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Guitar Scales

Scales are groups of notes ordered by pitch or frequency, either going up in pitch or down. To learn guitar scales is a great way of exploring the fretboard of the guitar and finding the patterns that will help you with improvising solos and also it will increase the flexibility and strength of your fingers the more exercises you do. The very first guitar scale we recommend you learn is the minor pentatonic. You will probably be amazed at how familiar this scale is as its used in so much rock and pop music and is easy to fit over many styles of songs.

When learning guitar scales, it's very important to start slowly and accurately, then build up speed gradually. A case of making a strong foundation before you get faster.

pentatonic (minor)

Contains 5 notes. If you only learn one scale, learn this one it is so versatile. A very popular and user friendly scale, it fits with most major and minor chords.

pentatonic (major)

Contains 5 notes. A very popular and user friendly scale, it fits with most major and minor chords. An essential! This page shows you some common scales on the guitar. You can use the repeat and speed buttons to practice along.

blues

The basis of most popular music! A kind of variation of the pentatonic in combination with the chromatic scale, it fits well over basic songs that do not modulate (change key), if the song changes key you could use a chromatic/ whole time shift and fit another blues scale into the new home!

chromatic

12 notes moving up in semitones. Fantastic for finger work and again getting you to new keys, chords quickly. Chromatic inflexions in solos give it a bit more colour and expression, or can do!

diminished 7ths

A 4 note version of the major arpeggio. Very strong as part of a solo when the harmonic structure stays in a home key. They can sound quite virtuosic, as they make the player shift up and down the neck.

dominant 7ths

As these scales start on the 7th degree of the scale usually, you can use them to shift key or get you into a new harmony fast, really good when a track shifts up a semitone or tone.

harmonic minor

Both melodic and harmonic minor scales give a dark colour to your improvisations, in particular the harmonic version has an eastern quality which fits nicely into more complex and exotic material. You might find a combination of minor scales, arpeggios and diminished 7ths all work well with this.

major

An essential! The basis of getting to grips with the fretboard and key relationships - it can help you develop a sound knowledge of the construction of keys, chords and ultimately music!

major arpeggio

Similar to the major and minor scales, the arpeggio (broken chord) of the can act as musical shorthand, they when placed into a solo give variety and break up straight linear playing.

melodic minor (ascending)

Both melodic and harmonic minor scales give a dark colour to your improvisations, in particular the harmonic version has an eastern quality which fits nicely into more complex and exotic material. You might find a combination of minor scales, arpeggios and diminished 7ths all work well with this.

melodic minor (descending)

Both melodic and harmonic minor scales give a dark colour to your improvisations, in particular the harmonic version has an eastern quality which fits nicely into more complex and exotic material. You might find a combination of minor scales, arpeggios and diminished 7ths all work well with this.

minor

An essential! Along with the major scale the basis of getting to grips with the fretboard and key relationships - it can help you develop a sound knowledge of the construction of keys, chords and ultimately music!

minor arpeggio

Similar to the major and minor scales, the arpeggio (broken chord) of the can act as musical shorthand, they when placed into a solo give variety and break up straight linear playing.

whole tone