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Lesson 1: How to Build Scales

deflepfan

By deflepfan
in Epiphone Electrics

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deflepfan

deflepfan

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I'm creating this thread for those of you who wish to learn basic music theory. There will be three parts to start, and if you find you want more, then it will be continued further.

 

The first lesson is how to build the Major Scales and the Melodic Minor Descending Scales. Key signatures, the sharps and flats on the G-clef and Bass-clef of sheet music, are based on these two scales.

 

The second lesson will be how to read and write out the key signatures, reading a tab, and reading a chord chart.

 

The third lesson will be how to create chords.

 

There will be a couple of stand-alone lessons that aren't music theory, but practice lessons, utilizing what you've learned. The first will be how to play the scales on your guitar. Playing the scales can be boring, but the benefits are great. First, it will help you memorize the fretbard. Next, it helps with dexterity and building finger and hand strength. Then you will find that arpeggios and runs are so much easier!

 

Another practice lesson will be on fingering your chords, creating chord changes and inverting chords.

 

These will be aimed at the beginning player, but everyone will benefit from them.

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deflepfan

deflepfan

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I promise, this is not as difficult as you may believe it to be!! Knowing how to build your scales, and read key signatures is important, and will assist you to improve your playing! This will also help you to understand how chords are built, which I will cover in an upcoming post!

 

Building your scales is easy once you know the formulas (each scale's formula is different; Major, Harmonic minor, Melodic minor descending, Melodic minor ascending, Harmonic minor, Pentatonic, etc.).

 

This post will deal exclusively with the Major Scales and the Melodic Minor Descending Scales.

 

Here is a diagram of the guitar neck to assist you:

 

scan0001.gif

 

The formula is:

 

1 W 2 W 3 H 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 H 8

 

The larger sized numbers represent the notes of the scale, The smaller letters represent the tones or steps it takes to get to the next note (W = whole tone or whole step; H = semi tone or half step) American's use "step", Brit's use "tone" - don't know why, other than to make it more difficult to learn. For consistancy, I will use "step".

 

Notes that are adjacent on the fretboard (along the same string) is a half step. A whole step from any note is 2 notes away. The first note on the first fret of the low E string is an F. This F is a half step up from the open E. The next note, the note on the second fret, is F#. The F# is a half step up from F, and a whole step up from open E.

 

The first major scale to build is the C Major. The C Major Sale has no sharps (#) and no flats (:). Each note is considered a natural.

 

Looking at your guitar fretboard (or the above diagram), and using the B string, the C note is the note on the first fret. (For simplicty ,we will only use the B string at this time to build this scale.)

 

 

1 = C C W 2 W 3 H 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 H 8

From the C on the first fret, go up one whole step. This brings you to the D (third fret). 2 = D C W D W 3 H 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 H 8

From the D, go up one whole step to E (fifth fret). 3 = E C W D W E H 4 W 5 W 6 W 7 H 8

From the E, go up one half step to F (sixth fret). 4 = F C W D W E H F W 5 W 6 W 7 H 8

From the F, go up one whole step to G (eighth fret). 5 = G C W D W E H F W G W 6 W 7 H 8

From the G, go up one whole step to A (ninth fret). 6 = A C W D W E H F W G W A W 7 H 8

From the A, go up one whole step to B (eleventh fret). 7 = B C W D W E H F W G W A W B H 8

From the B, go up one whole step to C (twelvth fret). You have completed the C Major Scale: C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C

 

As there is a method to the madness, the D Major scale is NOT the next scale. To figure the next scale, use the Cirle of Fifths chart here:

 

400pxcircleoffifthsdelu.png

 

 

Going clockwise, a fifth up from C is G. C is the first note and the fifth note of the C Major scale is G.

 

Using the instructions and charts above, you should be able to build each of the following scales:

 

C - Use the B string

G - Use the A string

D - Use the B string

A - Use the G string

E - Use theD string

B - Use the A string

F# - Use an E string

C# - Use the B string

 

The C# Major Scale is the last Major scale utilizing sharps. C# major has 7 sharps.

 

Now, to figure the scales that have flats, using the Circle of Fifths, and going counter-clockwise, F is the first Major scale that has a flat (B) in the scale.

 

Build the following scales:

 

F - Use an E string

Bb - Use the A string

Eb - Use an E string

Ab - Use the G string

Db - Use an E string

Gb - Use the A string

Cb - use the B string

 

Again, the Cb Major scale is the last Major scale utilizing flats. The Cb major Scale has 7 flats.

 

As you were building these scales, you went from C Major with no sharps or flats, to G Major with one sharp, to D Major with 2 sharps, to A Major with 3 sharps, to E Major with 4 sharps, to B Major with 5 sharps, to F# Major with 6 sharps, to C# Major with 7 sharps.

 

The order in creating the scales with flats, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, and Cb followed the same.

 

Again, there is a method to the madness. The key signatures on sheet music utilize this pattern!

 

This attachment will show you the key signatures for the scales you just built.

http://musicmattersblog.com/wp-files/KeySignatureChart.pdf

 

To build the Melodic Minor Descending Scales, use this formula: NOTE: It is a DESCENDING scale, therefore it goes backwards (down) the scale, and down the fretboard.

 

8 W 7 W 6 H 5 W 4 W 3 H 2 W 1

 

Build the following Minor Scales:

 

Ab

Eb

Bb

F

C

G

D

A

E

B

F#

C#

G#

D#

A#

 

Congratulations, you have just completed the 30 scales that correspond with the key signatures for sheet music!!

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a mesage me. Also, if someone finds any errors or omissions, please PM me ASAP.

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animalfarm

animalfarm

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Impressive your music knowledge is...! (Think "YODA" fm Star Wars).

You will soon be a JEDI SHREDDER! My problem is that I only have

one finger on my left hand....HOW do I play scales? A one-string

guitar? (har--dee-har-har!) I'll take a SERIOUS look at your post,

compare it to my own Gnaw-ledge of theory, then see... Teaching theory

is a hit and miss topic - some folks get it, others are able to repeat only

what you've "taught" them.

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Caramello Koala

Caramello Koala

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Nice lesson, I wrote a quick little guide on the modes of the major scale for another forum, I may aswell post it in this thread in case it is of help to anybody:

 

There are 7 modes to the major scale, in order they are

 

1.Ionian (the major scale)

2.Dorian (minor sounding mode, characteristic note is the maj 6th)

3.Phrygian (minor sounding mode, characteristic note is the flat 2nd)

4.Lydian (major sounding mode, characteristic note is the augmented 4th)

5.Mixylodian (major sounding mode, characteristic note is the flat 7th)

6.Aeolian (natural minor scale - flat 3rd, flat 6th, flat 7th)

7.Locrian (very unstable sounding mode, it's characteristic notes are the flat 2nd and flat 5th)

 

a cheesy mnemonic to help you remember the order is:

I Don't Particularly Like Modes A Lot

 

let's take a look at the C major scale (ionian), the notes in this scale are CDEFGABC, if we play the C major scale and instead of focusing the tonality on C (the root note) we focus on the second note of the scale (D) then we have a completely different sounding scale - the D dorian scale - which looks like this: DEFGABCD, we are still playing the same notes of the C major scale but we are getting a completely different sound by concentrating on the D as the root note instead of the C. this is how modes are constructed, if we concentrate on the 3rd note of the C major scale (E) then we have an E phrygian scale - EFGABCDE - and so on... in this sense it's best to think of the modes as an anagram of the major scale (change the letters around and the word has a completely different meaning, in this case change the root note around and the sound/mood changes radically)

 

i know this sounds confusing, i just read through it and it looks like a bit of a mess, so i made some diagrams to make the learning process a whole lot easier:

 

Modes Of The C Major Scale

modesofcmaj.jpg

 

Modes Of The G Major Scale

modesofgmaj.jpg

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deflepfan

deflepfan

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Impressive your music knowledge is...! (Think "YODA" fm Star Wars).

You will soon be a JEDI SHREDDER! My problem is that I only have

one finger on my left hand....HOW do I play scales? A one-string

guitar? (har--dee-har-har!) I'll take a SERIOUS look at your post' date='

compare it to my own Gnaw-ledge of theory, then see... Teaching theory

is a hit and miss topic - some folks get it, others are able to repeat only

what you've "taught" them. [/quote']

I understand the Hit or Miss aspect, but I truly do believe that just learning how to build your scales, understanding how they fit into the key signature and how to create chords is so important to every musician. Once they see how much it helps them improve their abilities as a musician, they may want to even go further.

 

Of course, these are the absolute basics, and it is intentional. I don't want to overwhelm and therefore possibly turn off anyone new to theory. I started learning this years ago, even before I started playing. Now that I am learning to play, it's given me an advantage.

 

Now, if they had a strumming pattern theory, I'd be all set!!:)

 

Thanks for the input! All is welcome!

Sheila

 

PS - I've seen that one-string guitar! I think it's in my basement!

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deflepfan

deflepfan

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Nice lesson' date=' I wrote a quick little guide on the modes of the major scale for another forum, I may as well post it in this thread in case it is of help to anybody:[/quote']

Welcome (don't know if someone has said that to you yet!)

 

I've posted mine over at another forum and someone there brought this in. Those with more intermediate or advance theory knowledge will find what you posted helpful.

 

Thanks,

Sheila

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ItsForrest

ItsForrest

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Oh' date=' I hope not! How can I help you so that it is easier on you?

 

Please, let me know.

Sheila[/quote']

 

Really just joking - mostly. :-k

 

It's actually nice to see this stuff presented in a couple different ways. It helps the brain recognize patterns and such that may not be picked up by trying to memorize it from a single source.

 

If only I had the interest in learning this stuff 30 years ago before I destroyed so many brain cells. Alas, at that time it was power chords and screaming punk rock - not that there's anything wrong with that.

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deflepfan

deflepfan

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Really just joking - mostly. :-

 

It's actually nice to see this stuff presented in a couple different ways. It helps the brain recognize patterns and such that may not be picked up by trying to memorize it from a single source.

 

If only I had the interest in learning this stuff 30 years ago before I destroyed so many brain cells. Alas' date=' at that time it was power chords and screaming punk rock - not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[/quote']

My son, Evan, 19yo, screaming punk rock, love him to death!

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deflepfan

deflepfan

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ready for am

Here's a couple of nice chord progressions in the key of Am for you to practice:

 

Am F G

Am Dm G

Am Dm Em

Am F C G

Bm7b5 Em Am

 

Still trying to resolve an issue on how to post tabs on this forum. Once I do, you'll have it all!

 

Until then, I like this site because you get to hear the sound of the chord, not just see the fingering.

There's also a metronome and guitar tuner available for those who need!

 

http://www.8notes.com/guitar_chord_chart/

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