Sharps and Flats

Im starting to learn scales and understand theory.

Memorizing all the notes on the neck and the scales in them is extremely painful for an old guy like me.

I was wondering tho, why did they call some notes sharp and some flat?

bB and bE is A# and D#, why did they mix it up like they did? Why not make everything in sharp or flat?

Would it be wrong for me to memorize the notes all in sharp or flat? and when i learn them, just convert them to its original flat or sharp?

Originally Posted by: dfaris
Memorizing all the notes on the neck and the scales in them is extremely painful for an old guy like me.
[/quote]
Memorizing the note names is unavoidable. Keep at it and gradually you will find it becomes automated.

Also, about scales: at first, do not look at scales as "groups of notes". If you do this then you will wind up with "12 different major scales" and "12 different minor scales". Yikes!

Instead, grasp that every major scale has the same formula, the same set of intervals that result in a similar fretboard pattern for every single major scale (likewise for minor scales).

The difference in "groups of notes" is merely a consequence of starting the scale formula on a different note each time to start a different scale.

So, rather than be confused and overwhelmed by the fact that ...

C major is c-d-e-f-g-a-b-c
D major is d-e-f#-g-a-b-c#
E major is e-f#-g#-a-b-c#-d#

... and so on ...

Stop! And realize that every major scale only has one formula and shape. The different notes in each scale are only a result that you can learn after you get the idea of the scale down and you are more comfortable with the location of the notes on the fretboard.

Originally Posted by: dfaris
I was wondering tho, why did they call some notes sharp and some flat?

bB and bE is A# and D#, why did they mix it up like they did? Why not make everything in sharp or flat?

I covered the issue of accidentals (sharps and flats) extensively in this thread:

http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27368
[QUOTE=dfaris]
Would it be wrong for me to memorize the notes all in sharp or flat?

It is much easier and more efficient to memorize the location and organization of the natural letters A-G. Then later you can fill in the blanks with sharp or flat as necessary.

So once you grasp that A and B are always two frets apart, then you are ready to understand that the open fret between can be either A-sharp or B-flat depending upon the musical context.

In general it is best to avoid using the same letter in a scale sequence in order to achieve clarity. Therefore, the G major scale is:

G - A - B - C - D - E - F-sharp

Instead of:

G - A - B - C - D - E - G-flat

Notice that this amounts to the exact same notes. However, the first is better because it uses all the letters in a specific order and thereby avoids using the G twice in the pattern.

Make sense?

Oh!

Ok. Thats a good reason reason to have sharps and flats, to avoid using the same letter for a scale. Makes sense. Kinda. I guess that reason gets thrown out the window when playing some exotic scales that mixes it up;like when u get an F and a F# in the same scale.

I understand that the major scale is all the same throughtout the keys. Only the root is different.

Currently, I have made up some diagrams (maybe I'll put them up later, for other beginners, Im late for work at the moment) that show all the notes on the fretboard from open to 12 and the Cmajor and Aminor scales and all the different variations within them.

There are so many ways to play 1 scale in 12 frets.
I dont know if I should learn them all, or if there is a most popular one and the rest of them are just finger excersises?

Originally Posted by: dfarisI guess that reason gets thrown out the window when playing some exotic scales that mixes it up;like when u get an F and a F# in the same scale.[/quote]
Yes, there are times when it is unavoidable.

However, even in cases like this you can do double-sharp or double-flat if it helps clarify the letters used in a scale. Typically the only situation in which you'd have to use the same letter more than once is in a scale of more than 7 notes. Because there are only 7 musical alphabet letters to use!

So in your example you could use E-sharp (for F) and F-sharp. Or use F and G-flat. Or use F, G-flat and A-double flat (for G). There are many options.
[QUOTE=dfaris]There are so many ways to play 1 scale in 12 frets.
I dont know if I should learn them all, or if there is a most popular one and the rest of them are just finger excersises?

Yes, gradually learn and use them all. The GF2 lessons on C major give you the basic ones to use.

For more look here:
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=453
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=370
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=462

I'm having a real problem understanding the major scale. I have learned Pent. Minor in all positions, and can easily play pent. minor in any key by just moving pattern 1 to the correct key/note on the 6th string. Major however doesn't seem so simple. I'm trying to learn the caged patterns for it, but it seems everyone says pattern 1 is different from what others have said. I see pattern 1 diagrams, but if it's a C scale for example it doesn't show the root starting on C on the E string, and the pattern beginning there. The patterns I find will usually start near fret 1 and show the root as C (3rd fret, A string), and notes played before it on the E string... so it's doesn't seem to follow the same principle as Pent. Minor. Is this explained anywhere in detail???

Originally Posted by: dragonshade
I'm having a real problem understanding the major scale.
[/quote]
Have you looked at the C major scale lessons in GF2?

http://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=2

That is the absolute best place to start: intervals, major scale, minor scale, scale exercises.

Originally Posted by: dragonshade
I have learned Pent. Minor in all positions, and can easily play pent. minor in any key by just moving pattern 1 to the correct key/note on the 6th string. Major however doesn't seem so simple.
[/quote]
Ah, but it is just as simple. Because you can use the same exact pattern. The trick is you have to shift the scale degrees (the scale numbers).

Look here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=296
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=722
[QUOTE=dragonshade]
I'm trying to learn the caged patterns for it, but it seems everyone says pattern 1 is different from what others have said.

The biggest single problem with visualizing scale patterns on the guitar is that you can play the same exact note in more than one place.

Look here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=453

It is also possible to understand by looking carefully at the images on this lesson page:

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10666

The lesson text clearly explains the principle. The images show three different ways (patterns) to achieve exactly the same sound every time: a C major scale.
[QUOTE=dragonshade]
I see pattern 1 diagrams, but if it's a C scale for example it doesn't show the root starting on C on the E string, and the pattern beginning there ...

A C major scale is the same notes always: c-d-e-f-g-a-b. The note C is always the root (the 1st scale degree) always. But you can play these notes anywhere and everywhere you can find them on the guitar (or any musical instrument.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have more questions.