Guitar Scales | The Complete Guide

This lesson will teach you everything you need to become a guitar scales master.

After learning strumming chords, the next most common step is to start playing single-note melodies, and knowing your scale patterns is helpful for this process. So let's get started!

What Is A Guitar Scale?

Scales are not the same as chords. When we practice scales we play them one note at a time, unlike a chord in which you play all the tones simultaneously.

We can consider a scale as a way to go from one note (say C) to the same note one octave upper (one octave is 12 frets on guitar)

Let's see this example on the guitar: take the C note at the 3rd fret of the A string , and the C one octave upper, at the 15th fret of the same string.

If you count the number of the frets between the lower C and the higher C, you get 12. So this confirms that an octave spans 12 frets .

We have multiple ways to go from the lower C to the upper. We could play the frets 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 15 or play only 3, 7, 9, 11, 15 or even play all the frets between the two C (that would be a chromatic scale)

Of course, this holds true for ascending and descending both (from the lower C to the upper and from the upper to the lower)

Basic Scale Theory

The most important thing you must understand is that scales are not patterns. See a scale as a sound: each scale type has its own characteristic sound. Patterns are just ways to play scales on the guitar fretboard, due to the nature of the instrument.

The relationship between each selected fret determines the scale structure and thus its name. We can create scales of all of types. Probably you've already heard of major, minor, pentatonic, harmonic minor, whole-tone , augmented , lydian, dorian, to name a few; there is even a Neapolitan scale. Later in this article you'll find a table with all guitar scale.

Each scale type has its own unique combination of distances between the frets in the octave. This is called scale formula.

In music theory, frets translate to semitones or half-steps. On guitar, it's safe to consider frets, semitones and half-steps the same measure.

Distances from the root are called intervals.

Usually, there are 7 notes to each scale within a one-octave range, but not always: pentatonic scales have 5 notes, and there are even scales, like bebop scales, that have 8 notes!

Major scale steps

Major pentatonic scale steps

Considering that the scale doesn't change with an octave change we don't need to repeat it past 7 notes.

A C scale will always end and start on a C, and the same for each successive note. So a C major scale spanning 2 octaves is simply:

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

How To Read Guitar Scale Diagrams

Playing scales horizontally, on one single string, is a great way to visualize and understand the structures, but is impractical when it comes to making music, so usually, we use patterns that use all the strings.

Let's see how to read the scale diagrams that you'll find in this article. Have a look at the diagrams below, which shows you the C major scale

• The top line is always the first thinnest string (high E), and the bottom line is the sixth and thickest (low E).
• The diagrams show you the fretboard with the same point of view as a guitar player that is looking at the instrument.
• The colors of the note identify their degree (distance or intervals) from the root.
• The root is denoted in yellow.
• You must play one note at a time, it's not a chord!

Often, on the Internet, you'll find scale tabs. Tabs are of course far more popular than actually reading music because they use specific fret numbers of what to play.

Even better is if your fretboard diagrams or tabs come with finger placement instructions, as in exactly which fingering pattern is best while playing.

Remember: Scale Patterns are Movable!

Did you notice that the C major scale pattern above is just four frets wide? We call these box shapes, they span 4, 5 or 6 frets.

The reason why guitarists prefer to play scales along these box patterns are that the motion is more efficient: 1 finger for each fret (we're going to see this topic in the following)

The great thing about a guitar scales box is that it will work anywhere you place it on the guitar as long as you follow the pattern.

Each scale type has a specific box pattern which can be shifted to other keys. So, for example, if we want to play a D major scale , we move up the C scale pattern by two frets. Want an F major scale? Move the C pattern up by 5 frets!

If you want to understand better how and why the frets are placed across the strings, have a look at the guitar notes tutorial .

The Most Common Used Guitar Scales

Here below you find some of the most used guitar scales.

Major Scale

The major scale is the foundation of Western Music so here it's the first in the list.

Major Pentatonic Scale

Pentatonic scales are composed of 5 notes (penta) and the Major pentatonic is a Major scale without the 4th and the 7th.

Minor Pentatonic Scale

The Minor pentatonic is another 5 notes scale.

Minor Pentatonic Scale (open strings)

If you play the minor pentatonic in the key of E, we have a particularly easy fingering because we can use open strings.

The same concept can be applied to open major scales

Blues Scale

The Blues scale is a Minor pentatonic with a flattened 5th added. It has a unique sound that you immediately recognize.

Minor Scale

The minor scale is another important scale to learn, and it's relative to the major scale.

Dorian Scale

The Dorian scale is massively used in Jazz and Rock; it's a variation of the minor scale.

Mixolydian Scale

The Mixolydian scale is a Major scale with a flattened 7th, it has a Bluesy feeling.

Lydian Scale

The Lydian scale, thanks to its raised 4th, has an unique dreamy effect.

You find many more guitar scale diagrams in my complete ebook Scales Over Chords.

In the following video you find some other nice scale patterns:

How To Play Guitar Scales and Exercises

There are different ways to play scales on the guitar. Due to the nature of the fretboard, we have multiple options for going from one note to the upper octave.

We could use only one string, moving our fretting hand horizontally, our we could use all of the strings. There are 3 popular fingering types that you should know:

4 Frets Boxes

This is the common method for beginners when first learning to play scales. There are four frets for each finger, keeping your scale in a nice box already to play without much hand movement.

Each finger frets the notes on the nearest fret (for example, index finger on fret 1, middle finger on fret 2, ring on fret 3, and the pinky on fret 4)

3 Notes Per Strings

This is a way of playing scale often used by heavy metal shredders, and fast picking guitar players. Basically, your fingerings have exactly 3 notes per string: this is useful for high-speed alternate picking and legato.

The picking patterns are equal on all the strings (down, up, down, next string and repeat) and this allows very efficient motion .

When you play with legato , you pick only the first note on each string; again this is efficient.

Horizontally, on 1 single string

Scales boxes and patterns are useful, but when you'll advance in your guitar studies you could feel yourself trapped in these fixed schemes.

Playing scales horizontally, on one single string, allows you to gain more fretboard navigation freedom .

Diagonal Scales

Another method to play scales is to shift the same one-octave-pattern on different octaves, this creates interesting diagonal scales patterns, and provide better fretboard fluency.

Guitar Scales Exercises

Here below you find a great exercise that will help improve your scale speed and agility. It's based on the C major scale, I suggest approaching the pattern with the medium finger at the 8th fret.

For more things to practice, go to guitar scales exercises full list.

All Guitar Scales Chart

Suggested resource for guitar scale (free):

To help you learn guitar scales in the most effective way, we have created this downloadable free resource. It contains the fretboard patterns for the most used guitar scales. Download it for free by clicking the button below:

Get The Free Guitar Scale Ebook

Here's a chart with the most used scales. Each link will take you to a new page that shows you several fretboard patterns for playing that scale.

P.s. All the charts show the scale with the note C as the root, you can move the patterns up and down the neck to play a scale with a different tonic.

If you wonder where all these scales come from, you need to learn a bit about modes, a concept strictly related to scales, be sure to have a look at modes tutorial.

Also, is really important to practice scales in context, over a backing tracks or other means.

Guitar Scales Pdf Ebook

Be sure to download the Guitar Scales Patterns and Arpeggios Ebook . It's a handy reference pdf with tons of fretboard scale diagrams that you can print out.

You'll find the ebook in your free download area .

Common Scales

Modes from the Major Scale

Modes From The Harmonic Minor Scale

Modes from The Melodic Minor Scale

Symmetrical And Diminished Scales

Exotic Scales

Which Scales Should I Play Over This Chord?

This is a common question that often confuses beginners. It's common practice to play a major scale over a major chord, a minor scale over a minor chord, and so forth.

Things get complicated when the harmony becomes more complex: dominant, altered, diminished chords, to name a few.

Which scales play well over those chord types? A good approach is to check the tones that compose the chord and what scale matches well with them.

You can learn more about this method in my scale chord application tutorial.

More Resources To Improve Your Guitar Scales Skills

Our introduction to guitar scales ends here. I'll leave you with some more resources to further deepen your music knowledge.

To stay updated on new tutorials, subscribe to the free newsletter (you'll also get access to the download area with many free printable resources)

The Major Scale

The major scale is the foundation of any guitar theory concepts, so it's crucial you know it inside-out.

How To Improve Your Guitar Speed

Guitar players are obsessed with guitar speed, so here we are! This guide will provide you with some important tips useful to acquire speed and agility on the fretboard.

Guitar Fingerings Guide

Some practical ideas to help you understand the proper way to fret any kind of scale, arpeggio or chords.

On the guitar you often have many options for doing the same thing, this guide will help you decide.

Alternate Picking Exercises

Alternate picking is a skill that comes in pairs with scales.

In this tutorial you'll discover some effective exercises useful to develop your picking abilities.

Learn Modes With Parallel and Relative Approach

Want to really understand modes?

Then you must study them in 2 ways: learn what relative and parallel approaches are.

Practice Scales In Context

If you want to really feel the sound of a scale, you need a context.

This tutorial will show you a simple way to introduce a root note context in any guitar scale exercises you'll perform.

Break The Scalar Sound

Playing scales often produces boring solos.

This tutorial will help you sound less "scalarly" and improve your melodic sense

How To Play Melodic Solos

Some tips to help you improve your melodic expression with the use of chord tones.

A complete guide that will help you learn how to play a solo over a classic I VI V blues chord progression.

Practice chord tones solo over a blues progression. You'll learn how to target the 7th and the 3rd of the backing chords.

Scales Over Chords | Learn How To Play The Right Scales Over Any Chord

A complete resource to transform your guitar scale skills.

This ebook comes with a unique section in which you'll find which scales to play over any chord. Get tons of new ideas for your solos and melodic lines!

Interactive Guitar Scales Finder

Try out my Guitar Scale Finder tool and explore the fretboard with different types of scales and fingerings.