The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-03-2010, 08:08 PM
kmgreensman kmgreensman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Shelby, NC and Nashville, Tn
Posts: 577
Default 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
__________________
http://www.youtube.com/kmgreensman

1943 Banner Gibson J-45
1936 Gibson Roy Smeck
Fairbanks F-30 Roy Smeck
Fairbanks F-35
Fairbanks F-20 Nick Lucas
Kevin Kopp K-35
Martin D-18 Golden Era
VoyageAir VAD-2
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-04-2010, 04:20 AM
webby webby is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: southport, UK.
Posts: 100
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by kmgreensman View Post
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
__________________
From a litter of 5, I'm the best there is.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-04-2010, 04:29 AM
Guitarboy2828 Guitarboy2828 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 50
Default

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.



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'm from South Africa and I love acoustics!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-04-2010, 07:14 AM
kmgreensman kmgreensman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Shelby, NC and Nashville, Tn
Posts: 577
Default

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
__________________
http://www.youtube.com/kmgreensman

1943 Banner Gibson J-45
1936 Gibson Roy Smeck
Fairbanks F-30 Roy Smeck
Fairbanks F-35
Fairbanks F-20 Nick Lucas
Kevin Kopp K-35
Martin D-18 Golden Era
VoyageAir VAD-2
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-04-2010, 07:22 AM
kmgreensman kmgreensman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Shelby, NC and Nashville, Tn
Posts: 577
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by webby View Post
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
Thanks Webby! I appreciate it and will check it out!

Curt
__________________
http://www.youtube.com/kmgreensman

1943 Banner Gibson J-45
1936 Gibson Roy Smeck
Fairbanks F-30 Roy Smeck
Fairbanks F-35
Fairbanks F-20 Nick Lucas
Kevin Kopp K-35
Martin D-18 Golden Era
VoyageAir VAD-2
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-04-2010, 08:40 AM
Allman_Fan Allman_Fan is offline
Guest
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,170
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-04-2010, 10:13 AM
sully151 sully151 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Santa Margarita California
Posts: 359
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Allman_Fan View Post
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
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-04-2010, 10:33 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

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...
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-04-2010, 10:55 AM
ljguitar's Avatar
ljguitar ljguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: wyoming
Posts: 42,556
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont View Post
Major scale: That's the first one to learn.
Hi Mr B…
I agree fully.

The major scale is the foundation of Western music.

I teach students the major scale first in open position in all 5 guitar keys:
(C-A-G-E-D)

...and then they migrate to the across the neck in patterns versions of the major scale. Then I move them to minor scales, and pentatonic are the last one I expose them to.

I find that students who learn pentatonic scales first hit a creative barrier when playing lead parts and are reluctant to learn their major and minor scales.

All theory radiates outward from the major scales (chord design, melody, harmony etc).

Remember, pentatonic scales are missing half steps.



__________________

Baby #1.1
Baby #1.2
Baby #02
Baby #03
Baby #04
Baby #05

Larry's songs...

…Just because you've argued someone into silence doesn't mean you have convinced them…
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-04-2010, 11:21 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

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.
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-04-2010, 11:48 AM
warfrat73's Avatar
warfrat73 warfrat73 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Syracuse
Posts: 3,919
Default

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.
__________________
"What have I learned but the proper use for several tools" -Gary Snyder

Bourgeois DR-A / Bowerman "Working Man's" OM / Martin Custom D-18 (adi & flame) / Martin OM-21 / Northwood M70 MJ / 1970s Sigma DR-7 / Eastman E6D / Flatiron Signature A5 / Silverangel Econo A
(Call me Dan)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-04-2010, 12:09 PM
Guitarboy2828 Guitarboy2828 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: South Africa
Posts: 50
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ljguitar View Post
Hi Mr B…
I agree fully.

The major scale is the foundation of Western music.

I teach students the major scale first in open position in all 5 guitar keys:
(C-A-G-E-D)

...and then they migrate to the across the neck in patterns versions of the major scale. Then I move them to minor scales, and pentatonic are the last one I expose them to.

I find that students who learn pentatonic scales first hit a creative barrier when playing lead parts and are reluctant to learn their major and minor scales.

All theory radiates outward from the major scales (chord design, melody, harmony etc).

Remember, pentatonic scales are missing half steps.



+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'm from South Africa and I love acoustics!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-04-2010, 01:12 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitarboy2828 View Post

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 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.
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-04-2010, 02:00 PM
rick-slo's Avatar
rick-slo rick-slo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Posts: 17,171
Default

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.
__________________
Derek Coombs
Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs
Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs

"Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."

Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love
To be that we hold so dear
A voice from heavens above
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-04-2010, 02:37 PM
Doug Young's Avatar
Doug Young Doug Young is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Mountain View, CA
Posts: 9,879
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitarboy2828 View Post
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.
The alphabet would be boring if you just recited it :-) You have to say something with it.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 10:26 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=