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Constructing Scales


faded

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Posted

Which is the proper way to construct a scale, or if both are okay, which one do you use?

 

Yeah i dont know a lot about theory, but reading this forum has helped out a lot. :)

 

 

Say for instance a C major scale, C D E F G A B C

 

would that be like

 

|--------------------------------------------------------10-12-13-|

|--------------------------------------------10-12-13-------------|

|---------------------------------9-10-12--------------------------|

|----------------------9-10-12-------------------------------------|

|-----------8-10-12------------------------------------------------|

|8-10-12-----------------------------------------------------------|

 

which would go from C to C two times, and then tap on the D E and F at the end, or would you connect C to C from the A to E strings, and have an extra G A and B at the low E in front of it like

 

|

|-------------------------------------5-7-8----|

|-----------------------------5-6-8------------|

|----------------------4-5-7-------------------|

|---------------3-5-7--------------------------|

|-------3-5-7----------------------------------|

|3-5-7-----------------------------------------|

 

Again, if i am way off here, please let me know

 

Thanks alot for any help,

Josh

Posted

Those are both correct.

 

You're merely playing the same scale on a different location of the neck. Knowing a scale in multiple locations allows you to have greater range for melodies or soloing. Also, if fingering for a lick in one position isn't comfortable, you can try it in another.

 

Ideally, you want to be able to play any scale, anywhere on the neck. Using the 3-per-string pattern you have, there is a total of 7 different positions to choose from.

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Posted

 

Originally posted by Poparad

Those are both correct.


You're merely playing the same scale on a different location of the neck. Knowing a scale in multiple locations allows you to have greater range for melodies or soloing. Also, if fingering for a lick in one position isn't comfortable, you can try it in another.


Ideally, you want to be able to play any scale, anywhere on the neck. Using the 3-per-string pattern you have, there is a total of 7 different positions to choose from.

 

 

thank you lol... i ended up having to write out a bunch of stuff in a notebook so i could understand it all... and just for fun i wanted to write out some of the C major scales, like say, have C major, then D dorian,...basically (from what ive read today) the same scale, but different starting points on the neck, and i didnt know how to write them out, but thanks... im probably gonna write them out all both ways and memorize them both.

 

--Josh

Posted

 

Originally posted by faded

C major, then D dorian,...basically (from what ive read today) the same scale, but different starting points on the neck

 

 

This is a common misconception. If you play C major starting anywhere on the neck, starting on any note and ending on any note, it is still C major. You can play any scale or mode in any position on the neck; each position has exactly the same notes, so it makes no difference.

 

What makes a mode a mode is the chord that it is being used with. A mode is nothing with harmonic context. Just by itself, there is nothing keeping D dorian from sounding like C major.

 

I would go ahead and write out and learn the major scale in 7 positions. You already have two of them written out from your first post, so there are just 5 more positions. For all intents and purposes, all 7 positions are C major. Each position is merely a different spot on the fretboard, but all the same scale.

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