If you’re on a journey to elevate your guitar playing, understanding and practicing music scales is a fundamental step. You might have encountered the term “scales” in guitar lessons or online resources, but perhaps you’re still unsure of what they truly are and why they’re so important.
Guitar scales are essentially organized sequences of musical notes, played either ascending (going up in pitch) or descending (going down in pitch). They are much more than just finger exercises; they are the building blocks of musical proficiency on the guitar. Regularly practicing music scales on your guitar is crucial for developing finger strength and dexterity. Beyond the physical benefits, scales are invaluable for deepening your understanding of the guitar fretboard, training your musical ear, and providing the framework for improvisation and songwriting.
For guitarists looking to explore a wide range of scales, resources like the Fender Tune app offer dynamic scale libraries with diverse diagrams and patterns across various musical styles and keys. And for beginners or those seeking a refresher, Fender Play provides structured video lessons that offer step-by-step guidance through essential guitar scales.
Exploring Common Guitar Scales: A Beginner’s Guide
Let’s dive into some essential guitar scales that are perfect for beginners. We’ll include guitar scale fretboard diagrams to help you visualize and learn each scale pattern.
1. E Minor Pentatonic Scale: Your Soloing Foundation
The E minor pentatonic scale is often considered the starting point for guitar soloing. Its versatile and bluesy sound is heard in countless iconic songs, from Led Zeppelin’s “How Many More Times” to AC/DC’s “Back in Black” and Link Wray’s instrumental classic “Rumble.”
What makes the E minor pentatonic scale unique is its simplicity. Unlike standard major or minor scales that contain eight notes (an octave), pentatonic scales are abbreviated, featuring only five notes within an octave. They are derived from their corresponding eight-note scales by removing three notes, creating a simpler, yet powerful melodic structure.
The E minor pentatonic is particularly beginner-friendly because, in its open position, it utilizes open strings and the lower frets (2nd and 3rd) of your guitar. This minimizes complex finger stretches and makes it easier to play smoothly and quickly. This ease of play is why even advanced guitarists frequently use the E minor pentatonic for creating fast and dynamic solos.
Understanding the Notes in the E Minor Pentatonic Scale
The E minor pentatonic scale encompasses five distinct notes between a low E and a high E. These notes are:
- E – G – A – B – D – E
What Defines Pentatonic Scales?
The term “pentatonic” itself comes from the Greek word “penta,” meaning “five.” A pentatonic scale is, therefore, a five-note scale that is fundamental for riffs, solos, and melodies across various genres, especially rock and blues guitar music. You’ve undoubtedly heard pentatonic scales in countless songs, even if you weren’t consciously aware of them.
Pentatonic scales are derived from eight-note scales by selecting five specific notes according to a formula. This simplification makes them easier to learn and memorize for beginners. Furthermore, understanding how pentatonic scales are constructed helps new guitarists apply their knowledge of musical intervals and how notes sound together.
Different types of pentatonic scales are created using specific formulas.
- To construct a major pentatonic scale, you use the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th notes of a major scale. Major pentatonic scales, like their eight-note counterparts, have a bright, uplifting sound.
- Conversely, a minor pentatonic scale is built using the 1st, flattened 3rd (b3), 4th, 5th, and flattened 7th (b7) notes of a minor scale. Similar to standard minor scales, minor pentatonic scales possess a darker, more melancholic character.
2. A Minor Pentatonic Scale (5th Position): Expanding Your Range
Once you’re comfortable with the E minor pentatonic, the A minor pentatonic scale in the fifth position is a natural next step. Learning this scale across two octaves enhances your fret-hand strength and expands your fretboard knowledge. In the context of pentatonic scales, “octaves” refer to a series of five notes selected from a standard eight-note scale formula.
The fifth position A minor pentatonic scale spans two octaves. Each five-note sequence begins on an “A,” and the subsequent sequence also starts on “A,” but an octave higher. This allows you to hear the same root note at different pitches, helping you develop your musical ear and your ability to recognize intervals and octaves.
The A minor pentatonic scale is prominent in songs like Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and Junior Wells’ “Hoodoo Bluesman,” demonstrating its versatility across rock and blues styles.
Notes in the A Minor Pentatonic Scale
Similar to the E minor pentatonic, the A minor pentatonic scale contains five notes within an octave, ranging from a low A to a high A:
- A – C – D – E – G – A
3. C Major Scale (Open Position): Understanding Key Signatures
Learning the C major scale is crucial for understanding the key of C and the fundamentals of musical composition. The C major scale is unique because it contains no sharps or flats, making it an excellent starting point for grasping major scale theory. While you can play the entire C major scale on a single string using whole and half step intervals (whole step / whole step / half step / whole step / whole step / whole step / half step), it’s more commonly played in the open position across multiple strings.
Playing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” using the C major scale is a fun and effective way to internalize its melodic structure. However, practicing it across the fretboard in the open position will provide a more comprehensive understanding and improve your finger coordination.
Notes in the C Major Scale
As mentioned, the C major scale is straightforward to remember due to the absence of sharps or flats. Starting on a low C, it consists of seven notes, plus the octave C, making eight notes in total:
- C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C
4. G Major Scale (Open Position): Building Pinky Strength
Similar to the C major scale, the G major scale can be played on a single string, again using the whole and half step formula (two-whole steps / half step / three-whole steps / half step). However, utilizing all six strings in the open position is highly recommended for developing proper fretting technique and strengthening your pinky finger.
Learning the G major scale opens up a new key and expands your melodic vocabulary. Practicing scales like the G major scale is essential for building finger independence and dexterity, crucial skills for more advanced guitar playing.
Notes in the G Major Scale
Unlike pentatonic scales, major scales include all seven notes within a key. The key of G major has one sharp – F#. So, the G major scale includes seven notes between a low G and a high G:
- G – A – B – C – D – E – F# – G
5. E Harmonic Minor Scale (Open Position): Adding Exotic Flavor
The E harmonic minor scale is frequently used in classical, jazz, and metal music, adding a distinctive and exotic flavor to your solos and compositions. One way to initially grasp the E harmonic minor scale is to play it on the high E string, moving fret by fret according to its characteristic intervals (whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, half step, minor third, half step).
However, for practical application and fretboard navigation, learning to play the E harmonic minor scale across all six strings in the open position is more beneficial. This approach allows you to visualize the scale pattern and integrate it into your playing more effectively.
Notes in the E Harmonic Minor Scale
Interestingly, the E harmonic minor scale shares almost the same notes as the G major scale. The key difference lies in the starting and ending point – and the crucial raised 7th degree, D#. If you’re already familiar with the G major scale, learning the E harmonic minor will be significantly easier.
The E harmonic minor scale contains seven notes within an octave, from a low E to a high E:
- E – F# – G – A – B – C – D# – E
Expanding Your Scale Knowledge: Essential Scales for Guitarists
Beyond these five fundamental scales, several other important and commonly used guitar scales are invaluable for beginners to explore as they progress.
The Blues Scale: Injecting Bluesy Soul
Think of the blues scale as a pentatonic scale with an added “blue note” that gives it its signature bluesy character. The blues scale combines elements of both major and minor pentatonic scales but incorporates a flattened 5th (b5), also known as the “blue note.”
The formula for constructing the blues scale is:
- 1st (root) note
- Flattened 3rd (b3)
- 4th note
- Flattened 5th (b5)
- 5th note
- Flattened 7th (b7)
This formula can be applied to any root note to play the blues scale in any key. The inclusion of both the flattened 5th and the natural 5th creates the blues scale’s distinctive tension and release. You can hear the blues scale in classic blues and rock songs like Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”
The Natural Minor Scale (Aeolian Mode): The Sound of Minor Keys
While there are three main types of minor scales (natural, harmonic, and melodic), the natural minor scale is the most frequently encountered when someone refers to a “minor scale.” The terms “minor scale” and “natural minor scale” are often used interchangeably. Harmonic and melodic minor scales are variations with specific alterations for harmonic and melodic purposes.
The natural minor scale is also known as the Aeolian Mode, a term dating back to the 1500s. In music theory, “mode” refers to a variation of a scale. Any scale can be considered a mode, such as the Aeolian mode (natural minor), Dorian mode, and Mixolydian mode, which we’ll discuss further.
The Major Scale: The Foundation of Harmony
The major scale in its standard form consists of eight notes, starting and ending on the same root note, an octave apart. It follows a specific pattern of whole and half steps:
- 1st (root) note
- 2nd note: whole step above the 1st
- 3rd note: whole step above the 2nd
- 4th note: half step above the 3rd
- 5th note: whole step above the 4th
- 6th note: whole step above the 5th
- 7th note: whole step above the 6th
- 8th note: half step above the 7th (octave of the root)
This formula can be applied starting from any root note to play a major scale in any key. Major scales are ubiquitous across genres, lending their bright and cheerful character to countless songs, from pop anthems to rock classics.
The Dorian Mode: A Melancholic Minor Variation
The Dorian mode, sometimes called the “Doric mode,” is closely related to the minor scale but with a slightly brighter quality. It’s an eight-note scale with a pensive, melancholic, and slightly dark sound. It’s often heard in conjunction with minor 7th chords in blues and rock music. Iconic songs like Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and Deep Purple’s “Smoke On the Water” feature the Dorian mode prominently.
The formula for playing a Dorian mode scale is:
- 1st (root) note
- 2nd note
- Flattened 3rd (b3)
- 4th note
- 5th note
- 6th note
- Flattened 7th note (b7)
The Mixolydian Mode: Dominant and Bluesy
The Mixolydian mode, while perhaps challenging to pronounce, is surprisingly accessible for beginner guitarists and widely used in jazz and blues. It’s particularly effective for crafting solos over dominant chords. Mastering the Mixolydian scale allows you to improvise with a bluesy and jazzy feel, as exemplified by jazz trumpeter Miles Davis’s use of the Mixolydian mode in his famous song “All Blues.”
To play a Mixolydian mode scale, use this formula:
- 1st (root) note
- 2nd note
- 3rd note
- 4th note
- 5th note
- 6th note
- Flattened 7th note (b7)
Despite its jazz and blues roots, the Mixolydian mode can be heard across various genres in songs like Billy Idol’s “White Wedding”, Lorde’s “Royals,” and Stevie Wonder’s “Uptight (Everything’s Alright).”
Continue Your Scale Journey with Fender Play
Expanding your knowledge of guitar skills, including music scales, is an ongoing process. If you’re not already a member, consider signing up for a free trial from Fender Play to access more lessons, scale exercises, and resources to further your musical development.
