The Two Most Important Scales in Western

Music
March 18, 2013 By Klaus Crow
https://www.guitarhabits.com/the-two-most-important-scales-in-western-music/

Today I’ll show you the two most important scales in western music. The
“Major Scale” and the “Pentatonic Scale”. If they are not in your vocubalary
yet, be eager to learn. If you know your scales you can learn how to solo,
improvise and much more. We’ll start with…

The Major Scale.

The major scale is the mother of all scales, because all the other scales, modes,
intervals, chords and harmony in western music can be derived from it. If you
want to learn anything about music theory you need to know how to play the
major scale.

And why would you want to learn music theory? Because you’ll be much
faster in learning to understand everything about guitar playing. Yes you’ll
become a better rock, blues, metal, country, jazz guitar player. If you know
music theory you know the short cuts to playing and transcribing guitar solos,
chord progressions and improvising. It makes the life of a guitar player a lot
easier.

INTERVALS:
The major scale contains 7 notes starting with the root note and the scale is
followed by the octave of the root note: 1(root) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8(=1)(=octave)
To form a scale on a single string we use the formula: W-W-H-W-W-W-H
W = Whole step.(2 frets) H = Half step.(1 fret)

For example: Let’s say we start on a G-note (Low E-string 3rd fret), now go up
a whole step to an A(note), then up a whole step to B, up a half step to C, up a
whole step to D, a whole step to E, a whole step to F# and finally up a half
step to G. So the notes of the G major scale are:G A B C D E F# G
The major scale in the video lesson and the tabs below contain the same notes,
only it’s a two octave major scale: G A B C D E F# G A B C D E F# G

The Pentatonic Scale.

The pentatonic scale is so important because it is widely used in Rock, Blues,
Metal, Jazz, Fusion, Country and many other styles. Just about any pop, rock,
blues guitar solo you hear on the radio is played using the pentatonic scale.
And what is quite nice is that it’s not such a difficult scale to learn.

INTERVALS: The pentatonic scale only contains five notes starting with the
root note and finishing with the octave of the root note. These are the notes
compared to a major scale: 1 b3 4 5 b7 8(=1)(=octave) The interval formula is: 1
1/2, W, W, 1 1/2, W
Note: 1 1/2 = 3 half steps.(3 frets) W = Whole step.(2 frets)

For example: Let’s say we start on a A-note (Low E-string 5th fret), now go up
a 1 1/2 step to an C(note), then up a whole step to a D, up a whole step to E,
up 1 1/2 step to G and finally up a whole step to A. So the notes of the A
pentatonic scale are: A C D E G A
The pentatonic scale in the video lesson and the tabs below is a two octave
pentatonic scale:
ACDEGACDEGA

Now let’s take a closer look at the tabs below.

For the major scale I’ve chosen the G major scale. Once you can play the G
major scale you can play it in any key, just by moving up the scale a half step
up each time.
If you move up the G major scale up a half step you are playing a G# major
scale, move up a half step again and you’re playing an A major scale, move
up a half step to A#, up a half step to B, up a half step to C and so on:

G – G# – A – A# – B – C – C# – D – D# – E – F – F# – G
Example see tabs below:
Note: Every scale starts and ends on the root note. Every red note indicates a
root note.

G Major Scale
e----------------------------2-3-2---------------------------|
B------------------------3-5-------5-3-----------------------|
G------------------2-4-5---------------5-4-2-----------------|
D------------2-4-5---------------------------5-4-2-----------|
A------2-3-5---------------------------------------5-3-2-----|
E--3-5---------------------------------------------------5-3-|
Move up a half step and you have:
G# Major Scale
e----------------------------3-4-3---------------------------|
B------------------------4-6-------6-4-----------------------|
G------------------3-5-6---------------6-5-3-----------------|
D------------3-5-6---------------------------6-5-3-----------|
A------3-4-6---------------------------------------6-4-3-----|
E--4-6---------------------------------------------------6-4-|
Move up a half step and you have:
A Major Scale
e----------------------------4-5-4---------------------------|
B------------------------5-7-------7-5-----------------------|
G------------------4-6-7---------------7-6-4-----------------|
D------------4-6-7---------------------------7-6-4-----------|
A------4-5-7---------------------------------------7-5-4-----|
E--5-7---------------------------------------------------7-5-|
And so on...

The same thing goes for the pentatonic scale. In the video I play an A
pentatonic scale. Move it up a half step and you're playing an A# pentatonic
scale and so on....

A Minor Pentatonic Scale

e---------------------5-8-5---------------------|
B-----------------5-8-------8-5-----------------|
G-------------5-7---------------7-5-------------|
D---------5-7-----------------------7-5---------|
A-----5-7-------------------------------7-5-----|
E-5-8---------------------------------------8-5-|
Move up a half step and you have:
A# Minor Pentatonic Scale
e---------------------6-9-5---------------------|
B-----------------6-9-------9-6-----------------|
G-------------6-8---------------8-6-------------|
D---------6-8-----------------------8-6---------|
A-----5-7-------------------------------7-5-----|
E-6-9---------------------------------------9-6-|

The scales are also really good for practicing your alternate picking. Make
sure you first practice slow and keep your notes clean and clear. After a
while when you feel comfortable with the tempo gradually build up your speed.
Don’t forget your notes need to sound crystal clear at all times before you
speed up.
The 5 Pentatonic Scale Shapes You Must Know
March 26, 2010 By Klaus Crow
https://www.guitarhabits.com/the-5-pentatonic-scale-shapes-you-must-know/

In order to learn how to solo and improvise in blues and rock you must know
the 5 pentatonic scale shapes. A lot of blues players tend to get stuck in the
first pentatonic scale shape, but to be truly free and improvise across the
entire fretboard you need to know all the shapes.

And it’s not just about that. Every shape gives it’s own sound and feeling to a
guitar lick. This is where the magic happens. This is where the coolness and
the beauty comes through all these different shapes. They all got their own
personality.

Learn all the shapes thoroughly and when you do also learn them in different
keys. It is a lot of work, but it is important that you do, so take your time with
it. Practice with focus and dedication.

The examples below are all in the key of A, but you can play these shapes in
every key, just move the shapes up and down the neck. The red notes are
showing the root notes of the scale, so in the scale shapes below they are all A
notes.

If you want to play the shapes in the key of G for example, all you need to do
is move them 2 half steps down. (a half step is a one fret distance) If you want
to play the shapes in the key of E move up 7 half steps, etc, etc.

Good luck and enjoy!

PENTATONIC SCALE POSITION #1 / E SHAPE:
e:------------------------5-8-5-----------------------------------------|
B:--------------------5-8-------8-5-------------------------------------|
G:---------------5-7----------------7-5---------------------------------|
D:----------5-7-------------------------7-5-----------------------------|
A:-----5-7----------------------------------7-5-------------------------|
E:-5-8------------------------------------------8-5---------------------|

PENTATONIC SCALE POSITION #2 / D SHAPE:

e:----------------------------8-10-8------------------------------------|
B:----------------------8-10----------10-8------------------------------|
G:-----------------7-9---------------------9-7--------------------------|
D:------------7-10------------------------------10-7--------------------|
A:------7-10-----------------------------------------10-7---------------|
E:-8-10----------------------------------------------------10-8---------|

PENTATONIC SCALE POSITION #3 / C SHAPE:

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

PENTATONIC SCALE POSITION #4 / A SHAPE:

e:-------------------------------12-15-12-------------------------------|
B:-------------------------13-15----------15-13-------------------------|
G:-------------------12-14----------------------14-12-------------------|
D:-------------12-14----------------------------------14-12-------------|
A:-------12-15----------------------------------------------15-12-------|
E:-12-15----------------------------------------------------------15-12-|

PENTATONIC SCALE POSITION #5 / G SHAPE:

e:-------------------------------15-17-15-------------------------------|
B:-------------------------15-17----------17-15-------------------------|
G:-------------------14-17----------------------17-14-------------------|
D:-------------14-17----------------------------------17-14-------------|
A:-------15-17----------------------------------------------17-15-------|
E:-15-17----------------------------------------------------------17-15-|

PENTATONIC SCALE POSITION #5 / G SHAPE:

(1 octave lower = 12 half steps down)
e:------------------------3-5-3-----------------------------------------|
B:--------------------3-5-------5-3-------------------------------------|
G:---------------2-5----------------5-2---------------------------------|
D:----------2-5-------------------------5-2-----------------------------|
A:-----3-5----------------------------------5-3-------------------------|
E:-3-5------------------------------------------5-3---------------------|
The 5 Major Pentatonic Scale Shapes –
Positions
May 9, 2014 By Klaus Crow
https://www.guitarhabits.com/the-5-major-scale-caged-shapes-positions/

The major pentatonic scale is mostly used in country, folk country rock, blues
and jazz.

It creates a more happy and uplifting sound.

The shapes of the major pentatonic scale are exactly the same as those of
the minor pentatonic scale, except the root note is located else where.

Looking at it from the major scale, if you leave out the 4th and the 7th note of
the major scale you’ll also end up with the major pentatonic.

The 5 shapes shown below are all the same scale (G major pentatonic scale)
just played in different positions, so you can learn the scale all over the neck.
That’s the whole purpose, eventually you want to have the freedom to be able
to improvise around the entire fretboard.

SHAPE NAMES
Each shape has it’s own shape-name C, A, G, E and D, derived from the C-A-
G-E-D system. Note: The name of the shapes have nothing to do with the key
of the scale. The names refer to the chord shape (made up of the red and green
dots) that is surrounded by the scale shape.

If you want to know more about the CAGED system check out: What is The
CAGED System? (The Keys to The Fretboard)

ROOT NOTES
In the scale diagrams below the red dots indicate the root notes and the green
dots indicate the remainder chord tones.
The root note of each shape determines the name of the scale. In the examples
below all the scale shapes are in the key of G, so all the root notes are G notes.

Each shape is moveable so you can play these shapes in every key. For
example, if you move the entire scale shape up a whole step (2 frets) you are
playing in the key of A, so now you’re playing A major pentatonic. If you
move down the entire scale shape down a half step (1 fret) you are playing in
the key of F#, so you’re playing F# major pentatonic. The principle goes for all
5 shapes.

Note: When learning to improvise using these shapes try to rest on root notes
or chord tones to be safe and avoid any odd sounding notes or let your ears be
the judge.

Tips:

– Practice each scale shape thoroughly before moving on to the next.

– Practice with a pick using alternate picking technique (down, up, down, up,
etc.)
– Practice slowly first and make sure each note sounds clean and clear.
– Once you feel comfortable with a slow tempo gradually build up your
speed.
– Practice with a metronome.
– Practice the scale shapes in different keys.

Take your time to learn all the shapes. Repetition and regular practice will get
you where you wanna be.

Have fun!
G Major Pentatonic – E shape / Position 1
G Major Pentatonic – D shape / Position 2
G Major Pentatonic – C shape / Position 3
G Major Pentatonic – A shape / Position 4
G Major Pentatonic – G shape / Position 5
What is The CAGED System? (The Keys to
The Fretboard)
January 4, 2014 By Klaus Crow
https://www.guitarhabits.com/what-is-the-caged-system-the-keys-to-the-fretboard/

Whenever you try to deepen your guitar knowledge and you buy a guitar
music theory book or look up something on the internet you keep bumping
into the CAGED system.

There comes a point when it’s unavoidable, that means it’s time and probably
something worth knowing about.

Let me rephrase that “definitely something worth knowing about”.

So then, what’s all the fuzz about the CAGED system?

Well, if you want to be serious about guitar playing and you want to
understand how the guitar in relation to the fretboard works, the CAGED
system is an absolute valuable tool. Let’s take a good look and see what this is
all about.

The CAGED system gives you a logic overview of the fretboard. It makes it
much easier to find your way around the neck and understand how chords,
chord shapes and scales are related to each other as well as a lot of other
things on the guitar. (arpeggios, triads, licks, etc.)

The CAGED system is derived from the five open major chord shapes: C, A,
G, E and D. Each chord shape can be moved up on the fretboard. To do so we
first have to take the 5 open chord shapes and turn them into closed chord
shapes. That means there are no open strings in the chord. By barring the fret
and then playing the shape next to it you can easily move the chord up and
down the neck and play each shape in all 12 keys.

See the three diagrams below how you can move the C major chord up the
fretboard. In the first diagram you play a “C” chord. In the second diagram
you bar the strings on the first fret with your index finger so there are no open
strings left (you don’t have to bar all the strings, only the strings that are left
open) and then play the C chord next to the bar with your middle, ring finger
and pinky.

You’ve just raised your chord a half step (1 fret) that means you are now
playing a “C#” chord (played as C shape). In the third diagram you move up
the entire shape another half step and it becomes a “D” chord (C shape).
Repeat this and move the shape all the way up the neck. Each time you move
up a half step the chord name changes but the shape name remains, because
it’s still the same shape.

Here below is another example with the E major chord. In the first diagram
you start with an open “E” (shape) chord. In the second diagram you move
up the entire chord a half step (1 fret), play the chord with your middle, ring
finger and pinky and bar the first fret with your index finger so you don’t
leave any open strings. (Think of the bar as the nut of the guitar, the bar has
replaced the nut)

Your chord has now become an “F” chord (played as E shape) Now in the
third diagram move the entire shape up another half step. You’re now playing
an “F#” chord. Again each time you move up a half step the chord name
changes but it’s still the same shape. You can apply this to all 5 chord shapes.

THE CAGED SEQUENCE

All 5 chord shapes are organized in the CAGED sequence spread across the
entire fretboard. The order of the chords in the sequence always remains the
same. If you start on C the order is C A G E D. If you start on E you get E D C
A G. If you start on G you get G E D C A and so on.
 On the left you can see the fretboard with all 5 chord
shapes on the neck starting with the C shape on the
first fret. Then the A shape starting on the 3rd fret.
The G shape on the 5th fret, the E shape on the 8th
fret and the D shape starting on the 10th fret. They
are all C chords played in 5 different shapes.

Check the 5 chord shapes below and see how they

are actually played and structured on the fretboard.

If you now look over to the fretboard you can see

that the 5 shapes overlap each other. Where one
shape ends the next shape starts. Except for the
neighbor shapes D and C. Where the D shape ends
you go back 1 fret and there you start on the C shape.

CHORD TONES
The CAGED system also makes it easy to visualize
all the chord tones of each shape across the fretboard. Every major chord
consists of the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the major scale. The red notes indicate
the Root notes (1) and the black notes are the 3 and 5 of the chord.

In this example we use a C major chord which consists of the notes C, E and
G. That means all the root notes are “C” notes, 3 is “E” and 5 is “G”.

Knowing where the root notes are of each shape makes it easy to identify the
shape and the shape names. When you’re dealing with scale shapes the root
notes will be in the same place.

If you know your notes on the fretboard (at least on the 6th and 5th string)
you will be able to move the shapes up and down the neck, find chords,
scales, arpeggios easily and see how a lot of things apply to the CAGED
system.
 Let’s take another example. On the left you can see the
fretboard with all 5 chord shapes on the neck but now starting with the E
shape (F chord) on the first fret. That means the D shape will start on the 3rd
fret, the C shape on the 5th fret, the A shape on 8th fret and the G shape will
start on the 10th fret. They are all F chords played in 5 different shapes.

Check the 5 chord shapes below and see how they are played on the
fretboard.

Again all the red notes indicate the Root notes (1) and the black notes are the 3
and the 5 of the chord.

The F major chord consists of the notes F, A and C. Therefor all the root notes
are “F” notes, 3 is “A” and 5 is “C”.

Notice and memorize neighboring chord shapes. So you become aware of

how to connect the shapes together. Remember where one shape ends the
next shape starts. Except for the neighbor shapes D and C. Where the D shape
ends you go back 1 fret and there you start on the C shape.

You can build this CAGED sequence with all 5 chord shapes.

Let’s take one more example. When you’re building the sequence with an A
shape chord you start with the Bb chord (A shape). The next shape in the
CAGED system will be the G shape starting on the 3rd fret, then the E shape
starting on the 6th fret, the D shape on the 8th fret, the C shape on the 10th
fret and then finally back to the A shape on the 13th fret.

Now you can build the CAGED sequence with the D shape and G shape.
Summarize:
– Learn the 5 chord shapes C, A, G, E and D.
– Move all 5 chord shapes up the neck.
– Learn where the root notes are positioned in each chord shape.
– Memorize the neighboring chord shapes of each shape.
– Practice all 5 chord shapes in the CAGED sequence across the fretboard (like
the examples above)

Follow these tips to fully comprehend the CAGED system and apply it to
chords, scales, licks, arpeggios and everything else. The possibilities will
reveal itself along the way once you get your hands dirty. You will see more
and more how it all fits together.
3 Basic Blues Licks Using The Pentatonic Scale
March 12, 2010 By Klaus Crow
https://www.guitarhabits.com/3-basic-blues-licks-using-the-pentatonic-scale/

The Pentatonic scale is the most often used scale for soloing and improvising
in blues and rock. If you are just starting out in blues you should definitely
check out this video. The 3 blues licks are free and for you to use in your own
improvisation. Copy them, rip them apart, turn them around and make them
your own. Use the pentatonic scale to create your own licks and solos. Be cool!

Tablature explanation:
p = pull off
h = hammer on
bd = bend down
bu = bend up
\ = slide

A MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE:

(The red notes indicate the root notes)
e:------------------------5-8---8-5-------------------------|
B:--------------------5-8-----------8-5---------------------|
G:---------------5-7--------------------7-5-----------------|
D:----------5-7-----------------------------7-5-------------|
A:-----5-7--------------------------------------7-5---------|
E:-5-8----------------------------------------------8-5-----|

LICK #1:
e:----------------------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------------------------------------------|
G:-------5bd------------------------------------------------|
D:-7p5--------7-5----5h7------------------------------------|
A:-----7-----------7----------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------|

LICK #2:
e:----------------------------------------------------------|
B:-----5-8--------------------------------------------------|
G:-7bu-----7bu-7-5bd----------------------------------------|
D:----------------------------------------------------------|
A:----------------------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------|
LICK #3:
e:----------------------------------------------------------|
B:----------------------------------------------------------|
G:----------------------------------------------------------|
D:----------5---5--7-5-7------------------------------------|
A:-5\7-5-7----7---------------------------------------------|
E:----------------------------------------------------------|

If this lesson is easy for you to play and you really want to get good at
blues licks, soloing and improvisation across the entire neck, then check out
the