Play Scale Forms Anywhere On The Guitar - Guitar Lesson

[Georg3012]

Great video

I watched it a couple times and ime getting there, only scale I know perfectly is the G scale so ime trying to learn the rest.

Although I couldn't quite catch where ur fingers are on the second position.

Other than that great video, great instructions.

[DiscoveryGuitar]

Impressive Guitar Instructor

Thank you and God Bless

[steveoh2395]

can someone explain to me or leave a link to video of how u can play lets say the major scale in E and then switch keys and play it in G

[Detoxx23]

damnit man, i need more structure....lol... seriously!...;)

[jamminjoe44]

Stevie Ray Vaughan said this in an interview ..... He never once thought about music theory, Or what positon a scale should be played in ... He commented, that never worked for him ... What he did say worked for him was this .... He said he played from his heart, And for him there was no other way ..

[Dreamdancer11]

@jamminjoe44 You can rely on something a famous guitarist said-All of them by the way studied like mad when they were young- or you can start learning and improving yourself not hoping to be one in a million.Plus..stevie played the blues...not need for excesive theory there....there are many blues players that dont even know the major scale..enough said.At the very least you have to train your ears like mad to compensate for the luck of proper theoretical knowledge.

[panslap]

Thats a sexy guitar ;)

[MisterFuzzyHead]

I LOVE goin back to the basics - specially when theres a gap between playing times :) Awesome to refresh

[animalman1122]

i have been playing guitar for a few years, but ive never learned scales only songs, is that bad?

[pawnshopr]

@animalman1122 i would say so

[yassag0]

@animalman1122 Not really, Paul Gilbert played for 2 years before learning musical theory. And he became a God.

[Jaguar1M]

The most insane solos usually have a heavily intellectual mind behind them.

John Coltrane for instance, If you have knowledge, you have power!

[longisphere]

Thanks...very helpful. Great looking/sounding Guild you are playing. I have a 1977 Guild Dreadnought that sounds better than most expensive acoustics produced today. Don't hear much about them since they were bought by Fender.

[ladicius]

so say you have the C major scale...it starts and ends with C. the scale is C D E F G A B c.

the second mode of the scale goes D E F G A B C d

it isn't a D major scale, because a D major scale is

D E F# G A B C# d

the 6th note in the major scale is the relative minor scale, so the relative minor to C major is A. and you would play it accordingly - A B C D E F G a

whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step.

hope this helps.

[lanerant]

nope, I'd call it open position, and always do with my students because it uses the open strings. A 1st position scale would be for example, F major starting on the 1st finger and reaching for the G and the A with the 3rd and 4th fingers respectively.

or it could also be the Db major scale starting on F, which would, I believe be Berklee's fingering number 3.

I have big issues with Berklees pedagogy in general but this is just to challenge the idea that open position could be called 1st pos.

[gittahfiend]

Dorian mode is the Major scale  starting on the second degree(note)of the scale.

[kiccir118]

Thank you! I can tell this is the base of all good music. Now, I've got to go practice! : D

[SteveBrownOfficial]

Mode comes from Greek meaning mood. Each mode has a intervallic formula & thus gives a different mood/feeling.

[flatpick4eadg]

Is that Django Reinhardt on the wall behind Larry??

Yes! I see the right hand. Its the Master.

[luciferwinterbottom]

are these absolutely necessary?ive been playing guitar for 5 years and can play most songs if i work on them. should i get lessons to learn all these scales?would it benefit?

[colocolino1997]

yea it would because then you can make your own songs and solos

[TonyAab]

Re: luciferwinterbottom

Do you improvise?

He's playing a guitar associated with Jazz, and theres a painting of possibly Django Reinhardt (jazz) in the background; Improvisation is frequent in jazz, and learning scales can be very beneficial to that.

You can also then learn the sound/feel of a scale, and so know what scales parts of songs are on when you listen to them, allowing you to almost instantly play a song you've never looked at the tab for (assuming you work on general fingering)

[n30l1nk]

When you learn scales, you learn how to play in key, so if you plan to solo and compose music, it's absolutely necessary. If you just play random notes when the other instruments are playing in another key, it'll sound like crap. You should at LEAST know the seven modes of the major scale and how to find them on guitar. Eventually it's really easy because you remember their patterns and when you find the key for a song you know exactly where to put your fingers. It's like a map.

[halcyon321]

would you recommend i learn how to play scales in all sorts of places on the guitar? any more i should know? i have the all major ones down... at least the regular ones that you would find on the internet not like the way he's doing playing the c-scale on the second string etc... somet one tells me play the scale of c, i am immediately going to the 8th fret... are blues, minor etc scales neccessary?

[Canadianspunge]

@halcyon321 Depends what you want to do. Totally unnecessary in today's music business. But if you want to be respected by other guitarists, it's better to really know your stuff. If you only know the scale in one position, you don't know the scale, you know one shape and you are confined to that box.

[asphixa]

@Canadianspunge I suggest not to learn scale forms. It's better to start off knowing how they are made and then when you know all the notes on the guitar it becomes quite easy.

[Stigolas]

yes because it would help you play your own stuff and understand how the music is composed..

[Chiefontheditty]

You would benefit. Everyone would benefit.

[einarabelc5]

Learning Scales, Chords and Modes and Inversions mainly allow you to be able to improvise. Not to mention that they teach you how to compose.

[Leukoencephalopathy]

should of done that a long time ago

[juliaanrock]

yes of course, in thata way yo will play solos easily

[DamnSkippy1]

It's cool that you put this on here but, for beginning guitar players sometimes it is helpful to point to the spot being played (as an obvious reference) because it is not always easy to tell from our vantage point what fingers are being used and when because the other fingers get in the way or are very close to the strings too etc. Thanks again for providing this lesson.

[kazzananimefan]

Nice video. thanks

[guitarhero1here]

gr8 lesson, i used the CAGED system myself when i was learning scale shapes. :)

[alicegoon]

Improvise on the changes of a song and you will quickly realize how important scale knowledge is. Start with basic triad changes - basic changes tell you what notes and passing notes you can use to create. Then and only then start playing "outside" the scale.

[redloks5]

It is hard understanding true genius,believe it or not some people actually have great ideas and never learn theory or scales or harmony,not me but i've been fortunate enough to meet some of these freaks! Typically these people do have ears and a brain! It is very hard for those of us who need to work hard and long to get it. In the end theory is just a way to pass Ideas between each other. modern model of musical temperment is artificial look it up. Technique is simply tradition of mechanics

[somos999]

his guitar sounds really nice

[michaelmaypa]

well there are other guitarist who became well known even without learning these scales only using there creativity. but yes learning scales will make you better faster.

[MiamiObserver]

Learn scales if you want to become a skilled player. If you don't, it's like trying to beat an expert chess player without ever learning any chess theory. You're a loser who doesn't understand why his results are bad.

[MiamiObserver]

Trying to play guitar without knowing scales is like trying to play chess without any study of the openings or strategic theory. People say: "Oh, I don't need to study or try to win by memorization. I'm an original thinker.'' And they try to invent the wheel. And a mediocre player who knows theory slaughters the "original thinker." Music is similar. Learn theory, get a basic understanding, then concentrate on getting "creative" when you have a clue about how this specialized universe works.

[Drew927]

nicely broken down

[KoldFronttheband]

ya i agree. start with theory and then experiment and add your own stuff to it

[kratanuva725]

or you could just learn the 7 modes of the major scale, and see where they correspond to relitive to eachother.

[mCfOooL322]

i think the roots are important so u know where and when the scales end if u listen u can hear the root note c played twice then the scales complete

[icedbullet666]

almost as nice as my 67' sunburst gibson sg, saving up to get my damn drumset. my uncle was suppost to give me his ludwig set, oh so nice lmao.

[icedbullet666]

almost as nice as my 67' sunburst sg, ahh so nice.

[antwonavenger]

just cant imagine him shredding the solo from "one" lol

[dropandlongD]

why do people learn scales

[lesgcasster19]

u guys r not musicians

[xXAlfonssoXx]

pffft i can do solos and i never learned scales

[HarmonicSpeed]

riiight.......

[winnipegtroll01]

that's why you'll never write interesting music. EVERYONE can do a solo. not everyone can improvise a random one off the top of their head, only those who have scales branded into their brain.

[CannibalPutrefaction]

When you follow a scale you are being UNORIGINAL. Sure scales help, but where true originality and creativeness comes from is creating a new sound not consisting of scales. I dont mean chromatic and make the whole thing sound like shit, i guess more like organized chaos. Let me put it this way, if you can tab a solo out and realize they just limit themselves to the scale notes then thats been done before. You have to put notes that dont belong to the scale and make it work. THATS original.

[mCfOooL322]

i agree 100%

[kratanuva725]

say that if you want, but the truth is, that the major scale (named so because all scales (in western music anyway) are derived from it) is so well inplanted in our heads that most of what musicains write, even if they don't intend to folow a scale. So, wouldn't it be easier then to just learn the scales?

[andrewbowermusic]

No man,

I would have to say thats a total complete lie.

musician's use scales all the time, And make original

music you really have know idea what your talking about.

Using theory and applying to scales applying it to anything.

Using scales doesn't make anything unoriginal. You just are way confused from my point of view. Fuck, Thats truely the most retarded thing iv ever heard,"When you follow a scale you are being UNORIGINAL." Wow bro

[LaPerssonandro]

Unless he has perfect pitch and an amazingly well-deveolped musical ear. Theory helps a hell of alot with soloing though, I agree.

[TezzRah]

is it important to know what your root notes are? just out of intrest. Do they stay in the same position if u move the shapes up and down the guitar?

ive only just begun on scales and ooff. ooer. feels like ive hit a brick wall

[gizatoob]

They stay in the same place when you move to a different scale but if you move to another position or version of the same scale, as in further up or down the neck they change. I'm not huge ontheory but I am tryin slightly, my humble advice would be learn the pentatonic scale's which seem a lot easier to remember and then add note's to them if you feel the need. I do this with varied success wihtout actually knowing or caring what the name of the notes I'm adding are?

[direngrey4569]

yes know your roots. they dont stay the same, being the first note of the shape.

[sahthebanana]

yes, one of the great things about guitar is that because it is laid out chromatically you can simply move a pattern up or down the neck to transpose is, without having to know the details of which notes are in what key like on piano, that said, as you get down the line, youll need to know that stuff or you'll potentially impair your development severely, trust me, learn as much theory and all the note places, chords and scales you can!!!

[sahthebanana]

sorry, your root note would be the first note in the scale you're playing, the key of whatever if is, the patterns you play move up and down relative to the root note! yeah? sorry im not a teacher i probably explain things in difficult ways, its annoy

[waker115]

i have done this very long. I don't know anything but the scales that go 0,2,4,5,7,9,11,12. what are all of these other scales?

[waker115]

ihave taught myself everything i know. but i only know the scales that go 0,2,4,5,7,9,11,12. i have only had one lesson, so i am very beginner. can someone teach me waht this is, or explain it to me? and winnipegtroll01, i agree. i can play many songs off of tabs, but i would like to write my own music, and not just put together chords tht sound good and sing.

[DC2246]

this is that same scale you just mentioned, 0,2,4,5,7,9,11,12. its just keyed in C in this particular vdeo

[sahthebanana]

ok the pattern you have worked out is the major scale, e major, your "0" is the root, if you play that exact same pattern, but you move each one up a fret, so now you play 1,3,5,6 etc, you have moved the root and are now playing in F# major, if you were to take that exact same pattern (your first one) but start on the second note, so playing 2,4,5,7,9, you would be playing the next MODE, bearing in mind you start on a different note, it'd be in a new key, so F# Dorian (the second mode)

[aryinc]

true but people who don't know anything about theory or at least not much can also make great ideas based on the creative brain are absolute hearing.right? you dont necerly need sclaes but they can help for some and some are just like farmers just do it with the technique and no theorie but it can work out good.

[kempobrad]

if it sounds "right"...its probably a scale...even if you don't know it.

[chillichomper]

@winnipegtroll01 To improvise you need to LISTEN to the notes in the scale because by understanding the necessary scale and its modes you can create moods in you solos. Also hearing the notes harmonize over the chords is alot easier then understanding if the scale ur playing contains the same notes as ur solo at that moment.

[MiCompre]

@winnipegtroll01

true up to a point, but Django readily admirtted he didn't practice scales. Most of his style is based on arpeggios (Or is that arpeggiae!) :) If you listen to his solos you will hear it. But I agree, knowing different scales like they are part of you, can only be a help for improvising.

Best of Luck

MC

[RS358]

yeh but it would be out of key musically wrong and it would sound strange

[TDWPOwns12]

agreed, even though, its easier to learn some actual musical notation, cause then you know how to do solos over chord arrangements cause you'd know what scale sounds best

[rockerresident03]

tnx sir help much

[MapleHielo]

IM taking guitar lessons and the scale is the most harder to me :(

[busterboxer86]

i dont like the scales that have all the notes spread out i like to have them closer to do cool legato runs

[xoPAYJJ]

isnt it a Gibson Dot?

[1stSgtSoulStealer]

No its a Guild X170

[chandler8256]

neck say x-170...

[BryanNhisLP]

If you do rcm examinations you need to know like 10 different scales to pass so i know lots of scales, :P

[maxasker]

what guitar is that?

[wareaglebabe11]

guild its hollow body electric, dont know the model, it says x-ito, which is strange b/c exito is sucess in spanish lol.

[armarm56]

i seems more like a x-170

[anuggeteater4]

are you sure that doesnt say x-170 ??

[jerzat15]

hey it doesn't say x-ito it says x-170

[jerzat15]

sorry dude i posted that then i noticed like five other people already told you that sry bout that

[HB1964]

Nice picture of Django R. in background.

[britewired]

:signed:

[enchantedfarmstead]

I too am lucky to have stumbled across these sites. I live in the boonies and this is how I'm learning to play at 50-years-old. I always wanted an electric guitar and my dad always made me play an acoustic one when I was young. I have a Fender Squire that I picked up at a pawn shop and it will do for a start. I have forgotten so much. Thanks.

[bobshouse123]

You wanna know how I learned to play these scales, with work, wife and other commitments on my time? Play when you watch tv. If you have a sporting game you can't miss once a week or whatever, play then. Don't look at your hands, look at the tv and use your ears. You will progress much faster this way, I did. Hope this helps mate.

[ink942]

i can do the first two but im still trying to do second posistion :)

[nike2309]

wow im lucky to stumbled accross this video ere. anyway im starting to learn scales now,

what are the most important /commonly use scales that are a must-learn? major, minor, pentatonic, blues?*

[Spencezilla]

All the ons you just listed

[DimitryMetal]

Get all of them you wont be wrong, it's not whole lot. In few month you can do it.Blues thoug has more variety, and sounds beter.

[MichielGlas]

I'm sorry to say that your statment is incorrect, although I think I know what is confusing you. You can play that scale in any octave. You can start the C major scale from any C on your fretboard and it is still the C major scale. If you do not get this, do a bit of reading. It's easy, I'm sure you'll get the hang of it. Good luck!

[zarolhovski]

great guitar

[CrazyGameJunkie]

dude that thing is a beast.

[GoranDBK]

C mayor (C-mayor is with big C and minor with c)has C-D-E-F-G-A-B(H) then goes C1-D1...and so on ...B=H .

like its shown in GP5 but il looks like you dont know how to read it...

beside that:

B = Wrong

H = Right

[clash0city0rock]

B=H only in continental, especially German, music forms. your B=H the Anglo Bb i believe.

[1950sRedAirliner]

Ever listen to blues, jazz?

[knowyourmushrooms01]

are scales just for solos?

[luisguitar69]

when u solo with a scale for example a c blues scale, are you able to start the scale from any fret you want or can you only start it on a certain fret?

[wizardeal]

Why would you stretch back to the C note on the first fret of the second string in the second position when the same note is readily available at the fifth fret of the G string?

[mykcruz16]

uhmm...i think he's showing u can do a scale using one string...single string scaling...

[amanuelamanuel]

hihi, you said G-string ^

[superjoelucky12]

scales are the most most important thing youl ever leanr on guitar, there the basis of all music on the guitar, without them you would have to guess what notes sound right together which is pretty much impossible

dont get confused with them though, everything is linked! chords are related to scaled particularly bar chords :)

[joebrassmonkey]

how exactly do you link scales and modes together to create a solo???

[shaneyboy123]

its improvisation,

you just play random scales and TA-DA!

[gairabad]

However you want. Improvisation is a skill that takes years to develop. Basically get a backing track (or not, if you like) and play random notes or arpeggios in the scale you're using. Over time you'll develop the ability the play something you came up with over again, and find the note that you're looking for, and play your idea on the first try, and things like that.

[whitepeaches]

im learning the pentatonics, ive got used to the boxed patterns, what i do is stick on a CD and try and get the root note then play within that pattern...scales used to be hard to figure out but persevere..itll click man!

[wizardeal]

select notes that sound good with the song you are soloing to, knowing scales inside out will automatically help you select the CORRECT notes, beginners should try not to get stuck in the box patterns (modes), but rather as a finger exercise, practice runs using one mode and then walk up the neck to the next mode and go through all 7 (or 5 for pentatomic scales)

[mazaradiaz]

yo need to know the scales and know the key of the chords of the song that your making the solo...look for the minor and major key on the internet

[aznxchick]

Do you play on the frets or inbetween the frets?

[TriniBuoy]

U play right above the fret, in the direction of the guitar head.

[johkonut]

in between is usually the way to go, better if its near the fret tho

[huyiy]

ryt beside the fret. your finger doesnt touch the fret coz it wil mute the string

[ensile]

Hey, thank you very much for the lesson, the direct approach and added tips for things "not to do", is what eager students need. I Applaud your work, it is always refreshing to watch people taking time to help out people.

[eljugador88]

its good to play by ear, thats how i hear music i cannot read sheet music but i know notes by ear, but learning all of the scales and modes in every position on the guitar adds way more skill and music knowledge. If youre dedicated enough you can learn all of the scales every position, each scale and mode has about 6 positions some 7 but just practice youll get em in your memory and eventually extremely widen your solo capability im not lying.

[TachoSJ]

i've been playin guitar off an on for at least 10 years and i am self taught, but its great to find all these videos and learning scales which i never was taught when i started. I feel like some of you other self taught guys, i go into guitar center and see kids who have instructors and they are kickin ass. Most of the stuff i learned was just by feeling out the sounds that worked well together

[bobbydee30g]

I hear ya bro Im self taught too, so I had to learn all the scales I learned by ear from hearing solos and stuff. so to catch some of this stuff is cool. but its kida dissapointing that I didnt learn all this stuff traditionaly or I'd be alot better now. Im just bearly learning tapping.

[billseyenyou]

finishing on key, does that mean finishing on the root note?

[eiddezepope]

yeah, in some positions on a major scale, let's say c, you'll end in a C note and you can tell because it sounds "right" or "finished"

[billseyenyou]

thanks bro. I have been checking that posting often but nothing.

[scifiaust]

this is great, im a self tought player, and i just came across this stuff from picking up a guitar and playing, and listening to the notes that worked together, and learned all this stuff, but lets say i had just looked at this, it would have been a great help. its good to think basic, because a lot of beginners can use this useful information!

[balrog919]

Yeah, for experienced guitat players this is nothing new. But for newer players, this is a must see.

[uchihalords]

and when a guitarist creates a song he knows that he has to play only on 1 scale,or else the song wouldnt be heard like a song.

as u advance u will learn more about this by urself..keep learning scales though thats important

hope i made the point

uchihalords

hope i made my point

uchihalords

[lespaulzrule]

Ummm, You are completely wrong dude. It is quite possible to change and mix up scales and modes when you are improvising, never heard any songs that have key changes in them?

Also, mixing up different modes over whatever chords the track you are improvising over is made up from...

It is also possible to switch from major to minor in a song to... where do you get your false information from???

[uchihalords]

u see every song is built on a certain scale,maybe minor,maybe #,and maybe many more but every song u know is based on a certain scale whitch cant be changed throughout the song(if it does it will seem not right)

[captainweaksauce]

off key notes only sound wrong if you put them in at bad times. it's pretty easy to add some chromatism to any given scale lick and still have it sound completely in key.

[uchihalords]

for me a guy thats playing 2.6 years with a pro teacher this isnt new..but every1 thats self tought\friend tought or anytin else should know this stuff..let me explain:(on my next comment)

[xmarioxakaxriox]

this is helpful im just starting guitar today :D

[injack80]

great place to learn guitar

[Furyforfire]

Ive played for 7 and i didnt know the C sacale! thats pretty pathetic! lol

[ragingstorm33]

sweet i aslo started the guitar

[m33sta]

Iv'e been playing for 18 years and I still watch all the lessons here on youtube, I know guitarists that have only played for 2 years and they are better than me :( makes me feel like I never stopped being a beginner sometimes :)

[m33sta]

Ive been playing for 18 years and I still check out the lessons here on youtube!! You never stop learning even the Pro's will admit there is stuff that they could be taught. I know guitarists that have only played for two years and they are better than me:( makes me feel like I havn't stopped being a beginner :)

[injack80]

I agree with you that should be the attitude of a good learner

[filmeverything]

Guitar isn't just chords. Anyone can play chords. gotta learn those scales if you wanna look cool!

[mattys82tube]

then i'm like a kid playing because ive only played for almost a year now ;)

[GuitarArt]

Muy bueno desde España. Saludos.

[SamBorghs]

far a bebinner player like myself :) it is verry useful

i played for almost 2 years and didn't even know all the pentatonic scales,verry good to lurn them! you also got some bleus scales? thx for this anyway,ur e good man... :) greetz from SamBorghs

[reaperofgenocide]

ive been playing for almost 2 years myself and dude were beginners lol

[screamingleads77]

2 and a half here. good to know im not the only one out here

[khamesbanan]

Guese I make four