learning major vs. minor scales

[edeltorus]

Folks,

 

I read more than once, that the first scale one should practice is the major scale, and that this scale is the "root" of all western music.

 

I would like to discuss this because most of the stuff I've played and listen to uses guitar licks in minor or dorian. The only real exceptions of semi-popular music styles I can think of are jazzy things and country music.

 

But for rock/pop/metal/blues leads the minor is played most of the time. If the progression is in a major key the licks I hear are played in the relative minor keys.

 

Nils

[jazzIII]

I agree that most solos and stuff use mostly minor scales, but because the all the modes come from major scales, I think people should learn those first. Because it simplifies learing other modes. For instance, if you want to play a minor mode, all you have to remember is that it contains a flatted 3rd.

[335clone]

To me, learning the major scale put a lot of pieces into their place. It is the basis for all the other scales. I rarely use it as is, but when I get lost in a key, I can easily figure out the scale degree by going back to the major, if that makes any sense.

[StratKat]

The Major scale is sort of the beginning point to alter or change to become any other form of scale. It is always the first scale for formal teaching of whole steps and half steps (because this gives you the basic "how to read the scale" rules of whole steps and half steps and where they fall in any scale). So it has become standard to teach the C Major scale as the first step in scale knowedge.

 

The purpose of the scale rule is to give you the ability to know how to play either a Maj or a min scale anywhere by picking a starting note, and then applying the scale rule to that note to find the other notes.

 

I have some on the scale rules in my freebie lessons below.

[edeltorus]

Strange,

 

Major is the fifth scale I'm learning. I've started with dorian, aeolian, phrygian and Harmonic Minor (in this order). I am satisfied with the stuff, and I can improvise over almost any stuff (excluding modal jazz).

 

Now I learn major mostly because I'm bored and I think one should know major. Of all the scales I'm worked with this one is the hardest to play anything worth listending..

 

But maybe this will change in a week or two.