Lesson 10 - scales

In the last lesson we will talk about scales. Knowledge of scales is very important for improvising. Again they are any-fret, so the root note (root tone) determines the right name of the scale (e.g. pentatonic scale E played from root note G is G scale).

Pentatonic scales are the second easiest way to improvise (right behind arpeggios). But unlike arpeggios, here is one rule about scale improvising: always end up your solo on 1, b3, 3 or 5 intervals. The name pentatonic is deduced from two words: penta - five and tonic - tones. It means, that in pentatonic scales are only five tones that repeat. Here are five major pentatonics and five minor pentatonics.

If you want to know, how these scales look, open my application or see tables bellow. Any-fret chords are in these scales highlighted to show you, how scale variants was created.

• MAJOR PENTATONIC SCALES

Major pentatonic scale, variant C

Major pentatonic scale, variant A

Major pentatonic scale, variant G

Major pentatonic scale, variant E

Major pentatonic scale, variant D

• MINOR PENTATONIC SCALES

Minor pentatonic scale, variant C

Minor pentatonic scale, variant A

Minor pentatonic scale, variant G

Minor pentatonic scale, variant E

Minor pentatonic scale, variant D

Before you proceed with learning another scales, try to improvise using major and minor pentatonic scale. Rules are easy - use major pentatonic scales over major chords (I, IV, V) and minor pentatonic scales over minor chords (II, III, VI).

First a little bit complicated scale is called blues scale. Notice, that it is a minor pentatonic with added interval b5 (next to 4). Other scale propositions are sumarized in this table. If you can't remember, where intervals lies, look on it in the lesson intervals.

* #4 is b5

And there is another scale, called phrygian dominant. Best way to learn it is to learn phrygian scale and then play 3 instead of b3, because other intervals are the same

If you are mastered all scales, look at the table, so you know when to use them:

When chord III is major, use phrygian dominant scale, for improvising over it.

Completely another way how to learn to improvise

As I said before, there is another way how to learn to improvise. And almost without knowledge of chords, arpeggios even scales. The only thing what you need to learn are positions of intervals.

The best way is to start with chord played on the background (e.g. by your mate, mp3 player,...). Now you try to find out the root tone of this chord (by ear). Then you start to find out another root tones of this chord. When you learn jumps from root tone to another root tone, add another interval.

At first add 5 (perfect fifth). While someone or something plays the same chord, you jump from 1 to 5 and from 5 to 1 over the fretboard. Then add b3 (when played chord is minor) or 3 (when played chord is major). Learn all jumps from 1 to b3/3, from b3/3 to 1, from 5 to b3/3 and from b3/3 to 5.

When you master these jumps, you can add another interval (e.g. 2 or 6 when major chord is played on the background, resp. 4 or b7 when minor chord is played). Or your mate can alternate two chords - you have to be aware of which chord is played and where is its root note...

When you do not have a guitar, draw these jumps on the paper or use my application. This was the main reason, why I created it. There you can play a game, where you learn jumps (every possible jump on guitar in full version). Try to beat your time score!

Exercises for this lesson:

Because it's important to know, which interval ends you solo, it's necessary to know intervals in scales and during improvising you have to know, which interval are you playing. Best way to learn that is to start with any-fret chords. So if you want to learn intervals in major pentatonic scales, start with major any-fret chords C-A-G-E-D and learn all 1-3-5 intervals. My application helps you a lot, but if you don't have it, draw a chords on a paper and then fill in these intervals. When you master them, continue with major pentatonic scales, when you add 2 and 6.

Next thing are minor pentatonic scales. You can learn these other way. Begin with any-fret minor chords (variants C-A-G-E-D) which contains 1-b3-5, then continue with arpeggios min7. It adds interval b7 and after that begin with minor pentatonic scales. There will be added interval 4. Maybe it is easier to start to learn minor pentatonics at first, but it's up to you.

In the second exercise draw the low part of your fretboard on the paper (6 horizontal lines - strings, 6 vertical lines - frets) and write down any major or minor pentatonic scale. Preferably one that suits you in your favourite groupings :) Then find out how it can be completed.

E.g. your favourite groupings is around chord E. So during chord II you will play minor pentatonics in variant G. When you look in the table above, you will find out, you can play dorian scale. It means you need to know where lies intervals 2 and 6. So to the drawn fretboard write down all intervals of minor pentatonic in variant E and then you will complete it by intervals 2 and 6. At first, you can look at this drawn fretboard when you play, but if you mastered all intervals in this mintor pentatonic, you will learn this dorian scale very quickly.

Other lessons:

Lesson 1 - first steps

Lesson 2 - intervals

Lesson 3 - tones

Lesson 4 - first chords

Lesson 5 - seventh chords

Lesson 6 - any-fret chords

Lesson 7 - chord progression I

Lesson 8 - chord progression II

Lesson 9 - arpeggios