Key of C Major/A Minor
We're going to start in the key of C Major/A Minor. This key has no sharps and no flats. All of the natural notes will be covered. Basically, it's just the start of your alphabet - A, B, C, D, E, F, and G.
I like starting students with this key to help them learn where all the natural notes are on the fretboard.
The image below shows a fretboard with all the natural notes filled in with black dots. The note names of each dotted fret are found within the dots.
I like starting students with this key to help them learn where all the natural notes are on the fretboard.
The image below shows a fretboard with all the natural notes filled in with black dots. The note names of each dotted fret are found within the dots.
Now, looking at that fretboard can be a bit overwhelming for many people, especially when they are just beginning to learn scale shapes. Where do you even begin?
Instead of viewing EVERYTHING at once, we're going to focus on 3 Notes Per String scale shapes. We're going to start with the C Major Scale (you could also call it C Ionian). The notes used, in order, are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The notes will continue in the order, repeating at higher octaves, until we run out of strings.
In this next image, you'll see C Major Scale/C Ionian Mode Shape, highlighted amongst all the natural notes. This is to show where the shape is found within those notes.
Instead of viewing EVERYTHING at once, we're going to focus on 3 Notes Per String scale shapes. We're going to start with the C Major Scale (you could also call it C Ionian). The notes used, in order, are C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The notes will continue in the order, repeating at higher octaves, until we run out of strings.
In this next image, you'll see C Major Scale/C Ionian Mode Shape, highlighted amongst all the natural notes. This is to show where the shape is found within those notes.
Now, here is the same shape all by itself, making it even easier to see.
For those of you who don't know how to read a scale diagram, here it is tabbed out going up and down.
The way the C Major Scale is tabbed out is how to play each shape to work and show you have everything memorized. Start with the lowest note, go up one note at a time until you reach the highest note in the shape, and then come down one note at a time until you're back where you started.
Now, before moving on to the next Scale/Mode Shape, can you play that C Scale from memory, and comfortably? If the answer is no, then do NOT move on!
One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to memorize too many things at once.
Many times I've had students complain they don't know why they can't memorize any of the scales. Then they tell me how they run through ALL the scale shapes, every day, several times a day. Well, that's exactly why they couldn't memorize anything. Instead of memorizing one shape at a time, they tried doing everything at once.
If you want to memorize a page in a book, you don't start by reading the entire page over and over again. You start by memorizing one sentence at a time.
In order to memorize your scales in the shortest amount of time possible, you MUST memorize ONE at a time, or you'll never memorize anything.
Now, once you can COMFORTABLY play the first scale shown here from MEMORY, it's time to start working on the next shape - D Dorian.
All scale/mode shapes will be presented the same way. First, the notes to play will be highlighted amongst all the natural notes so you can see how they fit together. Then, just the notes you'll be playing. Then, the scale tabbed out in the way to memorize it.
Now, before moving on to the next Scale/Mode Shape, can you play that C Scale from memory, and comfortably? If the answer is no, then do NOT move on!
One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to memorize too many things at once.
Many times I've had students complain they don't know why they can't memorize any of the scales. Then they tell me how they run through ALL the scale shapes, every day, several times a day. Well, that's exactly why they couldn't memorize anything. Instead of memorizing one shape at a time, they tried doing everything at once.
If you want to memorize a page in a book, you don't start by reading the entire page over and over again. You start by memorizing one sentence at a time.
In order to memorize your scales in the shortest amount of time possible, you MUST memorize ONE at a time, or you'll never memorize anything.
Now, once you can COMFORTABLY play the first scale shown here from MEMORY, it's time to start working on the next shape - D Dorian.
All scale/mode shapes will be presented the same way. First, the notes to play will be highlighted amongst all the natural notes so you can see how they fit together. Then, just the notes you'll be playing. Then, the scale tabbed out in the way to memorize it.
After you've memorized the D Dorian shape, make sure you can play BOTH the C Major Scale AND D Dorian from memory before moving on to E Phrygian.
E Phrygian is shown in two octaves here. I have students memorize the high octave first (starting on the 12th fret) and then work on the open position shape.
E Phrygian is shown in two octaves here. I have students memorize the high octave first (starting on the 12th fret) and then work on the open position shape.
Moving forward with the remainder of the shapes, please remember to make sure you have ALL previous scale/mode shapes memorized before adding a new shape. Doing this will give you the BEST chance of memorizing everything in the shortest amount of time possible.
Focus on memorizing the lower octave version of the remaining shapes too. The high octave will remain the same shape, so once you can play it low, it will be the same as playing it high.
Memorizing the shapes in the lower octave shown will make it easier to tie all the shapes in together. After the final shape is shown here, there is a tab that shows how to play all the shapes to prove you have them all memorized.
Focus on memorizing the lower octave version of the remaining shapes too. The high octave will remain the same shape, so once you can play it low, it will be the same as playing it high.
Memorizing the shapes in the lower octave shown will make it easier to tie all the shapes in together. After the final shape is shown here, there is a tab that shows how to play all the shapes to prove you have them all memorized.
To prove to yourself you have all the shapes memorized correctly, here is everything tabbed out in the order you were to learn all the scales/modes:
