that these few scales maybe hard enough for you. But if you practice these scales and just have FUN JAMMING along the JAM TRACKS! You will be able to play these scales FLUENTLY and COLORFULLY in FEW WEEKS!!
When you get to that point, you need to learn more! Don’t get stuck with this!
Okay?!
I think I made myself clear. Just take my words as an advice.
Good!
HAVE FUN PLAYING!
I’LL SEE YOU IN NEXT LESSON!
4. Blues Scale - Soulful, Teasing, and Bluesy.
Hi!
Hope you’ve practiced with Jam Tracks. Ain’t that fun?
Okay, let’s dive right into Blues Scale.
I personally love this scale. It’s easy, soulful, and fun!
I once was just stuck with this scale, and had ‘I’m good with this scale syndrome.’ I didn’t really have much progress in guitar for about a year because of that.
Since we began our scale lessons, I bet you start thinking that scale isn’t that hard at all!
You just learn formula to build scales, practice them in guitar!
It may have been painstaking process if we didn’t know how to utilize Jam tracks to make our practices to be Jam sessions.
I can assure you that Blues will be the most fun amongst all scales.
I personally think it’s more soulful than any other.
But only different blues scale have is ‘Blue note.’
What is Blue note? It’s 5b. Let me explain.
Do you remember our Minor Pentatonic scale?
Let’s recall A Minor pentatonic.
A - C - D - E - G - A
1 3 4 5 7 8
Do you remember this? I hope you did your practice.
We took out 2nd and 6th notes. Right? So, our 5th note is E.
Blue Note is that half step down 5th note. That will be Eb in this case.
So, A blues scale will be,
A - C - D - Eb - E - G - A
1 3 4 5b 5 7 8
Simple, ain’t it? Haha.
That’s it! If you can play Minor Pentatonic you just ad Flat Fifth( 5b)! Then you got a blues scale!
I’ll post scale chart of A blues scale so, you can check.
I’m sure you can move this scale around to get all the other blues scales.
Blues scale is really fun because of that soulful sound you can get from that one added note!
Blue Note is something that makes Blues Music to be Bluesy!
Tip I can give you when you are playing this is
-Mix Blues scale with Minor pentatonic and Major pentatonic.
-Use bending and sliding to the fullest. When you can’t think of what to play next, just bend a note and love it.
-Hit Blue Note! Without it your just playing pentatonic scale.
Have fun playing blues! Green notes are for 'Blue notes.'
I’ll See you in THEORY INFO section!
Hope you’ve practiced with Jam Tracks. Ain’t that fun?
Okay, let’s dive right into Blues Scale.
I personally love this scale. It’s easy, soulful, and fun!
I once was just stuck with this scale, and had ‘I’m good with this scale syndrome.’ I didn’t really have much progress in guitar for about a year because of that.
Since we began our scale lessons, I bet you start thinking that scale isn’t that hard at all!
You just learn formula to build scales, practice them in guitar!
It may have been painstaking process if we didn’t know how to utilize Jam tracks to make our practices to be Jam sessions.
I can assure you that Blues will be the most fun amongst all scales.
I personally think it’s more soulful than any other.
But only different blues scale have is ‘Blue note.’
What is Blue note? It’s 5b. Let me explain.
Do you remember our Minor Pentatonic scale?
Let’s recall A Minor pentatonic.
A - C - D - E - G - A
1 3 4 5 7 8
Do you remember this? I hope you did your practice.
We took out 2nd and 6th notes. Right? So, our 5th note is E.
Blue Note is that half step down 5th note. That will be Eb in this case.
So, A blues scale will be,
A - C - D - Eb - E - G - A
1 3 4 5b 5 7 8
Simple, ain’t it? Haha.
That’s it! If you can play Minor Pentatonic you just ad Flat Fifth( 5b)! Then you got a blues scale!
I’ll post scale chart of A blues scale so, you can check.
I’m sure you can move this scale around to get all the other blues scales.
Blues scale is really fun because of that soulful sound you can get from that one added note!
Blue Note is something that makes Blues Music to be Bluesy!
Tip I can give you when you are playing this is
-Mix Blues scale with Minor pentatonic and Major pentatonic.
-Use bending and sliding to the fullest. When you can’t think of what to play next, just bend a note and love it.
-Hit Blue Note! Without it your just playing pentatonic scale.
Have fun playing blues! Green notes are for 'Blue notes.'
I’ll See you in THEORY INFO section!
