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I Think I might understand scales now...


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Posted

There are 5 scales/patterns...

 

Major

Minor

Major Pentatonic

Minor Pentatonic

and

Blues

 

Correct?

 

A different major toniced scale, is the same pattern another major tonic's scale, the pattern just starts on a different note, but it's still the same pattern...right?

 

So those 5 pattens are always the same, no matter what note you start them on?

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Posted

Originally posted by Cyprien

There are 5 scales/patterns...


Major

Minor

Major Pentatonic

Minor Pentatonic

and

Blues


Correct?


Well, there are more...but that's not important right now.


A different major toniced scale, is the same pattern another major tonic's scale, the pattern just starts on a different note, but it's still the same pattern...right?


So those 5 pattens are always the same, no matter what note you start them on?

 

 

The intervals that make up a certain type of scale (ie major) are constant....so yes, the pattern (of intervals) is the same for all major scales. The same applies to all minor.....all pentatonic....etc.

 

 

But, it does seem that you're catching on. :)

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Posted

Phew...There's some other things I don't get...How is determined what scale something like a solo is played in? Could a solo not be played with the Pentatonic and blues scale? what other scale theory should I learn?

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Posted

Originally posted by Cyprien

Phew...There's some other things I don't get...How is determined what scale something like a solo is played in?



In a completely diatonic setting, the key (and its corresponding major or minor scale) will often determine that. Sometimes each chord is treated individually. It all depends on the context.




Could a solo not be played with the Pentatonic and blues scale? what other scale theory should I learn?

 

 

It sure can! As for the scale theory, keep reading your other threads....lots of your questions are being addressed there. :)

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Posted

 

Originally posted by Cyprien

Phew...There's some other things I don't get...How is determined what scale something like a solo is played in? Could a solo not be played with the Pentatonic and blues scale? what other scale theory should I learn?

 

 

A lot of it's about note choices of the guitarist. Yes you can play different scales, blues pentatonic minor and major....assuming they would fit the song.

 

I've read some of your posts and I think at this point you're just thinking about it a little bit too much. That's ok though, let me see if I can help you.

 

The scale that a guitarist uses in a song will be determined by what that guitarist feels is right for the song or what that guitarists style is. Almost in ANY rock song, you can use the pentatonic minor or blues scale and it sounds cool because we're so used to hearing it on guitar but the simple fact is, it's a copout when used all the time like that.

 

Take a song like the Rolling Stones' "honkey tonk women". You first hear it and immediately you notice it has a very country vibe to it. It's a 1,4,5 in the key of G. So Keith plays some licks based off of the pentatonic major scale (what some people call the country scale). He could have just as easily used the pentatonic minor, and at certain points I'm sure he uses a couple of notes from the pentatonic minor (remember the two scales already have a couple of notes in common).

 

does Keith know that he's using pent major? Probably not. What keith is doing is using licks that he picked up off of Hank snow and Scotti Moore records as a kid. he has licks and patterns that he knows are country that he's learned over the years, and when he hears country, he plays those licks, unknowingly using the pent major scale.

 

I meet a lot of young guitarists who assume that because they dont know any scales that they're not using scales and that's just not the case.

 

Remember that each scale/mode has a particular sound and the one you will use will be partially up to you. There are no 'right' scales to play over something but there are wrong scales. If you write a chord progression, a singer can come up with a number of different melodies, but they don't need to sing off key.

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