Lesson 9- Scales & Basic Guitar Music Theory

Playing the Scales

Now that we’ve been having so much fun with chords and songs…. It’s time to get into the more tedious part of learning the guitar. Scales! Ugh! Right!? Well, I can assure you that if you learn just a few scales you won’t regret it. Scales are basically a series of notes played in consecutive order for the purpose of practicing fingering technique. Eventually, these scales will be put together in different order to become “licks” or lead guitar. This is a very crucial part to your guitar playing journey. If you don’t know scales you will just end up playing a few chords and songs and really won’t be able to play the fun stuff which is lead guitar.

Lead guitar is what basically makes up the melody of a song. It’s what gives it it’s uniqueness. With out the lead guitar…. Bands would just sound boring and ordinary.

Basic Guitar Music Theory

The Notes On The Fretboard

NOTE: Learning & Memorizing All Pentatonic Scales Patterns In All Keys Is A Must Before Continuing With Lead Guitar!

Alternate Picking

The next lesson we will be covering is alternate picking. Alternate picking is what will give you your speed while playing the scales. This must be practiced constantly while playing and practicing scales.   Playing the pentatonic scale using a guitar pick. pick the strings in an up and down alternate order like so:

1 down, 4 up, 1 down, 3 up, 1 down, 3 up, 1 down, 3 up, 1 down, 4 up, 1 down, 4 up. Then back up…

1 down, 4up, 1 down, 4 up, 1 down, 3 up, 1 down, 3 up, 1,down, 3 up, 1 down, 4 up.

Practice this over and over at least 15 minutes per day. You will gradually be getting faster and faster until you can do it with your eyes closed.