Memorizing scales

[Andrew Antonucci]

I’ve been playing guitar for about 13 years, self taught, and i skipped over ever learning scales and such and trying to learn them now im having such a hard time having them stick. How do guitarists memorize and eventually be able to hop right into any scale at any point?
Any good exercise ideas? Confident in my playing i just want my theory knowledge better for writing.

 

[idssdi]

I Just play them alot and that makesucks them stick. And it May come in handy to memorie the notes in a scale and know the theory a little bit. For example A minor is A B C D E F G and A harmonic minor is simply A minor but you move the 7th note up a half step so you het a G# instead of a G. This is pretty much how I remember the scales. Hope it helps

 

[Guest]

I agree with Ids, repetition is what makes the scales stick. Another helpful hint…once you know one scale or shape in one key, it’s the same shape for any key. For example (staying with Ids’ A minor example), the A minor pentatonic shape is the same shape for C minor, G minor, or even D# minor. You just move your root note where you need it and *presto* you have the scale in the key you need. Same goes for major scales, minor scales, etc.

 

[Guest]

It’s worth looking at the theory behind what makes a scale it’s own distinctive sound or ‘character’. Memorising scales is great, and using a metronome and continuously repeating the shape is great for muscle memory! Playing various sequences is also beneficial. However definitely try and learn the intervals and formulas that make the scale distinctive. Assuming you know the first shape of the major pentatonic scale, write down on paper what this simple scale consists of. For example, 1 2 3 5 6 – which in A major is – A B C# E and F#. Knowing these 5 notes, begin to play these notes in various positions across the fretboard. Fretboard theory is a must. I hope this little idea helps with your theory!
Cheers

 

[Brian Haner Sr.]

If you consider that there are 7 shapes to every 7 note scale, e.g. Major & its modes, melodic minor + its modes & harmonic minor + its modes. You end up with 147 scales. Lots of these are repeat shapes, but it’s still absolutely daunting!
My suggestion is to learn one major scale pattern and move it around to the key you desire. Get to where you can bust that out in any key.
So let’s start in the key of G.
6th string – 3-5-7
5th string – 3-5-7
4th string – 4-5-7
3rd string – 4-5-7
2nd string – 5-7-8
1st string – 5-7-8
So obviously – If we move our starting fret up one we are in Ab Major. If we move down one we are in Gb Major. So this pattern can be moved to accommodate all 12 keys. Learn this shape so you can play it in your sleep!
Now understand these same notes apply to all the modes of G Major: the Am Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D Mixolydian, E Aeolian & F# Locrian. So bust this scale out over an A Dorian jam and road test it. The secret is to sound like you’re playing in A Dorian minor and not G Major. This is done by targeting Am notes as your landing notes. (A, C & E) So start on your 2nd note which is A and noodle a bit. Mix in your Am Pentatonic scale and you should come up with some cool stuff.
OK. When you’ve done all that, then learn the G Major scale shape starting on the 7th fret. (B Phrygian)
6th string – 7-8-10
5th string – 7-9-10
4th string – 7-9-10
3rd string – 7-9-11
2nd string – 8-10-12
1st string – 8-10-12
Same notes as the G Major scale. We’re just starting on B. So now add back in your original scale. Tie them together and jam in G Major for a bit. Then using these 2 scales, add back in your Am Pentatonic scale in between and jam in Am Dorian.
Lastly, we will add in the 5th position of the G Major scale (D Mixolydian) and then tie them all together. Play in G Major and A Dorian.
6th string – 10-12-14
5th string – 10-12-14
4th string – 10-12-14
3rd string – 11-12-14
2nd string – 12-13-15
1st string – 12-14-15
So you have only learned 3 shapes (assuming you already knew the Am pent scale) – but you are playing from the 3rd fret on the low E string – all the way up to the 15th fret of the high e string. That’s the whole neck! It just repeats after that. So now you can navigate the entire neck in G Major and A Dorian.
(You can actually do a lot more with this – but I’ve probably confused you enough for one day.)
In time, you can go back and fill in the other positions you’ve skipped. But this gets you up and running with full neck coverage in a practical way.
Obviously this can be done with melodic minor & harmonic minor as well.
THE REAL POINT OF THIS LESSON IS THAT IT’S BETTER TO MASTER A SMALL AMOUNT OF USEFUL INFORMATION THAN IT IS TO BE MEDIOCRE AT EVERYTHING.

 

[Andrew Antonucci]

Wow thanks for all the answers! I’m gonna really put this info to work! Also can’t believe I got an answer from 1 of 2 reasons I’m here so thank you all!