Scale & Pattern Learning - Guitar Lessons Made Easy

When speaking about scales it's easy to roll our eyes at the thought of the repetition involved in trying to memorise and learn each individual scale.  It begs the questions... what's the point?

The answer is... FREEDOM! Scale learning has the ability to give you the ultimate freedom when playing. Take a popular scale for instance, the pentatonic.  The pentatonic consists of 5 notes taken from either the Major or Minor scales (essentially they are the same thing... we call them the enharmonic equivalents of one another). If you learn this scale over the 5 patterns (based on the CAGED system - where we can find the root notes in multiple locations on the neck) you will gain the ability to shred over the neck knowing that every note you play will work against the track.

I teach this to all of my students within their guitar lessons.  As a guitar teacher in Aberdeen it's important to teach my students to become as independent as possible within their playing.  If you can start with one scale (eventually over the 5 patterns) in theory you should be able to work out the key to any song and from there (with a little bit more knowledge) work out the chord progression of the song (the harmony).  If you can do this then there is no reason why you can't start learning to play solely by ear.  Yes it involves a certain level of theory knowledge and of course some scale knowledge but it is possible.  

By learning the pentatonic scale (or even just the Major/Minor scale) to begin with then you will be on the right path to start riffing to any song in any key.  Learning the patterns increases our knowledge of the fretboard, it pushes us to think a little more and problem solve each track.  There is a lot to consider when playing to a track (the wrong against right/modal keys etc.) but there is so much you can do with just one scale.

Learning guitar through your guitar lessons with Fresh Music Aberdeen doesn't need to be tough.  With the right approach to learning and practice you'll be playing with the greatest feeling of freedom before you know it.   Learn some scales... it will change your playing for the better!