ScaleSMART – Tutorial Software

Now I’m not a person for IM abbreviations and emoticons, but I just got a copy of NSA Software’s ScaleSMART.

It’s the most amazing scale tool I’ve ever seen.

Why don’t we begin with what I look for in a software tool for guitar?

1. It has to have relevant and pertinent data.

ScaleSMART succeeds here on both counts.

2. The software has got to be easy to use.

I was an expert at using ScaleSMART about 1 minute after loading it. The interface is intuitive and laid out well.

3. The price has got to be right for starving artists and students.

Well it’s about the same price as a set of Elixirs, $14.95

But enough about me! How about if we just walk through an example and let the product speak for itself?

It’s really simple to use.

1. Pick a key. Why don’t we go with G#? You can start anywhere on the scale of course.

2. Now you can pick a scale. You can take your pick from all of these scales and modes: Major, Pentatonic, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, Gypsy Minor, Chromatic, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian, Arabian, Hawaiian, Hindustan, Hungarian, Javanese, Leading Whole-Tone, Lydianminor, Mohammedan, Neapolitan Major, Oriental, Overtone, Persian, Rumanian, Spanish, Super Locrian, or Symmetric.

How about we choose Dorian? No, that’s way too easy! How about Javanese? No…I know…Rumanian!

But wait! I want to know what the notes of this scale are on the seventh fret.

That’s a piece of cake, just grab the button that says “move me” and slide it up to the seventh fret.

Voila, you have the Rumanian scale in G# at the seventh fret.

“But hold on!” you say, I’m playing in DADGAD tuning!

No problem in ScaleSMART! Just click the tuning box and pick your tuning. You can pick from Standard, Drop 1/2 Step, DADGAD, Drop D, Open D, and Open E.

And you end up with something that looks like this:

If you are looking to investigate open tunings it’s a great tool. If you are looking to explore either basic or exotic scales in standard tuning, ScaleSMART handles the task with ease.

Go and get it.

http://www.guitar-learning.com.