*cyberfret.com: college of guitar wisdom - Home click here*
*Classic Internet Guitar Lessons*
These lessons have been floating around the web for years and were not
written by the cyberfret staff. Therefore they are offered AS IS with no
warranty, no money back guarantee, no technical support, no ads, and no
pretty background (just plain gray and text, the way it was back in the
old days, *AND WE LIKED IT*) The author of the material is at the top of
each lesson. This is part of the history of guitar lessons on the
Internet...
Beginning scales
Judy Letostak
letostak@ix.netcom.com
The Music Shop BBS (619)423-4970
Fidonet 1:202/762
MetalNet 666:666/2
Gmajor scale 1st position r=root note
|-----------------------------------------2--3--5--------------------------
|-----------------------------------3--5-----------------------------------
|--------------------------2--4--5-----------------------------------------
|-----------------2--4--5--------------------------------------------------
|--------2--3--5-----------------------------------------------------------
|--3--5--------------------------------------------------------------------
r r r
2 4 1 2 4 2 3 4 1 3 4 2 4 1 2 4 = fingers used (optional)
Gmaj 2nd position
|--------------------------------------------5--7--8-----------------------
|-----------------------------------5--7--8--------------------------------
|--------------------------4--5--7-----------------------------------------
|-----------------4--5--7--------------------------------------------------
|-----------5--7-----------------------------------------------------------
|--5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------
r r
1 3 4 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4
Gmaj 3rd position
|------------------------------------------------7--8--10------------------
|--------------------------------------7--8--10----------------------------
|--------------------------------7--9--------------------------------------
|----------------------7--9--10--------------------------------------------
|------------7--9--10------------------------------------------------------
|--7--8--10----------------------------------------------------------------
r r
1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 4
Gmaj 4th position
|-------------------------------------------------------10--12-------------
|-------------------------------------------10--12--13---------------------
|--------------------------------9--11--12---------------------------------
|---------------------9--10--12--------------------------------------------
|----------9--10--12-------------------------------------------------------
|--10--12------------------------------------------------------------------
r r
2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3
Gmaj 5th position
|---------------------------------------------------------12--14--15-------
|---------------------------------------------12--13--15-------------------
|---------------------------------11--12--14-------------------------------
|-------------------------12--14-------------------------------------------
|-------------12--14--15---------------------------------------------------
|-12--14--15---------------------------------------------------------------
r r r
1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4
These are the 5 positions of the Major scale. The root note is the note
that determines what the scale is called. Such as, Gamjor, Amajor Bbmajor
etc.
Some of these scales require some position shifts, i.e. where you have to
adjust your hand to get to the next note. I've notated the fingerings as to
make this a little easier.
The Major scale is based on scale degrees. I II III IV V VI VII VIII
these are determined by half and whole steps. A half step you can think of
it as going up or down one fret. Like from B to C or D to D#. A whole step
is like going up two frets. B to C# or A to B.
I-II whole step
II-III whole step
III-IV half step
IV-V whole step
VI-VII half step
VII-VIII whole step VIII is just an octave up from the root note (B-B)
An octave is eight steps up. Same note, just higher or lower than the root.
With the 1st position of the Major scale, you can make that Amajor by moving
the root note on the low E string up to the 5th fret. Hence, the A major
scale. By memorizing these you can play in any key by finding the root note
somewhere on the fretboard.
Make a recording of just the G major chord, then play the scale, and
improvise something over it.
Or you can use these chords:
Gmaj, Amin, Bmin, Cmaj, Dmaj, Emin, F#min (or diminished)
Minor scales are the same as the relative major scales, except that they
start on a different note. The scales above you can use over Eminor,
because Eminor is Gmajor's relative key. This means, that the notes are
the same in both scales, and the chords are the same, it would just be
that Eminor is the most prominent chord. Most rock music is in Eminor,
minor keys are very dark sounding, whereas major chords, sound happy,
or bright.
G Pentatonic Major
|--------------------------------3--5--------------------------------------
|--------------------------3--5--------------------------------------------
|--------------------2--4--------------------------------------------------
|--------------2--5--------------------------------------------------------
|--------2--5--------------------------------------------------------------
|--3--5--------------------------------------------------------------------
r r r
|-------------------------------5--7---------------------------------------
|-------------------------5--8---------------------------------------------
|-------------------4--7---------------------------------------------------
|-------------5--7---------------------------------------------------------
|-------5--7---------------------------------------------------------------
|-5--7---------------------------------------------------------------------
r r
|-----------------------------------7--10----------------------------------
|----------------------------8--10-----------------------------------------
|----------------------7--9------------------------------------------------
|----------------7--9------------------------------------------------------
|---------7--10------------------------------------------------------------
|--7--10-------------------------------------------------------------------
r r
|----------------------------------------10--12----------------------------
|--------------------------------10--12------------------------------------
|-------------------------9--12--------------------------------------------
|------------------9--12---------------------------------------------------
|----------10--12----------------------------------------------------------
|--10--12------------------------------------------------------------------
r r
|------------------------------------------12--15--------------------------
|----------------------------------12--15----------------------------------
|--------------------------12--14------------------------------------------
|-----------------12--14---------------------------------------------------
|---------12--14-----------------------------------------------------------
|-12--15-------------------------------------------------------------------
r r r
These are the 5 Pentatonic scale positions. Gmajor (again) Pentatonic can
be thought of as Eminor Pentatonic. Just start on a different note. Try
this. Record a progression - E - A - B use power chords (5chords) then
play these scales over it. Memorize these scales by their root note (r)
and you can play in any key just knowing these 5 positions.
Pentatonic scales are used commonly in blues or rock. They're only 5
notes, as compared to major or minor (7 notes).
Practice these two types of scales in each position, try to use a metronome
if you have one, this will enable you to play these scales cleanly and
accurately. A good thing to do is find the first root note from the low
E string. Play the scale starting on the root, play the scale up then
down to the Low E, then back to the root note. i.e.
|--------------------------5--7--8--7--5-----------------------------------
|-----------------5--7--8-----------------8--7--5--------------------------
|--------4--5--7-----------------------------------7--5--4-----------------
|--5--7-----------------------------------------------------7--5--4--------
|--------------------------------------------------------------------7--5--
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------4--5--|
-----------------5--7--------|
--8--7--5--7--5--------------|
This way, you will remember where the root note is, there are usually at
least two root notes in a scale, try starting on all the root notes for
each position and doing this. This way, you can find a starting point
on any string. Also pay attention to how the notes connect to each other
up the fretboard.
When you get sick of doing this, let me know, and I'll start you up with
some more scales, and some patterns based on these scales to improve your
speed. If there is anything that I wasn't clear on, please let me know,
and I will try to be more specific. Sometimes I don't explain myself too
well.
=======================================================================
h = hammeron Judy Letostak
p = pulloff Internet letostak@idx.netcom.com
/\ = slide Fidonet 1:202/762
x = ghost note MetalNet 666:666/2
t = tap (right hand) The Music Shop BBS (619)423-4970 24hrs
~ = vibrato
bf = bend full
rb = release bend
dive = dive with bar
========================================================================
The Music Shop BBS (619)423-4970
Guitar Tab, Bass Tab, Sound files, Guitar Lessons, Lyrics, Music programs
Sound players, pictures, graphic viewers...
...LORD...BRE...Fidonet...MetalNet...TradeWars...IronOx
In a band? I have a file area for bands, send me your lyrics, pictures,
biographies...Anything, all styles of music welcome, any location. I have
access to a color scanner, send sase to get the picture back. Email me
for my snail mail address. Can be sent via email or FidoNet pictures can
be decoded, please use pkzip (2.04g) for sound files, these can be encoded
also.
*back to the Classic Internet Guitar Lesson Index click here*