Where to start in learning scales???
 

I am chord banger but want to start learning more. Where should I start with what Scales ect. Maybe the most popular ones or what you guys think would help me throw a little "Extra" in my playing.

Thanks!!

Curt

I got a book from ebay or amazon (one of them, cannae remember which) that is filled with scales for a few quid. very useful - this is the book
http://www.cvls.com/guitar_scales.html

What kinda music are you into?

The world of scales is big and sometimes scary. I'd say start off with Minor pentatonic scales.

Here is an Am Pentatonic scale in all 5 positions. There are 5 notes in this scale, however, these positions allow you to play those notes across the entire fretboard. Learn each box and then practice some improvisation using them.

http://ukulele.lanaicityrental.com:8...20patterns.jpg

From there you can transpose pentatonics into any key by moving the "box shapes" up or down a fret. These are the standard rock/blues scales :)

I normally do country. And just want to do some improv as I play through my chords. Thanks for the scales you listed. I will practice.

Curt

Thanks Webby! I appreciate it and will check it out!

Curt

The Major Scale.

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 -5 - 6 -7 -1

When you hear (or read) folks say stuff like "augmented 5th" or "major 7th" THESE are the numbers they are referring to.

Expand please

Major scale: That's the first one to learn.

sully, Allman fan is referring to scale degrees and alterations. All alterations are named from the major scale, particularly when talking chords.

for example, C major C D E F G A B

you can number each degree.

If I said, Play a C scale but "lower the seventh" (flat 7) I'd make that B a Bb--one half step lower than B.

I'm not sure where you're at with chord construction, but this is where it gets CRUCIAL! here's the "formulas" for four popular chords...

Major: 1, 3, 5

Minor: 1, b3, 5

7: 1, 3, 5, b7

Major7: 1, 3, 5, 7

So a C major chord is C, E, G. A C Minor chord is C, Eb, G

A C7 is C, E, G, Bb. and a Cmaj7 is C, E, G, B.

Augmented means "raise by a half step" and refers specifically to the fifth note of the scale...so you can see what Allman Fan was talking about...In the key of C, the "augmented fifth" (i'd usually just say "raised") is a G#.

Dig? Let me know if that helps...

Pentatonics are fine for a little "i want it right now" jamming, but if you really want the student to understand what they're doing, I'm with you all the way lj--major scale.

If you're playing country I'd suggest starting with G and D major. G is the default bluegrass key, and it'll get you through a huge chunk of country tunes, D is probably #2. And, along with C, they are easiest scales to play in first position. A lot of country tunes avoid playing in C so they can avoid having play an F chord which is the sub-dominant (4th step) in that key (at least that's always been my assumption for why you don't see it more in country, F chord anxiety).

Pentatonics are handy and easy if you're playing anything blues based, but they have limitations.

+1. I do agree with this fully. I find I always come back to pentatonics when hitting random improv because I'm so comfortable with them, but when i write and record I use modes a lot more. This isn't good, because they do cause me to not solo above my knowledge. So, +1 on the creative problem!

The one problem I have with the major scale is it's rather impractical to just jam. It is a very "boring" sounding scale and one that is very hard to use in a random improv. It can be used, I know, but it's a lot harder than a basic pentatonic.

I know very little about country music, so, disregard my advice if it doesn't apply to country music! :)

I disagree completely!!!

If you're playing any scale "in order" it sounds boring. But the pentatonics are IN the major scale. It's all there...the chords are there too, arpeggios. If I could only have one scale to use--it'd be the major, all the way, any day.

If you are talking about learning to play fingerstyle then it is more useful to start off focusing
on finger picking patterns rather than a bunch of scales. Learn some easier fingerstyle songs.

The alphabet would be boring if you just recited it :-) You have to say something with it.