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Powerful One-Octave Natural Minor Scales – Part IV

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Welcome you diligent guitar student. You have arrived at Part IV of the “One-Octave Natural Minor Scales” Series. The final lesson of these series to practice, play and put it all together. Let’s get your hands dirty!

If you are a first timer in these series start from the beginning and check out:

Powerful One-Octave Natural Minor Scales – Part I

Powerful One-Octave Natural Minor Scales – Part II

Powerful One-Octave Natural Minor Scales – Part III

In Part IV we’re going up the strings again and start with the root note from the G-string (3rd string) all the way up to the high e-string (1st string). We have 3 different scale patterns to learn, all containing the same notes of the natural minor scale.

Why Learn One-Octave Natural Minor Scales?

Learning one-octave natural minor scales will make you see and understand the overal picture of the scale in a clearer way. You can easily recognize the shape, the structure, the notes and the intervals of the scale, also how to practice and put it in action, since it’s only one octave. The scale is as important for beginners as it is for intermediate guitar players. Both will benefit from these scale tremendously.

If you found yourself in this lesson but you’re looking to learn the two-octave natural minor scales, or you want a follow up for the “One-octave Natural Minor Scales Series” check out: Exploring the Natural Minor Scale and The 5 natural minor scale positions you must know. If you stay with this lesson, focus and dominate!

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The Fundamental Scales to Play over a Minor Key

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The Fundamental scales to play over a minor keyAccording to scientific american it seems that over the last few decades popular music has changed it’s course from major to minor keys.

A minor key means the song is in a key or mode based on a minor scale. The song usually has a more darker, melancholic or sad mood.

To be able to improvise over a minor key you need a minor scale. There are a lot different types of minor scales. Today we focus on the most important scales played over a minor key.

The two most used and fundamental scales are the natural minor scale and the minor pentatonic scale.

CHORDS
We can use the chords built from the natural minor scale to play these scales over.
The chord formula for the natural minor scale:
minor – diminished – major – minor – minor – major – major
Often notated as Roman numerals: i – ii – III – iv – v – VI – VII

For example we’re going to play chords in the key of “A” minor.
Apply the notes of the A natural minor scale: A – B – C – D – E – F – G to the chord formula.
You get the following chords: Am – Bdim – C – Dm – Em – F – G

You can use these chords to build any progression. A popular and common chord progression is Am G F G (i – VII – VI – VII) Continue Reading

The Trick of Playing and Improvising Smoothly Across The Fretboard With Diatonic Scales.

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I used to be amazed by guitar players who’s fingers ran smoothly up and down across the fretboard while improvising.

It seemed their fingers just went to the right place at the right time without the guitar player really having to think about it. It’s like those fingers had a life of their own.

Although the pentatonic / blues scale would already allow me to go wild and free in a blues rock environment, but playing like that using diatonic scales (major scale, natural minor scale and modes) looked like a whole nother ball game.

A side note: If you haven’t mastered the pentatonic / blues scale yet, then take that journey first. Start here

I did learn the diatonic major scale and it’s modes in different shapes, keys and tried various exercises, but it didn’t come off as sounding natural and I missed that feeling of sliding freely and musically across the fretboard without having to think about it.

It took a while before I figured this one out when I started playing melodic patterns.

MELODIC PATTERNS
A melodic pattern is an intervallic and repetitive pattern that will make your scales sound less like scales and more like musical phrases. The pattern provokes melody. There are many variations, from easy ones to more challenging patterns.

Practicing melodic patterns will increase your dexterity and make your technique become more fluid. With regular practice you will start noticing that your fingers will be going to the right place at the right time. They will develop, to some extent, a life of their own. Your fingers are being trained to master the fingerboard.Continue Reading

Top 10 Most Important Scales for Guitar

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Top 10 Most Important Scales for Guitar

Scales serve many purposes. They will help you understand music, how to solo, improvise, analyze chords, chord progressions, songs and many other applications that will benefit and expand your musical ability.

You need to learn and practice scales thoroughly and then use them as a tool to create music. The amount of scales out there can be overwhelming for a lot of beginner and intermediate guitar players. So do you need to learn all the scales from this top 10? No, you only need to learn the scale(s) relevant to your style of music.

A lot of musicians only use one or two scales throughout their entire musical career. Depending on your skill level and musical aspirations very few or many scales will get you where you want to be.Continue Reading