Scales And Modes

[YeahDoIt]

This is a chart that I use to learn and practice scales. I find my lead guitar playing and awareness of the notes on the fingerboard improve when I practice playing scales.

[bchaffin72]

I've been big on scale studies myself lately. It certainly does help. My first time around being in a band, I was mostly a rhythm player, concentrating on three chord songs. Now, playing mostly for myself at the moment, I've gone more towards scale work and deeper understanding of music theory and lead work. It does open up new dimensions of understanding ones chosen instrument.

[BillStickers]

i'm learning harmony theory. i also practice lots of scales... sadly i've yet to memorize what each one is but I've remembered where they are and what they sound like. I'm self-teaching and I'm told I'm doing fairly well... it's a bit tricky seeming as stuff always sounds better to the listener.

[peskypesky]

one of my New Year's resolutions is to finally learn some scales, mods and shapes.

[Squier?!?]

Kind of funny for me to see this here today... after not
having studied the modes or practiced scales for YEARS, i
randomly decided to give myself a quick refresher course
on Saturday night while browsing "The Guitar Handbook".
It was printed in '82 & i got mine in '84 w/ my first guitar.

I was kind of curious to find out which scales & modes
i tend to use most often too & discovered that, aside
from the ever present Pentatonic & Blues scales, i lean
naturally toward a fairly healthy mix of Aeolian, Dorian,
Ionian & Mixolydian modes as a lead guitarist, w/ some
sprinkling of Lydian & Phrygian used as passing tones,
but that i use all of this stuff unconsciously, in that
i'm not necessarily thinking about it in the moment.

Like, i'm never thinking: "I'll mix it up right here w/
a touch of Phrygian after that Harmonic Minor run."
It's all just become ingrained in my natural musical
vocabulary at this point, you know what i mean?

Which means i actually turned out to be a pretty
well-rounded player after all these years, i think.

It's a pleasant surprise, too, because although i have
my own style & always sound like me no matter what
gear i'm using, sometimes i feel like i'm stuck in a rut.

But i guess what i sometimes think of as my
"rut" is just my style, for better or worse, &
the fact that i use lots of Pentatonic/Blues.

Aside from deciphering my playing style, i found
my Saturday mode studies to be very rewarding &
i'm positive i'm gonna do some more of it today by
putting my iTunes on shuffle & just playing along.

Even though i now know that i put this stuff to
pretty good (if mostly unconscious) use already,
there's always more to learn & discover, & the
various positions for playing the modes offer a
great way to find different ways of looking at
the neck & how things relate to each other.

I've also issued a challenge to myself to
write a song based on the Locrian mode,
which is the most non-Western sounding.

I've been terribly undisciplined for years when it comes
to "practicing" in the traditional sense, but exploring the
modes is so fun that it doesn't even feel like practicing.

Good stuff... & highly recommended.

p.s.

Sorry for the long post. I hope it's not too rambling.
I'm just a little hopped up on modes at the moment &
couldn't resist sharing my excitement & experience.

[BillStickers]

it was rambling but I liked it i ramble too
nice story [cliche anime thumbs up!]

[Malikon]

to the OP.

Whenever you do scales that have a jump from 3 notes per string to 2 notes per string you seriously screw up your picking hand and you'll virtually never be able to do those quickly and smoothly. Just an FYI, not trying to be a stick in the mud. But that scale chart is giving you more misinformation then information.

take for example G major. Most scale books will write it like what you have written, where at some point in the scale there are 2 notes per string, when in reality when it comes to guitar that's really poor form. For G major what works best is 3,5,7 across the E,A, strings, 4,5,7 across the D,G strings, then 5,7,8 on the B string. This gives you 3 notes per string is an easier shape/pattern for your left hand to do, and your picking hand will thank you because you can pick it either the economical way (D, U, D, D, U, D, D, U etc. ) or you can straight alternate pick it (D, U, D, U, D, U, etc.)

good luck man, have fun with your practicing.

[peskypesky]

Originally Posted by Malikon

to the OP.

Whenever you do scales that have a jump from 3 notes per string to 2 notes per string you seriously screw up your picking hand and you'll virtually never be able to do those quickly and smoothly.

do you know where i can find some scale charts that have 3 notes per string? it would be very helpful.

[peskypesky]

aha. found this:

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/ind...=159&Itemid=35

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/ind...=157&Itemid=35

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/ind...=158&Itemid=35

[Malikon]

sorry pesky all the books I've seen write them the "wrong" way, so I usually rewrite them for myself, I've even done pentatonics and stuff as 3 notes per string (though you get unison notes.)

Cool thing about it though is it really helps your stretching.

also, looks like you found some vids that'll help. Just gotta remember every single scale can be played multiple ways, it's just a matter of finding the smartest/easiest way to do them. It also lends itself well to modes. Play that G major scale I posted but start on the 3rd note (the B),....now you're doing a mode! Whooo, scary! Lol.

EDIT: Lol, that video, the first thing he does is 2 notes on the low string! He's got the right idea though.

[peskypesky]

Originally Posted by Malikon

sorry pesky all the books I've seen write them the "wrong" way, so I usually rewrite them for myself, I've even done pentatonics and stuff as 3 notes per string (though you get unison notes.)

i'd love to see the scales as you've written them. seems like you got this under control.

i'll even buy them from you!

[YeahDoIt]

Malikon, Thanks for pointing that out. You are right, the scales play much smoother and easier when preserving the three note per string fingering. This is the reason that I visit these guitar forums. I'm learning from everyone. Thanks again.

[Malikon]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

i'd love to see the scales as you've written them. seems like you got this under control.

i'll even buy them from you!

Ironically my absolute favorite scale to play and phrase with is a 2 note per string scale I figured out listening to a Kung-Fu movie. (I know, sounds so racist) I call it my kung-fu/ninja scale. I've found no way to re-work the scale to be easier to play, it's almost all big stretches. However since I've been playing with this (asian) scale but I do american bluesy phrasing I can get some really weird melodies happening with it. And the plus for me is, as far as I know/heard, I've never heard anyone do stuff like this. It's kind of one of my niches with the musicians I work with.

So the 3 note rule doesn't always apply, even to the one who tries to use that rule constantly, lol.

I would LOVE to teach people about this scale and how you can use any scale with phrasing to not sound so scale-like. But I'm always terrified someones gonna swipe my ideas with it, and since I've sorta put alot of work into it.......

the first 30 seconds of this is almost exclusively playing with the Ninja scale if you wanna hear it though, then after that it goes to more traditional styled american playing/phrasing. It's an interesting dichotomy when I go back and forth between them though.

YouTube- Malikon

[Falstaff48]

That's it! I'm moving to Chicago to take lessons from Malikon.....

[AllroyPA]

Originally Posted by Falstaff48

That's it! I'm moving to Chicago to take lessons from Malikon.....

Well this winter certainly got you prepped for the weather ...

[3 Chord Hippie]

Originally Posted by bchaffin72

I've been big on scale studies myself lately. It certainly does help. My first time around being in a band, I was mostly a rhythm player, concentrating on three chord songs. Now, playing mostly for myself at the moment, I've gone more towards scale work and deeper understanding of music theory and lead work. It does open up new dimensions of understanding ones chosen instrument.

Hey nothing wrong with three chords and a quick penatonic scale

[Sparkfire]

I know this thread is a little old but I have been learning and practicing my scales sense reading this. Took awhile to get started but i'm hanging in there. Have noticed a big improvment on where I am on the fretboard and where I am going with the next note. Or should I say where my fingers are going. I really didn't think this mattered all that much when I started. okay, old dog, nice new tricks. How the **** did I get by without knowing some of these scales? Memorizing songs. Now new songs come so much easier because I know where to go and i'm not fooling around in the dark looking for the light switch. Does that sound right?