Scale of the Month – A Aeolian – January '08

Scale of the Month – January 2008 – A Natural Minor (Aeolian) Scale

The Scale

There are many ways in which to play an A Minor scale, but we’ll stick with the 5th fret box position used over the last few months:

Ascending
E|-------------------------------------------------5--7--8------------
B|---------------------------------------5--6--8----------------------
G|-----------------------------4--5--7--------------------------------
D|----------------------5--7------------------------------------------
A|------------5--7--8-------------------------------------------------
E|--5--7--8-----------------------------------------------------------

Descending
E|--8--7--5-----------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------8--6--5--------------------------------------------------
G|---------------------7--5--4----------------------------------------
D|-------------------------------7--5---------------------------------
A|--------------------------------------8--7--5-----------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------8--7--5--------------

The Theory

Aeolian is the sixth major scale mode, the notes of A Aeolian are the same as C Major. The intervallic formula is 'WHWWHWW' (W Whole tone or 2 frets, H = Half tone or 1 fret). As compared to a major scale, the natural minor has a flattened third, sixth and seventh. The harmonic minor has the same notes as natural minor, but the seventh degree is raised a semi tone.

Natural Minor is used a great deal in rock music – 'All along the Watchtower' and 'Stairway to Heaven' are examples of Natural minor melodies.


Some Example licks (Tab symbol key below)

1) Slide

E|------------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------5------5-h-6-p-5-----5-------------------------
G|-------5\4---------------------------7-----7--5-p-4--------------
D|------------5/7------7---------------------------------/7~~~----
A|--5/7------------------------------------------------------------
E|------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Rake

E|----5--7--8--7-h-8-p-7-p-5-----5--------8----------------------
B|---5---------------------------8-----/10------10----------------
G|--5--------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------

3) Descending:

E|------------15--------------------12--------------------8----------------------
B|--12-h-13------13-p-12-\-8-h-10-------10-p-8-\-5-p-6-----6-p-5--------------
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------7--5------
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


4) Arpeggio

E|-------------------5--------------------------------------------------------
B|----------------------5--8----------8----------8b10--8---------------------
G|-----------5-\-4------------5-\-4------5-\-4-------------7-b-9-p-5---------
D|--------9---------------------------------------------------------------7---
A|-----7----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|--5-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Hammer ons: h.
Pull offs: p.
Vibrato: ~.
Bends: b.
Release bend: br.
Tap: t.
Slides: / or \ depending on direction.


Full Access Subscribers can access more lessons in the Aeolian Mode at www.guitartricks.com – including:

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=11133
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=3141
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=6488
http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10746


Private Message me using the links above and tell me which scale should be Scale of the Month for February...