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Click on the lesson number below to view the respective lesson in this three part series by Judy Letostak.
Theory and beyond Part 2 (Scales) letostak@ix.netcom.com (Judy Letostak) http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/agnetha/59/index.html Metal Edge (619)423-4970 24/7 Guitar/Bass tab, MP3s, Appz ========================================= | Do NOT send or archive this to olga...| thanks! ========================================= You can post this on your web, ftp, bbs whatever, without permission. leave all the extra text in pleaze. As with the first lesson, I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a basic knowledge of music theory. You don't have to be in league with Frank Zappa, but it's very handy to know what the hell you're doing. Scales: The Fun Stuff. The natural minor and major scales: The most common way to use them is, say you're playing a chord progression, Eminor, Dmajor, F#5, Aminor. You're song is in Eminor (for this example), you would play the Eminor scale over the progression. You would obviously have to know yer scales, at least the 5 positions of the minor scale...You can play that, or, you can add other scales to it to "spice it up". This is what this lesson is mainly for. To give you other options to just "major and minor" scales. I'm assuming (again) that you have a basic knowlege of major and minor scales. See Previous lesson. Harmonic Minor takes the minor scale and raises the 7th Step. E Harmonic Minor: E F# G A B C D# E Melodic Minor takes the Minor Scale and raises the 6th and 7th steps E Melodic Minor ascending E F# G A B C# D# E The descending melodic minor brings the 6 and 7 steps back to their natural minor position. E Harmonic Minor example ---------------------- ----------------4-5---Learn all the positions for the harmonic ----------2-4-5-------minor scale. ---2-4-5-------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- --2~----2~-----2h3--2~------2~------5---- -----5------5-----------5-------5--------This was a line from one of my ex-bands songs. The bass player played this and I would play Eminor and E harmonic minor over it for an eastern flavor... This is just one example, really listen to the progression before you lay down any "for sure" leads for a song, and try to see what fits, and what sounds "cool". E Melodic Minor -------------------------------------- -----------2-4-5----5-3--------------- -------2-4--------------5-4-2--------- -2-4-5------------------------5-4-2--- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Notice that the descending melodic minor is just the E minor scale, but you play it descending. An interesting thing with harmonic minor, Yngwie Malmsteen frequently uses this scale during his solos...But, instead of just playing the E harmonic minor, he also adds the natural D into the scale for an extra note. You can mix the melodic and harmonic minor scales in with the natural minor while your improvising. It makes for a more interesting solo or break. Just be careful what youre playing over what chord. Harmonic minor is used mostly (I'm just using rock music as an example here) in metal/hard rock songs. Used in Jazz, classical, fusion etc., but pop rock it's not... Fiddle around with adding many scales into your leads, for example: If you're playing in A Minor, and a chord in your solo is B play the B diminished scale (will be explained later), over the B chord, you can add the A harmonic and melodic minor... Ionian Mode is the same as the Major Scale Aeolian mode is the same as the Minor Scale Dorian 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 Phrygian 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 Lydian 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 Mixolydian 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 Locrian 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 This is the theoretical explanation for the modes: A Dorian is mode 2; A is the 2nd scale degree of G A Phrygian is mode 3; a is the 3rd scale degree in F A Lydian is mode 4; A is the 4th scale degree of E A Aeolian is Mode 6; A is the 6th degree of C A Locrian is Mode 7; A is the 7th degree of Bb Major scale: Typical rock, country, blues etc., Phrygian: Minor sound, lotsa metal songs use it. Mixolydian: Blues, mix it with pentatonic scale Dorian: Jazzy, Santana type stuff. Lydian: Major sound Minor: you know this one Locrian: Death metal type stuff...think Eminor with a Bb use yer ear! There are literally thousands of other types of scales, there's a document floating around the inet which lists quite a few exotic scales and the like...If you can find it, it would be pretty handy to have. There's also quite a few guitar programs which list lots of scales, chords and arpeggios...Download some of them and check them out. Knowledge is power. Excercise: Play the natural major scales in the cycle of 5ths (see previous lesson), in one position only! Then move to the next position and play the scales in the cycle of 5ths again. Memorize this pattern for all positions. This is a great excercise, because no matter what yer playing, you'll know if you have to change keys in a song, where you are without stumbling around for the next key and your transitions will be much smoother. Diminished: better known as a "whole-half" scale because of its interval spacings. It outlines a diminished-7 chord but can also be played over minor and dominant 7 chords. ------------------------------------------------4--5-------- ---------------------------------------4--6--7-------------- ------------------------------4--5--7----------------------- ---------------------4--6--7-------------------------------- -----------5--6--8------------------------------------------ ---5--7-8--------------------------------------------------- 1 2 b3 4 b5 6 b7 #7 = scale steps (intervals) notice the whole half pattern...There is also a half-whole diminished scale....figure it out :) Not widely used in popular rock, neo-classical it's a staple, jazz, fusion etc., The last lesson, I had a chart what chords are what in the major and minor keys. If you're in A and the progression moves to a B chord, you can play B Diminished because the 2nd step of A is B diminished chord. That's just one way of doing it, it'll fit elsewhere, you just gotta make it fit. Whole tone scale: 1 2 3 #4 #5 b7 --------------------------------------5--------------------- -----------------------------4--6--8------------------------ -----------------------4--6--------------------------------- -----------------5--7--------------------------------------- --------4--6--8--------------------------------------------- --5--7------------------------------------------------------ This is just a 6 note scale that is based on whole steps only. Play it over Dominant 7 and Augmented chords (not widely used in rock) Blues Pentatonic ---------------------------------------2--5----------------- ---------------------------------2--5----------------------- ------------------------2--4--5----------------------------- ------------------2--4-------------------------------------- ---------2--3--4-------------------------------------------- ---2--5----------------------------------------------------- Everyone knows this one :) The blues are fun to play (I'm a big blues fan, but I don't play it too well). It's the minor pentatonic with a b5 in there. Just add the b5 to your pentatonic scales and you've got the blues! Sorta.... Use this with a I IV V progression. Or just a kewl little blues riff ala the doors or something.... I'm really not sure what else to tell ya about scales. They're an important part of your playing, along with chords, arpeggios and quite a few other things. Questions etc., email me or icq# 2707135 when I'm on...I'll be doing more lessons, songwriting, vibrato, the next one will be an arpeggio lesson...suggestions more than welcome! Call my board!!! It RuleZ!! Metal Edge BBS (619)423-4970 (San Diego, CA USA) Over 15,000 Guitar Tabs, Bass tabs, lessons MP3s, Appz Running Iniquity v.a27, 4.6Gigs, 28.8 RioT Member and Distro =========================================================== h = hammeron ps = pick scrape p = pulloff % = repeat phrase ~ = vibrato letostak@ix.netcom.com b = bend + natural harmonic /\ = Slide tr = trill * = Artificial Harmonic x = ghost note t = tap note w/right hand w/bar = with bar =========================================================== http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/agnetha/59/index.html
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