GUITAR SCALES

Welcome to the Guitar Scale Library! This is a free online resource to help guitar enthusiasts learn guitar scales, scale theory, and how to use scales to make music. 

Here you'll find all the essential scales including major scales, minor scales, pentatonic scales, blues scales, as well other relevant information to improve your playing. 

Click on the buttons for a deep dive on each scale and discover the scale shapes, correct fingerings, and theory behind how to use them.

Different Types Of Guitar Scales

In Western music there are 70+ scales which can be played across the 15 keys and each scale will have 5 or 7 finger patterns...🤯

Instead of overwhelming you with every type of guitar scale, we are going to focus on the most usable and common scales so that you can better understand your favorite licks, solos, and scale knowledge. 

How To Read Guitar Scale Diagrams 

While a scale digram doesn't say how to play the scale it only shows what notes are to be played. Here, I will always give you the recommended fingers to use as well as the notes you are actually playing so you don't become a glorified finger mover but actually know what's going on under the hood!

Note: Any root note I will have as a SQUARE shape and other notes will be a CIRCLE. A root note would be the A note of an A scale or the F# note of an F# minor scale etc. 

What Are The Easiest Guitar Scales To Learn First?

It is infinitely better to start learning your pentatonic scales first. They are easier to play and easier for making licks and improvisation.

If you are more into rock, metal, and blues music start with the minor pentatonic scale such as A minor or E minor.  If you are more into country, folk, or jazz, then start with your major pentatonics such as C major, or G major. 

The Chromatic Scale Guitar

The chromatic scale is a twelve note scale that contains all the pitches within an octave range each one separated by a half step or semitone (one fret on your guitar).  

You could think of the chromatic scale as "the heavens" where all other scales are derived. Over the centuries cultures would create their own scales and music and we'll explore a few other types of scales here!

How To Play The Chromatic Scale On Guitar

If you started on the A note such as on the fifth string open. You could play the A A chromatic scale on one string as shown below all the way up to the 12th fret until you reach A again.

You can play the chromatic scale starting an any note, I simply chose A for simplicity. If you know the notes of your fretboard you can also play it across the strings.

Fun fact: 2500 years ago Pythagorus the Greek found that if you have a string you can divide the string into twelve equal parts (pitches) before the sound repeats. This is why your guitar as two dots on the 12th fret as this is where the sound repeats! 

What is a Box Pattern? 

A box pattern is when we arrange a scale on the guitar in such a way that makes it easy for the hand to play and it physically LOOKS like a box if drawn out. 

For example, If we take the notes of the A minor pentatonic scale A C D E G and play two notes per string we'll get a shape that is called a "box" or a "box pattern".

Here's how to play the scale in guitar tab with fingers and pick directions above.

It's important to understand that the box is not the scale. As you can see from the scale diagram above, the notes actually repeat 2x so you're actually playing the scale twice!

Box patterns are essential to playing lead guitar as it makes scale runs, licks, and melodies easy to play. All your favorite players use them as it's just how the guitar works.

However, many guitar players never learn what's actually going on musically so they get stuck in box position and just play "shapes." 🤦‍♂️

Inside the Guitar GPS Method I have courses that will train you to play any box pattern anywhere on the fretboard, without having to start on the sixth string change keys on a dime, and break out of box pattern and of course - make music with them!

The Major Scale Guitar

Click the buttons below for a deep dive on each scale

Discover what notes make up each major scale, the various scale shapes, correct fingerings and pick directions for ease of playing. 

The major scale is a septatonic scale as it uses seven notes and is arguably the most important scale to understand in western music for understanding music theory. 

This is the "do re mi fa so la ti do" scale we all learned in music class as a kid (but none of use knew what the hell they were talking about).

While the the major scale (sometimes called the Ionian mode) is used to make licks, riffs, and solos like any other scale, as far as theory is concerned, we use the major scale as a baseline to understand other scales as well as how chords are formed. 

Needless to say, if you want to understand music, you must also understand the major scale!

The formula to construct a major scale is W W H W W W  H  which we can then apply to the chromatic scale. A "W" refers to a WHOLE STEP which is equal to two frets on your guitar and a "H" refers to a half step which is equal to one fret on your guitar. 

Sometimes you may even see this written as 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 in reference to the fret on the guitar neck. 

When learning the major scale we typically start with C major as this scale does not use any sharps or flats which makes it a little easier to understand. 

Below is an easy way to play the scale across 3 strings. 

The Major Pentatonic Scale Guitar

Click the buttons below for a deep dive on each scale

The major pentatonic scale is one of the easiest scales to learn on the guitar. It is a 5 note scale and is derived from the major scale by eliminating the 4th and 7th scale degrees. 

By eliminating these notes it makes it easier to play and begin to make music and it very popular in country, blues, and rock music.  

Here's a visual to see how it compares to the major scale. Note, when we number the notes of a scale they are called scale degrees

1   2   3  4  5   6  7
C  D  E   F  G  A  B  - C major scale
C  D  E   F  G  A  B  - C major pentatonic scale

If we play these notes using only two notes per string we will end up with the pentatonic pattern below.

Just because the first note isn't a C doesn't mean it's not a C major scale! We need notes C D E G A and the order does not matter. 

Click on the buttons above for deep dive for each major pentatonic scale. You'll learn what notes make up each major scale, the various scale shapes, a well as the correct fingers to use when playing the scale. 

The Minor Scale Guitar

Click the buttons below for a deep dive on each scale

Discover what notes make up each minor scale, the various scale shapes, correcting fingerings and pick direction for ease of playing. 

In western music there's actually three types of minor scales. The natural minor scale, the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale. We will discuss the natural minor scale here. 

The natural minor scale sometimes called the Aeolian mode is a septatonic scale as it uses seven notes. Like the major scale it is also a diatonic scale as it uses a specific sequence of whole and half steps and the scales occur naturally in a key without the use of accidentals (adding sharps or flats) that are outside the key. 

The formula for the natural minor scale is W H W W H W W and if applied to the A note we'd have notes A B C D E F G.

Below is an easy way to play the a minor scale across 3 strings.

The Minor Pentatonic Scale on Guitar

Click the buttons below for a deep dive on each scale

Discover what notes make up each minor scale, the various scale shapes, correcting fingerings and pick direction for ease of playing. 

The minor pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale and is derived from the natural minor scale by eliminating the 2nd and b6 scale degrees. 

1   2  b3   4  5  b6  b7 
A  B   C    D  E    F    G   - A minor scale
A  -   C    D  E    -    G   - A minor pentatonic scale

If we play these notes using only two notes per string we will end up with the pentatonic pattern below. 

You may have noticed this is the SAME shape (and same notes) for the C major pentatonic! 🤯 We'll discuss more on this later. For now, just get the scale under you fingers.  

A minor pentatonic scale guitar tab

Use your first finger (index finger) on the sixth string fifth fret and pick down. Then use your fourth finger (pinky finger) on the sixth string eighth fret and pick up.  

The Blues Scale on Guitar

Deep dive on each scale pattern coming soon!

The blues scale is actually just a minor pentatonic scale with an extra note added in.
 
The "blues note" is the b5 of the scale and is completely out of key. Because of this when used it will really POP. This will give a very bluesy sound (hence the name) but can also make you sound like you are hitting the wrong notes if not used correctly.  

1   2  b3   4    -     5   b6  b7    - minor scale
A  -   C    D    -     E    -    G   - A minor pentatonic scale
A  -   C    D   b5   E    -   G  - A blues scale 

Fun fact: The b5 is also called a "tritone" in music and is considered the "devil note." Why? Play the tonic note (A) and then the b5. It sounds wrong even "evil." In fact, in the song called Black Sabbath by Black Sabbath they use the b5 for the main riff. 😈🤘

The Harmonic Minor Scale Guitar

The harmonic minor scale is similar to the natural minor scale but the 7th scale degree is raised so that the leading tone is added back in. 

The leading tone (the 7th scale degree) is the last note in the scale and is a half step away from the root. Because of this it really drives (leads) the scale to want to resolve back to the root note.

In the natural minor scale, the 7th scale degree has been flatten so that pull caused by the leading tone is no longer there, with the harmonic minor scale we are simply adding it back in.

This makes for a very cool and exotic sound as there will end up being a full step and a half  from the b6 to the 7 combined with a massive pull to resolve to the root note.

1   2  b3  4  5  b6 b7 : Natural Minor scale degrees
A  B  C   D  E   F    G : A natural minor 

1   2   b3  4  5  b6  7: Harmonic minor scale degrees
A  B   C    D  E   F   G#: A harmonic minor scale

How to Use Guitar Scales to Make Music

A common frustration amongst aspiring guitar players is when soloing it just sounds like they are playing scales. Often it is because that is exactly what they are doing!

There is an art form and science to this and yes it can be learned. Here are a few elements we will cover.

• Scale Sequences: Fun and creative ways to play the scale up/down
  
  
• Guitar Licks: Small musical words that when properly used can be strung together to create musical phrases (sentences).
• Melodies: Instead of play scales one note after another, trying skipping around to create a melody. Not too much or it will sound like you are just wanking around.
• Phrasing: Its not what you say but how you say it... Try adding in slides, bends, etc etc to give your licks or phrases some pizzazz.

Guitar Licks For Beginners

What is a guitar lick? A guitar lick is a small series of notes that are built from a scale. Think of a guitar lick like it is a "musical word" and just like in a language you don't say random words but rather you combine words to create sentences "musical phrases."

Below I have a few licks to start learning. 

Major Scale vs Minor Scale on Guitar

It's relatively easy to see the difference between the natural minor scale and the major scale if we refer to the scale degrees.

The major scale degrees are 1  2  3  4  5  6    7
The minor scale degrees are 1  2 b3 4  5 b6  b7

A major vs A minor:

A  B  C# D  E   F# G#  -  A major scale
A  B  C    D   E   F    G    - A minor scale

Here the A major has 3 sharps on the 3, 6, and 7th notes. These are also the exact same notes that are flattened for a minor scale which is why A minor does not have any sharps.

E major vs E minor:

E  F#  G# A  B  C#  D# - E major scale
E  F#  G    A  B   C     D    - E minor scale

Here the E major scale has 4 sharps on the 2, 3, 6 and 7. Where a natural minor scale needs the 3, 6 and 7 lowered (flattened) we are left with only 1 sharp the F#. 

** As you do deep dives on the scales I have included the notes you are playing so this will all start to make sense they more you practice. 

The Relative Minor Scale

The relative minor scale refers to the 6th note in a major scale (sometimes called the relative 6th). If you take the EXACT same notes of a major scale but instead start on the 6th scale degree you will be playing its relative minor. 

For example. 
1    2   3   4   5   6   7

C   D  E   F   G   A   B : C major scale

The 6th note in the C major scale is an A note. If you play those exact same notes but start and end on A you're actually playing A natural minor!

1    2    3    4   5   6   7

A   B   C   D   E   F   G : A minor scale 

From major to minor we could say the "relative 6th" but from minor to major we could say the "relative 3rd." 

Wait... So how the hell do you know which scale you're playing if they share the same notes?!

The CHORD PROGRESSIONS determine how the music flows. Your job as the lead guitar player is to harmonize with the chords of the rhythm guitar player. If he / she is playing a C major progression it will be C major if his/her progression is an Am chord progression you're in Am. 
 
If this is confusing, consider enrolling into the Guitar GPS Method as I will systematically build your skills, knowledge, and creativity step by step so it all makes sense. 

Check out the deep dives on either the Major or minor scales and you'll be able to find its relative major or minor. Just remember its the 6th note of the major scale and the 3rd note in a minor scale.  

Parallel Minor vs Relative Minor Scales

A parallel minor scale or parallel major scale simply refers to major and minor scales that share the same tonic note. 

For Example: 
A   B  C#  D   E   F#  G#  - A major
A   B  C     D   E    F     G   - A minor

These are parallel because the A note is the ROOT of both scales. 

It's pretty common that a song may start in major and then change to the parallel minor (or vice versa) such as in the song Thunderstruck by AC/DC. 

Music Intervals For Guitar

Information Coming Soon!!

Exotic Scales

Information Coming Soon!!

Guitar Modes

When it comes to learning modes on guitar, nothing is more confusing or daunting that learning the modes. Here I am going to try to give a brief explanation for why this is.

First and foremost, the #1 reason why guitar modes are confusing is because guitar players try to learn them way before they are ready. If you don't have a firm grasp on the major and minor scales both in your ability to play them all over the fretboard in any key, and make music with them you should not be trying to learn the modes. This is like trying to learn algebra before you've got a firm grasp on addition and subtraction.🤷‍♂️

A common misconception is players think that if they play a modal scale shape they are playing in XYZ mode which is not correct. A mode is when you take THE SAME notes and chords from a major key and change which chord is the tonic chord.  

For example, lets compare the C major scale and the D Dorian mode. 

C D E F G A B : C Major
D E F G A B C:  D Dorian

Notice the notes are EXACTLY the same. All that changed is what note you start on.

So if the notes are the same how do you know if you are playing in C major or D Dorian?

The chord progression will determine how the music flows. If you arrange the chords to flow to C it will be C major. If you arrange the chord progression to flow to the Dm it will be D Dorian. For example, If you play a I IV V progression in the key of C (chords C F G) and then you play the "dorian mode" you aren't playing in a mode. You are playing the 2nd pattern of the C major scale.

Stay tuned as well have deep dives on the modes.

Order of the modes:
1: Ionian mode  
2. Dorian mode
3. Phrygian mode
4. Lydian Mode

5. Mixolydian mode
6. Aeolian mode
7. Locrian mode
 

If you're tired of spinning your wheels, playing the same stuff all the time and are ready to level up your guitar playing check out my holistic approach that guides you to guitar greatness every step of the way in a fun gamified system

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