Learn guitar scales – the tips, shortcuts and “how to’s” that will make it easier

If you have been learning to play the guitar for a little while you’ll probably know that there are a number of building blocks to this area of speciality. You will have probably started with individual notes, plucking the strings and observing the sounds they make.

Next you would have probably dabbled with the chords, which are groups of notes that fit together to make a richer sound, embellishing upon the very basic building block of guitar playing.

This will most likely be followed by playing the guitar scales which is a more complex collection of [private_bronze] notes used in different songs, providing the song its inherent texture and depth. You now have to learn guitar scales.

 There are many scales, all used for individual purposes and different genres. A few examples are:

• Lydian
• Majors
• Pentatonic blues
• Ionian
• Harmonic minors
• Phrygian
• Melodic minors
• Chromatic
• Pentatonic neutral
• Dorian

…the list goes on.

Learn guitar scales – the tips, shortcuts and “how to’s” that will make it easier

1. Start with the chromatic scale, which is the easiest. Buy or download the sequence and start going up and the down the notes and than backwards. Use all four fingers, if at all possible one finger per fret, this will add to your dexterity and balance and will help you to learn the guitar scales
2. When learning the guitar scales think of them not as a collection of notes, but rather as an inherent rhythm which you should follow. When you do this you will find that the scales are in fact similar to walking on separate pavement stones which all point in one direction. Get a metronome to help you keep your rhythm, and concentrate on it instead of the actual notes. If you do this for a few minutes each time before you start to play,  soon the scales will become a part of your knowledge and you won’t need to think about them as you play.
3. Go up and down the frets, using the same scale across all 12 frets. This will give you the depth and confidence which you will require to learn the guitar scales. Don’t rush it, if you master the basics the rest will follow.
4. When learning the guitar scales remember the major, which is considered the most important of all the scales and is arguably the “root” of all guitar playing. C Major for example is comprised of C D E F G A B C, you’ll notice the simplicity without any flats or sharps. Do take the time to master it as it will form the basis for your guitar playing years.
5. As you become more and more familiar with your chosen genre you will find that various scales have their own hue, for example the Harmonic is predominantly found in classical music and has a distinct eastern favour. Other examples are Natural Minor which is heavily used in Rock,  and the melodic minor which can be found in Jazz.

 Incorporate these tips into your daily routine , sprinkle a dose of patience, mix a little perseverance and you will master learning the guitar scales in no time.
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