Q&A for How to Learn Guitar Scales

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  • Question
    Are guitar scales worth learning?
    Ron Bautista
    Ron Bautista
    Professional Guitarist & Guitar Instructor
    Ron Bautista is a professional guitarist and guitar teacher at More Music in Santa Cruz, California and the Los Gatos School of Music in Los Gatos, California. He has played guitar for over 30 years and has taught music for over 15 years. He teaches Jazz, Rock, Fusion, Blues, Fingerpicking, and Bluegrass.
    Ron Bautista
    Professional Guitarist & Guitar Instructor
    Expert Answer
    Scales will help you improve your musicality, but it takes time. With scales, you have to work with them over time to get any results. I think people expect a scale to make music for them, but that's not the way it works. However, if you practice every day, you'll gradually notice that your ability to be melodic has improved.
  • Question
    Can you provide more technical steps for the right and left hands and give more information about scales?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Just practice. There are many tutorials online and in books on building your hands and fingers. As for scales, the notes contained therein are the building blocks for any style of playing or melody.
  • Question
    I saw a C major scale that started at the open E, aren't scales supposed to start at their roots?
    Jelke de Jong
    Jelke de Jong
    Community Answer
    Well, normally speaking, yes, a C major scale would have to start on C. Each scale has 7 modes, though, which tell you on what note they start. So, for example, E in the Frygic mode would be the scale of C, but starting on E.
  • Question
    What is the penatonic major scale?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    That's a scale made of full extents from a major scale. For example, a pentatonic major scale made in C major would be: c, d, e, g, a.
  • Question
    How can I use this knowledge of the scales to better improve my rhythm skills and blend better at improv jams?
    Grahamster
    Community Answer
    Listen to the type of music you are going to play. Studying things such as the syncopation and feel of the music helps tremendously. Once you have your scales down, begin to learn different modes and the effects they have on the feeling of the peace. Then it's all down to plenty of practice!
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