How to use the Scale widget

Select the root note of your scale. If it has a flat note, for example, Bb then click 'show flat notes' and then select Bb. the root note will be displayed. Select the scale you want and it will appear on the fretboard.

If you want to practise one position at a time click pos1 or pos2 etc and the positions of each note in the scale will appear as you want. You will notice that the notes in the scale appear on the left hand side and the mode of the position you are practising.

A bit about scales

A scale is an ascending or descending group of notes. The number can vary from 5 notes (pentatonics), 7 notes as in the Major and minor scales, 8 notes (octatonic) or all notes as in the chromatic scale. The major scale consists of 7 notes which are separated by intervals shown in the fretboard diagram below

Starting from C the next note in C major is D and is 2 frets away or 1 whole step. The Next note E is 1 more whole step away and then F is 1 fret or 1 half step away from E and so on. You get the idea. You can create the notes in any key by finding the first note of your key on your fretboard and applying these intervals.

The way these intervals are arranged give the scale it's sound or character. The major scale is used alot in popular music.

The relative minor

Create the C Major scale on the fretboard above. Now create the A minor scale. Notice anything? Yes they are exactly the same. The A minor scale is the relative minor of the C Major scale. In fact the relative minor of any Major scale can be found in the 6th position (pos 6) on the fretboard.

Above you can see the intervals are different to the major scale. Why not try playing the major scale and then the minor scale and see how different they sound. Try it with C major and C minor. You will notice that the compared to the minor scale the major scale sounds more jolly and brighter and the minor slightly melancholic.

The melodic minor scale

If you look at the intervals the melodic minor is very close to the major scale except the 3rd note is flattened by 1 half step and the rest the same.

In a way because it is so similar to the major scale it can be thought of as a combination of major and minor. In books and on the internet you will see references to the scale having different notes ascending and descending. Ignore this if you want to use the scale in your guitar playing and use it like you would any other scale.

The Harmonic minor scale

The interesting thing about the harmonic minor scale is the three fret interval between the 6th and seventh note of the scale.

This creates a very distinct sounding scale with an augmented sound. Songs like 'Gangsta paradise' by coolio or 'sweet dreams' by the Eurythmics use this scale.