Learn Guitar Scales

Different scales convey different moods and, in the lessons below, you'll learn how to use them in your music. Eventually, you'll connect the tonality of the scale with the sequence of chords you're playing over, almost as second nature. You'll find the more scales you learn, the more creative options you'll have when crafting that perfect guitar solo.

If you're wanting to learn scales to develop your soloing ability, think of this section as the theory side of lead guitar, whereas the lead section on this site looks at the physical application of that theory. In other words, knowing your scales will allow you to apply the lead techniques you learn to their full potential.

Guitar Scale Beginners - Start Here

The very basics of how guitar scales work.

Guitar Fretboard Lessons

First thing's first, make sure you know how the fretboard works! Could you say where all the positions for "F#" are on your guitar? This lesson includes clear and concise fretboard diagrams and a simple but ingenious way to learn the fretboard. Well, ok, maybe not ingenious but it bloody well works!

• Fretboard Basics
• Note/String Relationships

Fret Intervals

Learn how scales are essentially built from scratch. Intervals are simply the spaces between notes on the fretboard, and several of these build a scale...

• Basic Intervals
• Intervals in Guitar Scales

Major and Minor Scale Basics

Answers the question "what makes a scale major or minor?". This lesson shows you how to identify a scale's tones to determine whether it can be played over major or minor chords or progressions.

Scale Patterns

Gives you a 3 step process for dominating the fretboard for any given scale. Follow this process for every scale you learn and the rewards will be immeasurable.

Chord Scale Relationships

Shows you how to identify a "starting point" for your soloing by playing scale patterns around chord shapes. This is about using your knowledge of those basic barre/movable chords from the chords section and applying boxed scale patterns to those same positions.

Passing Tones

Learn how to identify and use "passing tones" in scales. These are tones you should avoid emphasising (e.g. holding onto) in your solos. Includes a backing track and ear training exercises to help you pick out the passing tones in the example scales.

How to Solo Over Chords

Learn how to apply the scales you learn to individual chords. This is a necessary step to take before you learn how to solo over chord changes. This series offers an effective strategy for choosing and applying the scales/tones you use in your solos intelligently.

• Intro & Finding Your Key
• Soloing Over Triads
• Soloing Over 7th Chords
• Soloing Over Extended Chords

Scale Phrasing

Learn how to build meaningful musical phrases from scales in your solos. This series will show you how to explore scales with purpose and beyond the linear meandering that so many players get trapped in when starting out with scales.

• Scale Phrasing Basics
• Chromaticism & Passing Tones

Soloing Over Chord Changes

Takes you step by step through how to solo over chord changes. Very important, as most songs use more than one chord! Use your knowledge of scales (below) to apply the concepts covered in this series.

Beginner Arpeggios

Learn how to create arpeggios from scales and use the backing tracks to experiment with your own ideas. The first 3 lessons introduce you to the theory behind major, minor and 7th arpeggios before moving on to weaving arpeggios into your guitar solos.

• Major arpeggios
• Minor arpeggios
• 7th arpeggios
• Using arpeggios in solos

The Major Scale

The most important guitar scale you will learn. The major scale is the foundation of western music (based on the chromatic scale). All other scales can be seen simply as modifications of the major scale (even minor scales). So make the major scale your first priority.

• Major Scale Basics
• Major Scale Positions
  
• Basic Major Scale Exercises
• Major Scale Chord Progressions

Natural Minor Scale

A widely used scale in minor key progressions, natural minor is another staple guitar scale to learn. The lesson shows you its key tones, passing tones and how to use it over chords. Includes minor key backing tracks.

• Natural Minor Scale Basics
• Natural Minor Scale Positions
• Natural Minor Chord Progressions

Modes of the Major Scale

Series which looks at the 7 modes of the major scale, from Ionian to Locrian (yes they have weird names - goes back a long way). Each lesson takes you through the individual "flavour" and characteristics of each mode, with jam tracks to help you experiment with your own ideas. Finally, we pull it all together and delve deeper into modal theory.

• Introduction
• Ionian
• Dorian
• Phrygian
• Lydian
• Mixolydian
• Aeolian
• Locrian
• The Big Picture
• Modal Chord Progressions

Pentatonics

Pentatonic scales are very simple: just 5 tones. This series will introduce you to the minor and major pentatonic scales and help you "unbox" them across the whole fretboard of your guitar. The final part looks at more advanced pentatonics including how to merge major and minor effectively. Backing tracks provided!

• Introduction
• Minor pentatonic
• Minor Pentatonic Chord Progressions
• Major pentatonic
• Unboxing the pentatonic scales
• More advanced pentatonics

Blues Scales

Learn the key tones used in blues soloing, building on the pentatonic foundations from above. Some really good backing tracks in this lesson and plenty for you to experiment with... whether you're into blues or not!

Harmonic Minor Scale

A slight alteration of the natural minor scale (also the Aeolian mode), harmonic minor has a more "exotic" sound and unstable tension than many other minor scales. In this lesson, we'll learn when it's typically used and there's a couple of backing tracks to help you really get a feel for this wonderful scale.

• Harmonic Minor Scale Basics
• Harmonic Minor Positions
• Harmonic Minor and Phrygian Mode

Phrygian Dominant / Spanish Scale

A slight alteration of the minor Phrygian mode from earlier. The Spanish scale, also called Phrygian Dominant, is a staple major scale used in flamenco and non-western musical traditions. However, it's become a favourite in heavy metal and makes frequent appearences in "alternative" western genres.

• Phrygian Dominant Scale Basics
• Phrygian Dominant Scale Positions
  

Melodic Minor Scale

Melodic minor is a nice alternative to harmonic minor, being only one tone difference, and is used interchangeably as a result. It's important to understand how the natural 6th tone gives this scale its unique flavour over chords and progressions. Two backing tracks included!

• Melodic Minor Scale Basics
• Melodic Minor Positions

Metal Scales

A look at the more exotic scales used commonly in heavy metal music with backing tracks to try out your own ideas. Although the focus is on heavy metal, these scales will work in other genres and contexts, so keep that in mind.

Jazz Scales

In depth library of commonly used scales in jazz music and the chords they work over. Like the metal scales lesson, the scales featured will work in other styles of music, but many of them have helped shape the distinctive sound of jazz.

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