Scales

Hill Phillips · Post by **Hill Phillips** » 31 Aug 2000 2:25 am

I keep hearing Scales. Do I need to learn them and why?
Why not just learn chords?

Just trying to learn.

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 31 Aug 2000 5:09 am

First of all, scale work trains your ears to recognize the intervals between notes. You should at least be familiar with major and minor scales. Others will tell you that scale modes are also important. I haven't learned them yet, but I've got a long way to go.

Practicing scales also helps you to refine your intonation, bar movement, coordination. It's a basic tool that can be applied to learning other techniques.

Scales also help you to locate patterns on the neck that you can use for soloing, playing fills, etc.

Don't just learns scales as 12345678 and back down. challenge yourself with other patterns. For example 1231 2342 3453 4564... Keeps it a little more interesting, and makes you concentrate harder.

Definitely learn scales, AND chords.

Check the bar chatter area for a recent thread regarding licks or scales. Some interesting discussion.

[This message was edited by Chris Walke on 31 August 2000 at 06:11 AM.]

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 31 Aug 2000 5:16 am

scale discussion mentioned above is located here:
http://www.b0b.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/011052.html

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 31 Aug 2000 5:45 am

Chris made probably one of the most poignant points I have ever read on the subject. Read his post again and try it. You will benefit for lifetime of good music if you do.

God bless you in what ever you do,

carl

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 31 Aug 2000 10:17 am

Carl--thanks!

It's funny that I am a proponent of learning scales now. I was classically trained on trumpet from when I was 10 years old until I graduated high school. My directors and instructors would harp on me to learn scales and arpeggios. I hated that stuff. It seemed so boring.

As a lead guitar player, I learned to solo with pentatonic minor scale, extended into the blues scale, and then I found the major scale. It's how I learned to play solos. When I started on lap steel, I quickly realized I had to learn this stuff AGAIN. I enjoy it now. The baby steps I am taking to learn this instrument are obvious to me and to my bandmates. Every once in awhile I take a grand leap, and I think a lot of it is due to learning scale patterns. Suddenly, something will just click, and then it's back to the baby steps until the next leap happens. Got a long, long way to go, but it's so very fun.

Listen to your heroes' recordings, then practice, practice, practice...then listen again, then practice, practice, practice...THEN, when you think you know everything, listen to Maurice Anderson's Texas Swing cassette, cry a little, then practice, practice....

!!

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 31 Aug 2000 11:57 am

Hill, follow Chris's advice. The problem with most guitar players, they go by the seat of their pants and generally haven't a clue of what they are playing. Most any other instrument, as Chris has pointed out, makes it a requirement to know scales backwards and forwards, inside and out. It is from the scales that chords are derived. It is also from the scales that tunings are named...eg: E13, C6, B11, ad nauseum. Scales are the language of music...learn the language and it all falls into place.

Porter Fawcett · Post by **Porter Fawcett** » 31 Aug 2000 9:13 pm

Are there any books on scales, I sure do need one.

Hill Phillips · Post by **Hill Phillips** » 1 Sep 2000 4:29 am

Thank you George Chris and Carl.
It is very nice of you to take the time and effort to help me.
Hill.[This message was edited by Hill Phillips on 01 September 2000 at 05:30 AM.]

Bob Kagy · Post by **Bob Kagy** » 1 Sep 2000 9:04 am

Chris, very nice posts - I've had similar experiences with wanting nothing to do with scales, etc (the basics), then getting into them and finding out how much it opens things up.

Porter - a good, straightforward theory book that includes scales, chords (and a lot more) is Arnie Berle's Theory & Harmony for the Contemporary Musician. It sold for about $15 and is usually available in most music stores.

IMO, an extraordinary resource is also the Jamey Aebersold series of books & CD's. His Volume 1 (including CD), How to Play Jazz and Improvise, has excellent material on scales, chords, and many guidelines for improvising. So rich in fact, that I think I could spend years on just this one book/CD. His website at www.jajazz.com is very user friendly and has info and ordering data.

It's jazz oriented in title, but guys like Emmons, Franklin and lots of others have praised this stuff many times on the forum.

Hope this is useful, Bob