Scales: Where to start and how to learn?

Danie

I am a self taught guitars and have been playing for a few years.
I have no musical theory knowledge, but I know most of the chords.

I would like to start learning scales to expand my playing.

Could anyone please give me some direction on how and where to start? Maybe some reference or sites on how to learn?

Any help will be great.

Thanks

Jacquesg4j

www.justinguitar.com ... Fabulous lessons ons scales and some nice licks and the right way to learn scales!

guitarboy2828

+1 to justinguitar.

Otherwise, find a teacher, seriously, scales can be so daunting as there are SO many and it becomes confusing as to which to use when. A teacher will be able to show you the shapes, and explain when to use which ones!

G-Man

guitarboy2828 wrote: +1 to justinguitar.

I agree, his teaching methods are really easy to understand. I just went through some of his blues scales and licks and I'm so glad I did.

Renesongs

+1 to justinguitar

Here are the most essential scales every good guitarist should know
1. Pentatonic Minor
2. Blues Scale (6 notes)
3a. Classical major
3b. Major modes CAGED Ionian, Aeolian, Mixolydian, Phrygian and Dorian
4. Harmonic Minor
5. Whole Tone
6. Diminished

Warren

Renesongs wrote:
6. Diminished

Must. Plug. hole.

BMU

Renesongs wrote: +1 to justinguitar

Here are the most essential scales every good guitarist should know
1. Pentatonic Minor
2. Blues Scale (6 notes)
3a. Classical major
3b. Major modes CAGED Ionian, Aeolian, Mixolydian, Phrygian and Dorian
4. Harmonic Minor
5. Whole Tone
6. Diminished

Useful checklist. No love for the Lydian? Just curious - so for a starting out guitarist a guitar teacher would teach them the pretty-weird-sounding Phrygian rather than Lydian? (Granted the Lydian is weird too having no 4th an' all.)

evolucian

BMU wrote:
Renesongs wrote: +1 to justinguitar

Here are the most essential scales every good guitarist should know
1. Pentatonic Minor
2. Blues Scale (6 notes)
3a. Classical major
3b. Major modes CAGED Ionian, Aeolian, Mixolydian, Phrygian and Dorian
4. Harmonic Minor
5. Whole Tone
6. Diminished
Useful checklist. No love for the Lydian? Just curious - so for a starting out guitarist a guitar teacher would teach them the pretty-weird-sounding Phrygian rather than Lydian? (Granted the Lydian is weird too having no 4th an' all.)

Well, it does have a 4th, its a seven note scale and the 4th is sharp. Its a difficult one to get a beginner to distinguish in sound... it is so close to the major itself. There is a book written just on lydian alone where the guy used it as a system in itself. Not a small book either.

If you are going to play with said mode... you could use a crib sheet like lydian on major chords, dorian on minor chords and mixolydian on the V chords... reason being that even a I chord sounds good with the altered 11... instead of the perfect. But then again... its just a guide line and you have to make yr own choices. Personally i teach lydian and locrian last to a student... as for what Rene was outlining is a simple way of viewing the caged system and applying said sections of the major scale to it... ie: Pretend its the C, Am, G, Em and Dm chords in the key of C...

BMU

Well, it does have a 4th, its a seven note scale and the 4th is sharp.

Ok ok, it doesn't have a PERFECT fourth, sheez. ? /jk

Locrian last, that I understand, that's one sick puppy. Was just curious about the Lydian, thanks.

If you are going to play with said mode... you could use a crib sheet like lydian on major chords, dorian on minor chords and mixolydian on the V chords... reason being that even a I chord sounds good with the altered 11... instead of the perfect.

Play the fourth mode of the major scale over a major chord and the fourth mode of the minor scale (i.e. dorian) over a minor chord, keeps you in Lydian, yep logical. I just never find a use for that type of thinking when actually doing the playing... but I probably should. Interesting stuff.

evolucian

BMU wrote:
Well, it does have a 4th, its a seven note scale and the 4th is sharp.
Ok ok, it doesn't have a PERFECT fourth, sheez. ? /jk

Locrian last, that I understand, that's one sick puppy. Was just curious about the Lydian, thanks.

If you are going to play with said mode... you could use a crib sheet like lydian on major chords, dorian on minor chords and mixolydian on the V chords... reason being that even a I chord sounds good with the altered 11... instead of the perfect.
Play the fourth mode of the major scale over a major chord and the fourth mode of the minor scale (i.e. dorian) over a minor chord, keeps you in Lydian, yep logical. I just never find a use for that type of thinking when actually doing the playing... but I probably should. Interesting stuff.

Hmmm, might be logical to you, but its not quite the same thing. Dorian is easier on the ear than a minor scale or phrygian. Its happier too. Just remember, a minor chord doesn't mean its a natural minor chord... but anyway... heres not the convo for that... ?

Renesongs

The reason why the Lydian and the Locrian are left out of the CAGED system are two fold. Firstly the CAGED system is an aid to understanding how to play in any key in any positions on the neck the Lydian is in the same position as Phygian pattern is used to play Lydian except you leave out the 1st note. The same goes for Locrian and Ionian. The second reason is that CAGED is designed to cater for the pentatonic scale and the hexatonic blues scale

LouisNeilson

As I mentioned in another thread, with modes, and all scales, you reall wanna learn it in 3 ways.

1 - The general shape (not just in position, but moving across the fretboard, and extending it past an octave)
2 - The "intervallic structure" there of, ranging from the "Tone Tone Semi-tone Tone Tone Tone Semi-tone" structure (Major scale, Ionian, used as an example here) to what the diatonic 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths and 7ths are. For modes, it's also useful to classify them as Major (Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian) and minor (see - all the rest ?) and what makes them different from the basic Major or minor shape (i.e. Mixolydian has a flat/minor 7 compared to the Ionian)
It is also useful to sing the next note before you play it (helps with both fingerboard knowledge, and aural skills)
3 - The general sound/tone of it. This will help you to recognise the the scale or mode when in use, and will help you improve your aural skills as well.