070 - 5 Scales You Must Know

Housekeeping

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What is a Scale?

• A series of notes arranged in a specific order
• The first note or lowest note is called the keynote or Tonic
• The last note is the octave which is the same as the first note but eight notes higher
• Scales are the building blocks of music, and as guitar players, we use them for creating melodies or for improvising

For more info on the theory of scales check out episode 65 of the podcast. 

Why Should You Learn Them?

1. Develop your ear

2. Build Finger strength

3. Improves the synchronization between your hands

4. Improves picking accuracy

5. Helps you develop finger strength and dexterity

6. Start soloing

7. Write songs

How Should You Learn Them?

• To start with they are technique builders
• Build fretting hand technique
• Picking hand technique - start with down picking quarter notes build up to 8th notes
• Play melodies and learn guitar solos

If you are interested in improvisation check out episode 36 'How To Turn Scales Into Solos'.

5 Scales You Must Know

1. Major 
2. Minor Pentatonic 
3. Natural Minor
4. Major Pentatonic
5. Blues

Click here to download practice sheets of the scales above.

BGA members can download all the scales in the resources section of BGA.