| On the guitar, we play scales in "boxes", "forms", "position", or what you prefer to call them. I call them Boxes, and since there are many scales, I refer to a box for a major scale as Major Box. It is common practise to refer to them with numbers, but there is no standard for what should be No 1, No 2, etc. So don't be too confused if you come across other numberings than mine. The first one is of course Major Box No 1. The numbers in this diagram indicates the note number in the scale, and not the fingering. R=Root note, 2=2nd note, etc. Use your first finger on the 2nd fret, the middle finger on the 3rd fret, the ring finger on 4th fret and the little finger (4th finger) on 5th fret. Some of you might have trouble getting the 4th finger to work properly. It is only due to lack of practise. Because the finger is weak and not used to work independent of the other fingers, many guitar players do not use it. And by not using the finger, you make sure that it will stay weak. It is one of the many short cuts that does not pay of in the long run. If your little finger is weak, you have to put it to work and give it some exercise. When playing scales in positions like this, your hand should stay in the same position. Your fingers shall move, not your hand. |  |
The following is the G-major scale played within Major Box
1.
You can go down to F# on 2nd fret 6th string, and up to A on 5th fret
1st string without changing position and moving your hand. But I decided to to
include just the two octaves from G to g'.
Playing scales up and down does not produce interesting music - and it
will not become more interesting just by playing the scale faster. You should
practise many scale based licks or patterns. First play only the first five
notes up from each of the scale notes. For this and the following examples, you
will need the Free Finale Viewer to be able to use the files.
Play chunks of four notes, starting on each note of the scale. You will
play up a fourth.
Play the same notes, but going down.
When playing such scale exercises, experiment with rhythm and phrasing.
You may find some nice and useful licks hidden in these scale exercises. I have
put togehter various scale exercises for you to use when practising.
G-major is a very popular key in bluegrass and other playing styles
where you will use a lot of open strings in your solos. So you should practise
G-major in open position as well.
Another way to practise scales is to play melodies. Choose melodies that
you know very well, that is solid major and that has no chromatic notes outside
the scale. I have chosen Oh Susannah as an illustration.
Oh Susannah (Finale
file)
Try to play it one octave down, to practise these scale notes as
well.
Oh Susannah one octave
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