Guitar Scales

by pat

Start by learning all the major and minor scales but once you understand the C major scale you're ready to try them all. Practice the scales slowly, get familiar with all the root notes. Learn the names and positions of the notes all over the guitar neck. Then make sure you practice each scale across the neck so you really know every part , position and box of that scale. Try to be dynamic learn the notes of the scales on every string, know runs on two strings up and down and learn to play diagonally across the neck down and back.

Neck diagrams are used for showing how scales and chords "lay out" across the fingerboard. Understand and use guitar scales read guitar tablature and standard notation build and play hundreds of guitar-chords develop speed and coordination skills play a variety of guitar styles and more. Keep in mind the simple fundamentals that reinforce how important the basics of position and understanding the scale patterns are to your playing ability.

Remember it's what you know in your head and the way you play is far more important than how many chords or scales you know or how fast you can play etc. Perhaps you question whether to learn guitar tabs, guitar scales, and guitar music theory before playing your favorite guitar songs. Well practice it all just break it down into manageable segments.

Once you have mastered playing each scale from top to bottom, try playing it backwards by starting on the last note of the scale and playing in reverse order back to the first note. Although playing and practicing scales can often be a tiresome and relatively unexciting process. You can make it much more fun and dynamic by practicing scale patterns and run formations. Once you get reasonably good at it (doesn't take long) you can go further by learning how to use the scales and all chords come from. Also learning how scales and modes interact with chords and chord progressions is a definite must.

Guitar Scales