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Home > Guitar Scales

Guitar Scales Lessons
Scale patterns, theory, backing tracks...

Your aim should be to learn guitar scales in such a way that you can put them into the context of your own music. Most guitar lesson sites simply show you a few scale patterns, but it's important to understand how these scales work over chords, their unique features etc.

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.

Jump to:  Scale ExercisesScale Theory - Scale Lessons


Useful Guitar Scale Exercises


Kris Norris from JamPlay shows us some effective guitar scale exercises. These can be used for both warming up and as practical soloing variations.

Guitar Scale Theory

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!


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...


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.


Guitar 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.


Soloing 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.


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.


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.

For those serious about mastering guitar scales

guitar scalesGuitar Scale Mastery Course 

Provides you with the big picture for learning scales. It shows you how to dominate the fretboard with any scale you learn and apply them in a fluid and musical way.

It shows you how to really use scales intelligently and intuitively, making full use of all 5 essential mastery elements.


Guitar Scales Lessons

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.


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.


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.


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!


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.


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.


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!


Metal Guitar 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.

Play the solos you've always wanted


The lessons on this site will give you a solid foundation. Now it's time to take it a step further and truly master scales to play the solos you've always wanted.

By far the most comprehensive and effective resource out there is the Guitar Scale Mastery Course. No tricks, no gimmicks - you still need to put in the time and effort, but this book gives you all the tools and guidance you need to make serious progress.






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