What scales do you use?

[jthompso]

Hey guys, im just interested in hearing what most guitar players are using scale wise in their soloing? Ive started to expand into some other scales like harmonic minor and phrygian dominant and it has really enhanced my playing - what do you use? If possible say yes or no to the following -

 

Major - yes

Minor - yes

Phrygian - rarely

Phrygian Dominant - recently yes

Dorian - yes

Mixolydian - recently yes

Lydian - rarely

Harmonic Minor - recently yes

Melodic Minor - not yet

[NoodleFace]

I mostly use aeolian and phrygian modes along with pentatonics.

[thefyn]

The same ones over and over and over. in truth i think I use 3 scales.

[Wolfeman28]

What's a scale?

[ElectricDreams]

12tone

[mark7171]

i use the really big ones

[futurism]

i tend to just use ttsttts (wwhwwwh) starting at a different point in the pattern...
so that means,
ionian, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, locrian (not in that order)

and occasionally raise the 7th degreee of the minor scale (harmonic)
or perhaps the 6th and 7th degrees of the minor scale (melodic)

so yeah, just play the major scale and realsie thats all there is to western music

now you dont have to buy any of the 200 dvd's or 2000 books that take way longer to explain the same concept

[KoaFreak]

I just play, and it sounds great!

[trey85stang]

what is a scale

[Syn Harvest]

Umm Pentatonic, Harmonic Minor Melodic Minor the majors sometimes, I like mixolydian alot.

I have been trying to learn to use the Super locrian scale but it is dark and its hard to come up with something good i just need some more time with it

[bengerm77]

i tend to just use ttsttts (wwhwwwh) starting at a different point in the pattern... so that means, ionian, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian, locrian (not in that order) and occasionally raise the 7th degreee of the minor scale (harmonic) or perhaps the 6th and 7th degrees of the minor scale (melodic) so yeah, just play the major scale and realsie thats all there is to western music now you dont have to buy any of the 200 dvd's or 2000 books that take way longer to explain the same concept

 

 

Yeah I just use the same mode (I think that's what it is) in different keys starting at different points. Also, I make HEAVY use of pentatonic minor.

not that anyone cares how I play, of course.

[starsnuffer]

I try not to think about scales anymore. I studied a lot of theory when I was younger, and spent the rest of my life trying to forget it.

 

But, to answer your question, I play a lot of pentatonic versions of a lot of scales. . .not necessarily the common blues pentatonic scales, more 2 note per string versions of various modes (ends up being 5 tones, though not necessarily the same 5 per octave). I also really like locrian, as well as the usual aeolian (minor) and dorian modes. Don't tell anyone, but when I'm alone I really like turning on an intelligent harmonizer with a +3 and -12 and wanking on the harmonic minor scale. . . . but that's pure cheese, so you'll never hear that recorded from me.

 

-W

[chrispsullivan]

for the most part i use major and minor pentatonic scales along with natrual minor scales

oh and blues scales

 

i find those are the most useful ones for rock

but for jazz and big band i find myself using almost all of them, but many times that stuff is written out for me (at least for big band)

[EvilMeow]

I've been using a lot of these lately:

 

{censored}ing 20th century composition class

 

[Sandman31774]

i have no idea what i play...i just play by ear...if it sounds good i keep it in my head...if it sounds bad...i try desperately not to do it again

[chrispsullivan]

I've been using a lot of these lately: {censored}ing 20th century composition class

haha oh god that looks like it sucks more than my ear training class

[EvilMeow]

 

haha oh god that looks like it sucks more than my ear training class

 

 

Ear training is {censored}ing great. It makes you a much better musician. Just wait until you get into harmonic dictation. Being able to know what chord people are playing, whether or not they're in any inversions, and what their functions in harmony are just by listening is a BADASS skill to have.

 

What that picture is, however, is a Matrix. It was developed by Schoenberg to assist in writing serialist/12 tone music.

 

You have a basic 12 tone row, which is all twelve tones arranged in whatever order you like, with no repeating tones. That's the first row across the top. If the piece is strictly serial, you can't repeat a tone once you've used it until you've gone through all 12 tones of the row. Here's where the matrix comes in handy:

 

Then going down from there you have the inversion of it.

 

Depending on how you have it set up, if you go from right to left you get the retrograde of the row, and if you go from bottom to top, you get the inverted retrograde.

 

The cool part is that each row is a different transposition of the row, so you have just tons of options while you're composing. You have a ridiculous number of available lines right in front of you, and of course, rhythmically you can do whatever the hell you want.

[therabbit]

so yeah, just play the major scale and realsie thats all there is to western music

So...is it really true that ignorance is bliss?

[EvilMeow]

 

so yeah, just play the major scale and realsie thats all there is to western music

 

 

This is a {censored}ing joke, right?

[Eddie Loves You!]

[Eddie Loves You!]

You have a ridiculous number of available lines right in front of you, and of course, rhythmically you can do whatever the hell you want.

Some people have taken serialism further and have serialized rhythm, dynamics, and orchestration.

I like some serial music (especially Webern's Five Mvts. for String Quartet [Op. 5]), but a lot if it is just boring. It gives hack "composers" license to make a bunch of noise and call it "music" since they can point out how RI3 used in mm 45 references the use of I9 in mm 3 (if you're going to school for music I'm sure you've seen this by now).

I'm not saying that serialism shouldn't have come about (in fact it would have been extremely exciting to have been working around Schoenberg at the turn of the century), or that I don't enjoy much of the music that has come from it, but too many talentless assholes think they're cool because of it.

[Cougar Hunter]

lydian

phrygian

dorian

aholelian

hungarian

harmonic minor

pentatonic

 

that's about it

[dropthisd]

Mainly 16ths and metric (.5mm increments). My best and favorite scale is made from metal.

[Professor Tom]

Mainly 16ths and metric (.5mm increments). My best and favorite scale is made from metal.

 

 

I prefer a small digital scale, works accurately from 1/4 gram up to an ounce.

[dropthisd]

I prefer a small digital scale, works accurately from 1/4 gram up to an ounce.

Oh.... so we're talking about weights.