How am I suppose to practice scales? For example if i want learn the major scale do i just play the scale pattern, say for c major, over and over until my fingers have memorized that pattern and then move on to another note and do the same until I've memorized all the note patterns for the major scale? After that do I just move onto another scale and do the same? Sorry if this doesnt make sense. I'm new to scales. What i want to do is start making my own arrangements in fingerstyle and i heard from others that i should start learning scales. If someone could guide me towards the right path, I would appreciate it. Also trying to learn the notes on the fretboard.Slow progress but getting there.
Big topic. Bear with me.
Learning a scale sort of takes three phases. In phase one, you do exactly what you're doing - play it over and over and get it into muscle memory.
But scales ain't solos. A solo is going to have some passages that are scalar, but in spots it's going to skip scale degrees... so you want to wrap your ears around the possibilities. To do that, practice scales in intervals. For example, let's say you're working on a G scale in third position:
----------------------------3-5-7
------------------------5-7-------
------------------4-5-7----------
------------4-5-7----------------
------3-5-7----------------------
3-5-7----------------------------
You can practice the same scale in thirds:
--------------------------------------------------3---5-3-7-
------------------------------------------5---7-5---7-------
------------------------------4---5-4-7-5---7---------------
------------------4---5-4-7-5---7---------------------------
------3---5-3-7-5---7---------------------------------------
3-7-5---7---------------------------------------------------
or fourths, fifths, sixths...
The third step is to pull that all together and start to improvise over progressions using the scale.
If you can learn the scale spellings at the same time, and the notes on the fretboard, it'll help you in the long haul.
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My plan is to name the notes out loud while playing a scale so hopyfully the note name gets ingrained into my brain while i learn the scale. I have a question though. When people say position what do they mean? Is it like where the scale is being played? If so how many positions are there for a scale?
"Position" is the fret where your index finger is.
A position on a guitar actually covers about six frets - the one each finger gets, plus one more "behind" the index finger and one "ahead" of the pinky. So if you're in "fifth position" your index finger gets the 5th fret - but you might end up playing the F# on the fourth fret of the fourth string by stretching for it.
How many positions depends on the scale. The pentatonic has five, and all are commonly used. The major scale has eleven, but four or five of them will be awful to play - most players stick to four to six different positions.
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Aww i see. I have one last question. Why do people memorize these box patterns to learn the scales? Wouldnt it be better if they new how to create the scale and go from there rather then memorizing a pattern?
Because the guitar (like any fretted instrument) can be approached as a set of patterns, many people think it's "easier" to memorize the patterns.
But you're right, knowing the theory underlying the pattern is better in the long haul. Not only will it integrate your fingering with the theory, but you'll be able to pick out the same scales on any other instrument you understand (or on the guitar in any other tuning you can visualize)
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
So which apporach do you reccomend that i take? The memorize the pattern approach or know how to create the scale approach
