Intervals or Notes??

Hey!!

Does anyone have any advice on when first learning scales, are you better to memorise the intervals in each pattern ( eg 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 6th) or the notes of the pattern (eg A B C# E F#)?
Or is it better in the long run to just memorise both from the start??

I've been playing a long time but have never properly learned either, I just memorised the patterns and played by ear, but I'd like to do it right now, so I've gone back to basics!!!!

Well purely looking at intervals I would say the pattern in each scale would be good to learning intervals (jumping from the root to any other given interval).

But when learning scales it is really easy to know BOTH! Why? Because if you know which note it is from the scale (for example the second) and you know which note it actually is ( for example an A, from the G Major Scale ). You can tell which chords belong in which key.

That works in the following way if you don't know that. (Using the G Major Scale here)

1st: Major ( In G Major Scale that chord would be G Major )
2nd: Minor ( In G Major Scale that chord would be A Minor )
3rd: Minor ( In G Major Scale that chord would be B Minor )
4th: Major ( In G Major Scale that chord would be C Major )
5th: Major ( In G Major Scale that chord would be D Major )
6th: Minor ( This is also the relative minor Key. In G Major Scale that chord would be E Minor ).
7th: Diminished ( In G Major Scale that chord would be F# Diminished )
8th or Octave, is the same where you start over.

Remember the pattern: Major, Minor,Minor,Major,Major,Minor,Diminished and finally the octave.

JJ

Originally Posted by: jimidalliance
Does anyone have any advice on when first learning scales, are you better to memorise the intervals in each pattern ( eg 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 6th) or the notes of the pattern (eg A B C# E F#)?

Start with intervals, then learn the notes. You can combine learning them to a certain degree. But, they are separate skills, so at first just focus on the intervals.

I encourage students to start with the intervals because doing so will better help you integrate the physical motions and fretboard patterns with the actual sound you are making.

Over the course of time gradually map the notes on the fretboard as you go along. It is a separate skill so focus on it separately. The longer you work on both the intervals and the notes, the more they will become automated in your subconscious and second nature to you.

If you are going all the way back to basics, I encourage you to have a look at the GF2 course chapters on intervals, scales, chords and how they all relate:

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

After that, go to chapter 7 in which I show lots of useful ways to practice scales in order to help improve your physical & hearing skills.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=451

After that, I have lots of other tutorials that can help you visualize the fretboard, play it competently, hear what you are doing and really understand it:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=453
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=887

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=898
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=899

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=928
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=929

Hope this helps. Have fun!

I agree with the above poster. Learn the intervals, but at the same time, it is really important to begin memorizing the fretboard and all of the notes on it. Start with the natural notes, that is the easiest. I like to do one string scales or improvise using only one string, for example E phryggian, while being fully aware of every note. E phrygian is all of the natural notes. Play D dorian, A minor, and G Mixolydian, too.

Then when you are playing the scales while memorizing the intervals, you will see, hey that is a sixth above the root (let's say C), so it must be A. Learning the intervals for each scale is also very important. Once you know the 3 and 4 string patterns for every interval in a scale you will be really close to getting it all, because the intervals start over again.

The 3 string pattern ends on the close octave and the 4 string one ends on the far octave. The intervals from string to string never change, but each note's function within the given mode will change depending on the context. for example the 6th of a Major scale will become the root of a minor scale within a minor chord progression, but the interval between C and A will always be a major sixth or a minor 3, depending on which inversion you use. Both of these skills are part of an ongoing process to really have control of what you are playing on guitar. music is great :)

Thanks for the great advice, and thanks Christopher for the links, I'll get cracking on those!!