Favorite Scale (guitarist's only)

[LiverpudlianSon]

I say Ionian or Phrygian. Though minor pentatonic and harmonic minor are fun.

Though if you're one of those dudes who just wanks off in minor pentatonic all day do yourself a favor and learn the modes.

[WesMont22]

as a Jazz guitarist, I find myself using the Dorian, Mixolydian, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor the most. And yes. Stupid losers who just rip their asses off on the Pentatonics should either take it up a notch or put the guitar down.

[YouEnjoyMyself]

I'm not a guitarist and I'm posting in your thread.

[hackslol]

mmmm scales.

[Benny Brown]

Umm... scales are part of universal music, not just guitars, bozo. Plus those mentioned aren't even real scales, they're sets of scales, or differenct music theories. Quit trying to toss around big words to make you sound smart.

[WesMont22]

I was just saying that I use those the most. Let's not turn this into an arguement.

[ShotgunPoet]

He wasnt trying to sound smart... don't be a jerk. Also, guitarists are going to have different tastes in scales. Go make your own thread for the clarinet or whatever you play, guitarists don't care what you have to say.

OP: those are modes of the major scale. They are all the same notes but shifted on the neck (which you probably know). Guitarists actually debate over whether there is a different sound to those sets. Some say its all the same notes so it sounds the same. Some say you play it different because it's a different shape and so it sounds different.

I'm a pentatonic guy.

[Emperer]

The Chromatic scale because it gives you more freedom :p

[Liquid Tension]

Theres nothing wrong with the pentatonic dude. Its just the guitarists who use it exclusively are the ones who need to learn more.

[Fox_Bot]

You guys are nerd-bots.

[JooK]

as a Jazz guitarist, I find myself using the Dorian, Mixolydian, Melodic Minor, and Harmonic Minor the most. And yes. Stupid losers who just rip their asses off on the Pentatonics should either take it up a notch or put the guitar down.


Your'e a moron.
Any scale can be used to be fit any type of music, depending on the form and execution of utilization.

Newb.

[longlaw]

Pentatonics are the basics of western music.

I prefer the whole tone scale played with an augmented 5th. Its also fun to throw in a major 7th into that mix.

A better topic would be your favorite chord.
Mine would be the chord of suspense (For full effect use G Maj7#5) other roots will not sound as suspensefull. I also love altered chords for they remain a mystery to me. I only know the fingerpattern for them and that they resolve perfectly into a minor 7.

[Pat The Baker]

Don't need scales, play what sounds good.

[Emperer]

Don't need scales, play what sounds good.
Actually, I agree with this guy. Screw scales, they only complicate things.

[longlaw]

thats what everyone does, they just want a cool name for what they do so other people respect them.

[AlekhinesBlock]

all the people who say screw scales are just jealous of those who took the time to learn them. Knowing scales helps you know what will sound good without noodling around. If your really good with scales you can even know what dissonance will sound good in context of the rest of the composition your creating. If you want to write music for the guitar knowing scales is essential. None of the greats just played "what sounded good." They all knew music theory.

That being said i dont play the guitar or any instrument so maybe im wrong.

edit: i spelled Know as "no"

[Emperer]

all the people who say screw scales are just jealous of those who took the time to learn them. Knowing scales helps you know what will sound good without noodling around. If your really good with scales you can even know what dissonance will sound good in context of the rest of the composition your creating. If you want to write music for the guitar knowing scales is essential. None of the greats just played "what sounded good." They all knew music theory.

That being said i dont play the guitar or any instrument so maybe im wrong.

edit: i spelled Know as "no"
You don't have to know scales to make good riffs, you can just play around and keep what sounds good, and build further on it. Those who wasted time learning scales are just jealous of others who rather practiced and invented good riffs in the meantime.

[JooK]

You don't have to know scales to make good riffs, you can just play around and keep what sounds good, and build further on it. Those who wasted time learning scales are just jealous of others who rather practiced and invented good riffs in the meantime.

Haha, fool.

There isn't a guitarist in history that just picked up the guitar and started busting out mad shit.

Basically, all you can do without scales is move up or down half-steps/full-steps, which unless you are a Greenday fan, it sounds like shit.

Scales are the basis of almost all solos, it's a structure that HAS to be imposed in order for something to sound good. Music theory is basically the studies of what notes/pitches sound good with eachother.

Btw, if you are playing some riff without knowning any (or atleast that particular) scale, you are actually PLAYING A SCALE. You just don't know the name for it.

Until someone explained it to me, I was playing the A Minor Harmonic scale for a while. And Iv'e come up with scales that I haven't found out about yet, but I know for sure that someone gave them a name and an explanation before.

[Slug Moses]

Phhht. Scales.:rolleyes:

I just start tapping on the high E and spitting blood everywhere.

[Emperer]

How do you know that all of your favorite bands use scales?? Of course there have been many composers who have made good music without learning scales! Actually, I've heard that Jimi Hendrix didn't learn it. And don't say that he's an exception, no matter how many hours you have wasted studying scales, you CAN perfectly make good music without it, deal with it. And besides, most riffs and melodies that sound good can perfectly fit into an existing scale, since there are so many. And you mention solos, what about Slayer's solos?? Or their riffs for that matter, Kerry King doesn't know a fart about theory!! And there are MANY bands that almost never use solos you know, even genres. Black and goth metal rarely use solos at all.

[Slug Moses]

How do you know that all of your favorite bands use scales?? Of course there have been many composers who have made good music without learning scales! Actually, I've heard that Jimi Hendrix didn't learn it. And don't say that he's an exception, no matter how many hours you have wasted studying scales, you CAN perfectly make good music without it, deal with it. And besides, most riffs and melodies that sound good can perfectly fit into an existing scale, since there are so many. And you mention solos, what about Slayer's solos?? Or their riffs for that matter, Kerry King doesn't know a fart about theory!! And there are MANY bands that almost never use solos you know, even genres. Black and goth metal rarely use solos at all.
Everything can be a scale or part of a scale. A scale is just a series of notes. If you play two different notes in a series, you are playing a scale, a two note scale. You can even, make up a name for it.

These guys that get caught up in running scales all over the place are missing the point. I've seen BB King get more feeling from two notes than any idiot running up and down the neck.

[Phar87]

While scales are certainly good to know if your a lead guitarist, it is more important to know how you to paraphrase a certain song or melody. For instance, My guitar teacher told me at my last practice to only play A B C# D and notes when soloing in the key of D. It was very hard to only work with 4 notes instead of the scale, but it helps you get creative.

On topic, my favorite scale is the the A harmonic 7 minor. For beggining shredders out there that just means sharpening the seventh note in the minor scale. Since the seventh note of an A Minor scale is G, that would be G#. It gives it an Araibian/Spanish tone to a song if your playing it.

[MoDilly]

Actually, I agree with this guy. Screw scales, they only complicate things.
They are extremely necessary when trying to improv. If you don't know your scales and modes then your improvs will suffer.

[SANHEDRIN]

Thankyou emperor for the submission of using slayer as an example, they're one of my top 3 most favourite bands.
Well i didnt goto any classes nor read anything on scales i have played in bands and played scales that i didnt even realise i was playing, there was a guitar teacher present in the audience when i played a charity gig when i was 18 and he even asked me "where did you learn to play?" and the usual questions to get some background. I just said "i play what my fingers want to play, if my fingers want to go to a higher octave or just want to slide and harmonic i let them go, they amuse me, i have the best view in the house". Should have seen his face, didnt have a clue what i was talking about.
I remember when i was sitting back making up a solo to one of my songs, i thought ' i should really learn some scales and shit to get better' but when i opened a guitar book on scales it had what i was using anyway, i remember opening the book and looking at the basic scales and seeing the 'diatonic and pentonic scale' and thinking "i already know them". I threw that book out the window faster than you can say fucking hell. I dont believe in "knowing the names" of the scales its just labelling and just pisses you off and you loose ya self esteem because you dont know the names of these scales and it turns into a fucking exam. I belive just playing the instrument that you want to play it, dont get too technical or you'll sound technical, just be you and play your way, when you write a song write it your way so it is YOU, not someone trying to sound good or someone trying to sound like someone else. Write the songs on how you like to hear them, write them so you say to your self "i like that song, its sounds fucking awesome", of course ya gonna get someone with negative feedback but its gonna be YOUR SONG, YOUR WAY. I'm not saying to EVERYONE just fuck up and forget the theory, if you wanna learn the technical side and theories then go for it, but dont critisize nor pride yourselves with a thought that you are only going to succeed if you believe what i believe and do what i do. Its already been proven that you dont have to be a know-it-all theoretical musician to be successful and rich. Music is suppose to be fun and creative not a stressful learning task that usually turns people off learning music. Its supposed to be a self expression not an expression from some book or university and astoundable knowledge of music theories.
If you wanna get rich in music then play the music that you think would make money but if you just want to play music that you want to play then play your music. Theres no point playing music that you dont like like to get rich, you might love the money and attention but you're stuck in a blackhole playing the music that you became famous for. I mean take SLAYER, they been playing fast heavy music since they started, when they first started out everyone hated them and were told to play different, when ' reign in blood' came out they hit the big time and they thought "why change now, we;ll make more money if we do this, but hate ourselves" so they kept true and just kept on playing what they wanted to play.
FUCK CONFORMITY

[Pat The Baker]

For those that say it will sound like shit if oyu don't follow a scale... you're retarded. Eddie Van Halen didn't know scales, just played what SOUNDED right. People like Kirk Hammet play all around the penatonic and it sounds lame.

Scales aren't "bad" but for some imaginative people, they aren't necessary.

[Slug Moses]

For those that say it will sound like shit if oyu don't follow a scale... you're retarded. Eddie Van Halen didn't know scales, just played what SOUNDED right. People like Kirk Hammet play all around the penatonic and it sounds lame.

Scales aren't "bad" but for some imaginative people, they aren't necessary.
Sorry, but Eddie knew the basics of the major scales. Maybe Eddie didn't have deep insight into the modes and yes his playing was mostly visceral, but not always just put your fingers where it sounds best. I guarantee you he knows the intervals of the major scale.

If you don't know the major scale, how do you build chords? How can you do anything without the knowledge of the major scale? I learned the major scale in elementary school music class.

[Pat The Baker]

My bad, I thought I read somewhere that he didn't know any, just played. I am sure he doesn't dwell on them though.

[Liquid Tension]

For those that say it will sound like shit if oyu don't follow a scale... you're retarded.

Almost all music follows some kind of scale, and ALL rock music follows some kind of scale as well. Just because a guitarist doesnt know what scale he is using, or even realize he is using a scale, its probably playing within one.

[Pat The Baker]

Almost all music follows some kind of scale, and ALL rock music follows some kind of scale as well. Just because a guitarist doesnt know what scale he is using, or even realize he is using a scale, its probably playing within one.
Totally agree with that. If you are trying to play something that sounds good, then it is probably inside of a scale, which is why that scale is a scale in the first place...

[Slug Moses]

My bad, I thought I read somewhere that he didn't know any, just played. I am sure he doesn't dwell on them though.
Oh it's cool, man. You're right he didn't dwell on them.

People think of scales as some crazy abstact idea. When in reality, it's just a simple series of notes.

1__2__3__4__5__6__7_(8)
Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, (do). That's all there is to the major scale.

Try it along your low E string, here are the frets:
0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12.

Now move it up a 1/2 step:
1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13.

You have just played the E major and the F major scale. Start wherever you want, using those same intervals and you can play them all.

Who thinks it would be cool to start a guitar lesson thread, where people could post their scales, chords, songs, and stuff like that? Maybe I'll start one sometime, I think it would be fun.

[Sloppy Flow]

I'm a sucker for anything that sounds Lydian.

Scales should be used as a tool, and not a restriction.

[SANHEDRIN]

Oh it's cool, man. You're right he didn't dwell on them.

People think of scales as some crazy abstact idea. When in reality, it's just a simple series of notes.

1__2__3__4__5__6__7_(8)
Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, (do). That's all there is to the major scale.

Try it along your low E string, here are the frets:
0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12.

Now move it up a 1/2 step:
1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13.

You have just played the E major and the F major scale. Start wherever you want, using those same intervals and you can play them all.

Who thinks it would be cool to start a guitar lesson thread, where people could post their scales, chords, songs, and stuff like that? Maybe I'll start one sometime, I think it would be fun.


Fuck yeah, i agree with posting some ideas of some 'scales' or other ideas of a tool to use muscial notes.:confused:

My favourite for lead guitar and a bass line scale is:

E------------------------------------------------------------------------]
B--------------------5--4------------------------------------------------]
G--------------6--5------------------------------------------------------]
D--------7--6------------------------------------------------------------]
A---8--7-----------------------------------------------------------------]
E--(0)-------------------------------------------------------------------]

Basic shit like that, but involve different positions, hammer-on's, pull offs, trills, slurs etc

or..

E-------------------------------------------------------------------------]
B---5--4------------------------------------------------------------------]
G----------5--4-----------------------------------------------------------]
D----------------7--5--4--------------------------------------------------]
A--------------------------5--4-------------------------------------------]
E----------------------------------7--3--0--------------------------------]

And again introduce different techniques

[KingCrimson]

Well if you ask me it would have to be a scale that I made myself. I can't think of any scale that is similar to mine really.
Of course I just create a new scale each time I make a song. I usually make a new scale if the song is going to be turned into an ambient song.
I write scales to finger pick on the acoustic guitar for fun in the dark.
But most of my stuff gets written into FL Studio and used for synthesizers.

[VF Logbreed]

Most everything I've wrote, which isn't much, is mostly all in C minor. One riff I have is in a major key though.

[adam_toker]

Locrian, Aeolian, and Ionian are the shit.

[crimsoncitizen]

Music First, scales later

[BassGuitar25]

30" Guitars are nice, but I'm a bass player, so 34" for me. :D

[Pat The Baker]

Bassists just like the longer neck because they need to compensate. :bigwink:

[SANHEDRIN]

E Phrygian

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

1...b2..b3..4...5...b6..b7

F Lydian

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

1...2...#3..4...5...6...7

G Mixolydian

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

1...2...3...4...5...6...b7

A Aeolian

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

1...2...b3..4...5...b6..b7

B Locrian

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

1...b2..b3..4...b5..b6..b7

to all the people that dont know what we're talking about

[MusicIsDead]

Who thinks it would be cool to start a guitar lesson thread, where people could post their scales, chords, songs, and stuff like that? Maybe I'll start one sometime, I think it would be fun.
Agreed! I play just like PatTheBaker, read tabs and make up cool riffs. But I am a complete dumbass and make myself look far worse then I am when Im around other guitarists. Theyre out busting out their massive scales, and I'm nodding my head back and fourth and saying.."yee yee gangsta, I use that one all the time". Sex for a guitar lesson thread. Not so much playing, but theory. Because all the people that have tried to teach me it, are so boring and I lose interest. Everyone on ebaums makes me giggle, and humour + theory=sex.
EDIT: That shit would get stickied up (If not, thats rather gay) and you can ask questions and shit. It would work wondefully. Someone with knowledge on theory..start one..Now!