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There
so many scales out there that at times it seems that learning
them can be confusing. Often many new
guitarists don’t know
were to start. The good news is that you do not have to learn
every scale you only have to
learn the scales that apply to your
chosen genre of music. It is also a good idea to learn the
scales in the keys that
you most often play in first.
My advice is to learn the following scales first, and in the following order, the minor pentatonic scale, the major
pentatonic scale, and the blues scale, because they are the scales that are the most widely used in blues guitar,
rock, jazz, bluegrass and country music. In reality these are the three scales that you hear more often then any
others when you listen to the radio. The most crucial keys to learn to play these scales in are as follows A, D, E,
and G. In order to become a skilled guitarist you will have to learn to play these scales in all the keys, but if you
are just beginning to play the guitar the keys of A, D, E, and G are a good place to start.
In this article we will concentrate on the key of A, because it sits nicely in the center of the fretboard.
1. The minor pentatonic scale
The minor pentatonic scale like all other pentatonic scales is
made up of five notes the root note, flattened third,
fourth,
fifth and flattened seventh. In the key of A the minor
pentatonic scale contains the following notes A - C - D -
E –
G. This is one of the more important scales that you should
learn. Just about every guitarists has put this scale
to good
use in one form or another, some guitarist include Eddie Van
Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and many
others.
Minor pentatonic scales work best if a song is...
A.) In a minor key…
B.) In a major key with a blues feel to it…
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2. The major pentatonic scale
The major pentatonic scale is also made up of five notes, the
root note, the second note, the third, fifth and sixth. In
the key of A the major pentatonic scale contains the following
notes A – B - C# - E - F#. The major pentatonic scale
sounds happier and more upbeat. The major pentatonic scale is
not used as much in rock guitar and blues guitar
as the minor pentatonic scale. The major pentatonic scale sounds
good over power chords and major chords.
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3. The blues scale
The blues scale is like the
minor pentatonic scale, but with one extra note added for a
total of six notes, the
root
note, flat three, four, sharp four, five, and the flat
seven. In the key of A the blues scale contains the following
notes
A - C - D – Eb - E – G. The extra note is the Eb.
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Mastering the three scales is a great place to start, but it doesn’t end there. After you have mastered all three
scales it is time to start mixing things up. By that I mean you have to learn how to combine all three scales to come
up with your own unique sound, that’s what separates the average guitarist from great guitarists.
Eric Clapton and many other great guitarists are famous for combining the minor pentatonic scale with the major
pentatonic scale. If you listen to Jimi Hendrix’s “Red House” you will hear a good mix of the minor and major
pentatonic scales.
This lesson is just a starting point on the road to your success.
For a more detailed look at mastering scales check
out the Scale Mastery Course,
and remember to always use a metronome
when you practice in order to build up speed and confidence.
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