|
|
 |
|
|
Page
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scales
The major scale is the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 notes of the chromatic scale, starting on whatever note you want the major scale to be named, like ‘C’. The major scale is the do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti thing that you’ve heard before..
So to find the C Major scale, put the ‘1’ on C, like we have it, and find that the major scale notes of C are the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 or C, D, E, F, G, A, B.
Look back at page 1 and see what the major scale notes of the A Major scale would be.
Here is one way to play the A major scale on the guitar.
|
|
|
|
Note that it is on the 2nd fret, meaning that your index finger would be used on all those 2nd fret notes. It is rightly called a scale ‘formation’ because it is actually a formation or picture of notes, and when it is played on the 2nd fret like it is here, it happens to be the notes of the A Major scale.
If it was moved to the 3rd fret, it would be the A# Major scale, on the 4th fret it would be the B Major scale….see? So as you move it, the formation stays the same, but the scale that it is, changes. Remember this difference between the definitions of a scale formation and a named scale itself.
There is also a scale called the minor scale. In fact there are a number of minor scales. We will concentrate on only the most popular one in rock music.
This popular minor scale is just a juxtaposition of the major scale. We’ll talk more about it later, but you could say that it becomes minor when played 3 frets up, or when played against a minor background.
|
|
|
|
In other words, if that scale above was the A Major scale because it was on the 2nd fret, then the A Minor scale would be that same formation, but rather up 3 frets on the 5th fret as in the diagram. And the A Major scale would be used against the A Major chord (and some other chords) and the A Minor scale would be used against the A Minor chord (and some other chords). Understand this paragraph.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Now I’m going to tell you something - The A Minor and the C Major scale have exactly the same notes.-they are the same scale. I’ll explain why later, but for right now I just need you to know that.
Therefore, this scale to the right on the 5th fret is also the C Major scale.
Now on this next chart, I have put circles on all of the frets that contain notes that are in the C Major scale. You could play any group of them and it would be the C Major (or Am of course) scale. Then look what I’ve done - I’ve circled a convenient group of the notes. Notice that the circled group is the same as the scale in the chart that we looked at right above it. So that’s how we can come up with this or any scale form. You could draw all the notes of the E Major scale or F#m scale or anything and then choose your form from those. But in this course we are going to concentrate only on that one group that I’ve already shown you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pentatonic scale
If you take away the 4 and the 7 tone of the major scale, so that it contains only the notes 1,2,3,5,6, you then have a scale called the Pentatonic scale (or Pentatonic major). It is used exactly like the major scale is. It is simply missing those 2 notes.
|
|
|
|
The Pentatonic is the usually the first scale learned by beginning guitarists because it is easier, and like the full major scale, it is widely used by professionals. And again like the major scale, you can make a minor scale out of the pentatonic by playing it in a different place, or against a minor chord.
|
|
|
