A B C D E F G Basic Major Scales to Improve Your Skills
Photo by Janek Mann
The one thing most beginners hate to practice is scales, because they don’t see the point of it. It takes some practice to learn scales properly and then it takes another while before you can use them as a tool for your playing. Patience is a virtue.
But once you master the major scales you can really unlock their full potential.
Scales are used for improvisation, analyzing chords, progressions, warming up, speed picking practice and much more. In other words just about everything that is important to become a good guitar player.
When the time is right you will recognize the importance and effectiveness of scale practice.
Today I wrote down 7 basic major scales for you to practice. One scale for every whole note. In music there are 7 whole notes. Whole notes are: A B C D E F G.
Most of the scales below are open major scales, which means they contain open string notes.
Play the scales using alternate picking (alternating up and down strokes ascending and descending).
While there are many other scales, the pentatonic scale and the major scale are the two most important scales to know. With these two scales you can already rule the world.
Study the major scales thoroughly. It’s good for you!
e:------------------------------2-4-5-----------------------------------|
B:-----------------------2-3-5------------------------------------------|
G:----------------1-2-4-------------------------------------------------|
D:---------0-2-4--------------------------------------------------------|
A:--0-2-4---------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:------------------------------2-4-6-7---------------------------------|
B:----------------------2-4-5-------------------------------------------|
G:--------------1-3-4---------------------------------------------------|
D:-------1-2-4----------------------------------------------------------|
A:--2-4-----------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:----------------------------0-1-3-5-7-8-------------------------------|
B:---------------------1-3----------------------------------------------|
G:-------------0-2-4----------------------------------------------------|
D:-----0-2-3------------------------------------------------------------|
A:--3-------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:------------------------------2-3-5-7-9-10----------------------------|
B:----------------------2-3-5-------------------------------------------|
G:--------------0-2-4---------------------------------------------------|
D:-------0-2-4----------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------------------|
e:--------------------------------------0-------------------------------|
B:---------------------------------2-4----------------------------------|
G:-------------------------1-2-4----------------------------------------|
D:-----------------1-2-4------------------------------------------------|
A:---------0-2-4--------------------------------------------------------|
E:--0-2-4---------------------------------------------------------------|
e:----------------------------------0-1---------------------------------|
B:-----------------------------1-3--------------------------------------|
G:---------------------0-2-3--------------------------------------------|
D:--------------0-2-3---------------------------------------------------|
A:-------0-1-3----------------------------------------------------------|
E:--1-3-----------------------------------------------------------------|
e:------------------------------0-2-3-----------------------------------|
B:-------------------------1-3------------------------------------------|
G:------------------0-2-4-----------------------------------------------|
D:-----------0-2-4------------------------------------------------------|
A:----0-2-3-------------------------------------------------------------|
E:--3-------------------------------------------------------------------|
Leave a comment anytime you want. I appreciate it.
You can also subscribe to be updated on new posts via Email or RSS
Thanks,
Klaus Tol
Great tutorial Klaus, I have never been able to get my head around scales. I will try this over the next week to improve my playing.
Hey Ben,
Hang on. You’ll get there.
Good luck with http://www.Lickthatriff.com
Klaus
Thank you for this tutorial, Klaus.
You are truly an inspiration.
Christopher
Hi Christopher.
Thanks for the nice comment.
If you have any questions about the subject let me know.
Best regards,
Klaus
hey man, i really appreciate the posts. been playing in minor keys for years now and i’m starting to do my majors homework now. Any chance on you posting a box style scale for each whole note? I tend to play in barre chords so ‘boxes’ or ‘blues boxes’ are really useful for me.
Hi Mitch,
Check out your inbox.
Best regards,
Klaus
This helped me a lot, I have been learniing guitar for 4 years since I was 7 and our teacher recently introduced us to scales. At first I was completely bemused, but now I can understand them and thsi really helped me remember them!