Unit 11: Scales

Scales are the musical alphabet. They teach ear training, music theory and good technique. Guitarists use scale patterns to find logical positions on the guitar to sightread, play melodies and improvise.

We'll be starting with a major scale pattern that works with the root on the 6th string (E) and on the 5th string (A). Take your time with these. It's better to be slow and clean than fast and sloppy.

This is a G major scale. It's played in 2nd position with the root on the E string. "Position" is whatever fret your first finger is in on the neck. Once the first finger is placed, the other three fingers follow in adjacent frets. Here's the scale with finger numbers:

2 4 (E string)
12 4 (A string)
1 34 (D string)

And here's the scale in Tab with fret numbers:
------------------------------
------------------------------
------------------------------
-------------2-4-5------------
-------2-3-5------------------
--3-5-------------------------

Play this scale up and down the neck in increments of half steps. Once your fingers go down to play a note, they should stay down until you need to play another note with that finger. Alternate your picking direction to down-up-down. Be patient and practice slowly. After you are comfortable with this pattern try the same pattern starting with the root on the A string.

The test will be playing this scale up and down the neck in increments of half steps.
60 beats per minute, eighth notes. Good luck!