Effective Guitar Scales

GUITAR THEORY
Effective Guitar Scales

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkXTv5rKPmI
By Andrew Wasson
Visit: www.creativeguitarstudio.com
SECTION ONE:
Targeting Note Choices when Applying Scales...
LEARNING THE SKILLS FOR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SCALE USE
In order to be able to control how a melody will move, the guitarist must have their geometrical
scale patterns very well memorized. Most guitar players would probably agree that the guitar
can be a complex instrument when it comes to scales. This is probably why guitar players will
spend a long time (several years) memorizing and applying their scale shapes.
Over the course of the first year guitar players begin to get a grasp for the foundational scales
on the guitar neck. After that, there will be several additional years spent learning how to target
really good note choices when applying the scales. Over time, a guitarists knowledge and
ability will grow and with it will come skills for highly effective scale use.
Any guitar player who is willing to take on this lengthy commitment, (the study for how to
become highly efficient with the scales on the guitar), must make sure that they understand the
time commitment involved. Getting good at all of this will take a great deal of time and many
hours of practice. Its not easy to track scales and apply the best notes at any given time. Youll
need to develop your instincts for their use and youll need take chances while youre putting
these scale ideas to use in practical situations.
The intense time consuming nature of learning scales has a lot to do with how the guitar can
have scale tones traveling in various ascending and a descending directions. The scale tones
can function across the neck both horizontally and vertically. Plus, the guitar has several
unison tones available for most of the scale steps. Overall, this means that there will be
different ways a guitarist can learn to play the exact same scale or melody idea on the neck.
In this lesson, we are going to focus on ways that scales can be studied to help them become
more effective and in the long run help players improve their scale use and application.
Creative Guitar Studio 2015

Page (2)
SECTION TWO:
Breaking Away from Box Shapes...
In getting started, I want to run through the importance of practicing scales away from their
common box-shape patterns on the neck. Scales must be developed across the neck in
several fret-board locations. Players also need to move away from playing scales in too much
of a linear manner. It is more beneficial to think of the scales as note groupings that can be
performed in any order across the full layout on the neck. In example one, I have a C Major
scale played from 3rd position to 12th position.
Example #1). Study the C Major scale melody idea below until it can be performed smoothly.
C
1
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this time, we will cover the, C Minor scale. We will begin from the 5th position
travel
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V V how
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5 6
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This is important
to develop since playing in very linear ways, (like we do when
8
12 we initially
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8
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study
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3 #2).
5 7 Study
8 the C Minor scale melody idea below until it can be performed smoothly.
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Page (3)
SECTION THREE:
Targeting Specific Chord Tones...
Diatonic scales are made up of seven tones that reflect the melodic and harmonic qualities of a
specific musical key. In example three, Ive selected the tonic chord of the key of, D Major. At
this point, its important to understand that this chord is made up (in its triad form) as the; Root,
3rd and 5th of the key. This would be the specific tones of, D, F# and A. An excellent way
to become highly effective with your scales is learn to reach for specific tones while you play.
In example three, well be reaching for the notes of the; D Major Chord. Over time, work on
this with several chords and learn to have your ear recognize good points along the scale that
represent every chord that you play over in a very connected way.
Example #3). Study the D Major melodic idea below until it can be performed smoothly.
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Page (4)
SECTION FOUR:
Composing /Improvising within Limited Range...
One area of practicing scales that isnt discussed enough is the concept of limiting your
fingerboard range on the instrument. Students will either stick within one box area for too long
or theyll move around the neck too much. When all of this happens too quickly players end up
making a lot of mistakes as they fumble around scale tones. One way around this, is to limit
yourself. Once your jam-track is in place, and youre ready to go, determine a range that youll
play in and stay within that range. If you expand slowly youll have a lot more scale control. In
example five our range will be frets 5 to 10, the key is, A Major.
Example #5). Record the A Major progression and practice improvising within frets 5 to 10.
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Record the F5 Minor
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Blues Guitar Styles Masterclass

A Comprehensive Guide to Blues Guitar

Page (5) - Video Opening Guitar Jam
Blue Horizon
by Andrew Wasson
A Intro
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Page (6)
- Video Opening Guitar Jam
Song Title - Artist
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Rock Lead Guitar5Soloing

- Part 2
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The idea of combining; Scales, Arpeggios and Pentatonics to create
4
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a wide array of color when improvising or composing lines. Three
example licks are demonstrated and the Tab and Music Notation is
provided for each lick in the handout.
b
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Your download includes:

[10: 46] Video
5 4(in DivX .AVI format).
7 Three-page handout5 with explanations, Tab & Music Notation.
7
4
4 6
6
Bonus PowerTab Document of a complete song you can record and
then practice soloing over at home.

Page 2 of 2
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Thank you for your donations & Generous Support - Andrew Wasson
Music Reading Phase One

33 Page eBook (plus nineteen MP3 audio examples)
CLICK HERE

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GUITAR THEORY