Which scales should i practice :)?

Hi every1

very nice forum u've got here.
i have a couple of questions, and will really appreciate some answers :D

1.
some weeks ago i started practicing some major/minor scales, and would like to know, if u think i should learn all the scales in every 12 keys, or should i learn 1 of each kind of scales and learn to move them around?

2.
I know there are ALOT of scales, and therefor I'm not planning to learn them all, but which scales should learn?

1. I recommend you learn in all keys and I think you'll find it easier and easier every key you learn..

2. It depends, if you ask me. I really think that the flamenco scale is awesome, also the diminished scales. I don't know where I saw it, but somewhere on this site the Persian scale is transscripted, and that's also a very cool scale.. Or simply just improvise, make your own scales. I did one myself, which maybe it's an allready known scale, but it still a fun scale:



e|--12-10-8------------------------------------------|
B|------------12-10-9--------------------------------|
G|----------------------10-9-------------------------|
D|----------------------------12-10-9----------------|
A|--------------------------------------12-11--------|
E|---------------------------------------------13-12-|



Hope that helped you a little.. =D

It really did :)

thx alot

and btw, if any1 else has a suggestion of which other scales i should learn plz let me know.

Yeah, and learn the harmonic minor scale. It will help you imrpovise to many Yngwie Malmsteen songs, and you can compose nice solos by mixing different harmonic minor scales. It's probably the most common scale used in neo-classical metal.

You get the harmonic minor by simply raising the 7th note of the minor scale by ½ a step.

Sounds like a good idea grassroot,
thx for the reply.

I think i'll go work on some of those, thx alot to both of you :)

Learn the notes, the degrees and the theory behind the scales..It will benefeit you much more than just learning the basic box patterns
My fav scales is the Algerian scale..really exotic and metalish

Hehe, alot of hard work, but I'm sure you are right,
and it's the results that matters :)

and again thx for some good advice.

My advice...

Learn the pentatonic scale + blues scale in all positions (playing in all keys on the guitar is pretty tiresome, not much need in my opinion, just try it in a few)

Learn Major + all minor scales in all positions

Then learn how to play all the modes of the Major scale

Finally learn the chromatic, whole tone and diminished scales in all positions.

Then worry about the wierd ones :D

Also make sure you know what all the notes on the fretboard are and where the 1st 3rd and 5th notes in the scale are in ever position at least.

Then by that time you should be about a year older at least :)

- J

(anyone think that's too much?)

Or if you can't be bothered with any of that learn the chromatic scale and start playing some Chopin :)

Alot of more good advice, heh I'm a lucky man, now i know what to do the whole next year :D

thx alot

You should really learn this article aswell, the best theory article I've ever seen. This is the ground to almost the entire music theory and I just guarantee you that this will help you alot!

http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/31

This may take an hour to read and fully understand, but it's worth it dude!

great site =D

what can i say ^^?

thx alot m8 :D

The phrygian scale is a typical metal scale, learn that one.
Harmonic minor scales are nice aswell, Yngwie style sort of.
Learn the pentatonic, but don't forget to learn all the 5 boxes!!!!

I've always wondered, how exactly do you practice scales? I don't think it's possible. Most people would say playing the scale is practicing a scale, but how does that help? I'd rather use picking excersises, preferably making backstrokes while I ascend and descend in a mode... Thats a good way to memorize any scale for instance...

A Phrygian 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7

------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------|
---------------------------------5------5-7---5-7-8-5-7-8-|
-------5------5-7---5-7-8-5-7-8---7-8------8--------------|
5-6-8----6-8------8----------------------------------------|

--------------------------------------------5-----5-6---5-6-8|
-----------------5------5-6----5-6-8-5-6-8---6-8-----8------|
5-----5-7---5-7----5-7------7--------------------------------|
--7-8-----8---------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------------------------------|

Then do the same thing decsending.

This ones a little weird, but I heard someone in this forum mentioned this mode earler, and it is featured in alot of Rock, (Nirvana, Zepplin etc.)

Also check out pentatonics, start to improvise with that, but branch out too.

Also get more well aquainted with the positions of the note on the fretboard,
Joe Satriani suggests that a player should map out where all the Cs are, all the Gs , Es, etc. Try setting up a metronome and doing that, then it becomes easier to locate scales and move across the fretboard.

This takes a LONG time but when it finally comes it's awesome.

www.musictheory.net
www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/

Ultimate Guitar columns are useless, everyone on that site is pretty ignorant and biased, but the lessons done by the UG staff are pretty good, and they have a scales and soloing section I think you'd like.

P.S. sorry for the information overload, bad habits :D

oops sorry, I didn't answer the question but I'll try to name some cool ones,(an essential ones) uhh...

"Church Modes"
(Make sure you know these)

Ionian 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Dorian 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7
Phrygian 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Lydian 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7
Mixolydian 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
Aeolian 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Locrian 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7

And some cool ones...
Minor Pentatonic 1 b3 4 5 b7
Major Pentatonic 1 2 3 5 6
Pentatonic Blues 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7
Harmonic Minor 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 7

Come to think of it, for any formula, go HERE.

http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/guitar-codex/index.php

that program is awesome. :D

Thx alot

by now i have lots of stuff to practice thx to all of you guys.

and Racer, when i practice scales i start with the boxes, and then playing the boxing in thirds, fourths and fifths with double tripple and "4 and 5 times strokes", and then later when i've got it pretty well, i just play around with 16th with metronom about 80.

ups, sorry, not boxing but boxes :D