Major Scale Guitar

Major Scale Guitar

Major Scale Exercises

Major Scale Exercise 1

|---------------------------4-5-4--------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------5-7-------7-5----------------------------------------|
|-----------------4-6-7---------------7-6-4----------------------------------|
|-----------4-6-7---------------------------7-6-4-----------------------6-7-9|
|-----4-5-7---------------------------------------7-5-4---------4-5-7S9------|
|-5-7---------------------------------------------------7-5-5-7--------------|


|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------9-10-9------------------------------------------------------------|
|-6-7-9S11--------11-9S7-6-------------------------------1-2-1---------------|
|--------------------------9-7-8---------------------2-4-------4-2-----------|
|-------------------------------9-7S5-4-------2-4-5----------------5-4-2-----|
|----------------------------------------7-5-5---------------------------5---|

Major Scale Exercise 2

|-----------------------------5--------------------------------|
|-------------------------7-9---9-7----------------------------|
|-------------------6-7-9-----------9-7-6----------------------|
|-------------6-7-9-----------------------9-7-6----------------|
|-------5-7-9-----------------------------------9-7-5----------|
|-5-7-9-----------------------------------------------9-7-5----|

Major Scale Exercise 3

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------5---5-7-5-|
|-----------------------------------------4---4-6-4-6-7-6-7---7-------|
|-----------------------4---4-6-4-6-7-6-7---7-------------------------|
|-----4---4-5-4-5-7-5-7---7-------------------------------------------|
|-5-7---7-------------------------------------------------------------|


|---4---4-5-4-5-7-5----|
|-7---7----------------|
|----------------------|
|----------------------|
|----------------------|
|----------------------|

Major Scale Exercise 4

|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------4-----4-6------|
|-----------------------4-----4-6---4-6-7-4-6-7---6-7-----7----|
|-----4-5---4-5-7-4-5-7---5-7-----7----------------------------|
|-5-7-----7----------------------------------------------------|

Major Scale Exercise 5

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------4-------4-6-----4-6-|
|-------------------4-------4-6-----4-6-7---4-6-7---4-6-7-----6-7-----|
|-----4-5-7---4-5-7---4-5-7-----5-7-------7---------------------------|
|-5-7-------7---------------------------------------------------------|

Major Scale Exercise 6

|-----------------------------------------------4---5-4-7-5----|
|---------------------------------------5---7-5---7------------|
|---------------------------4---6-4-7-6---7--------------------|
|---------------4---6-4-7-6---7--------------------------------|
|---4---5-4-7-5---7--------------------------------------------|
|-5---7--------------------------------------------------------|


|-5-7-4-5---4--------------------------------------------------|
|---------7---5-7---5------------------------------------------|
|-----------------7---6-7-4-6---4------------------------------|
|-----------------------------7---6-7-4-6---4------------------|
|-----------------------------------------7---5-7-4-5---4------|
|-----------------------------------------------------7---5----|

Major Scale Exercise 7

|---------------------------------------------------------4-7-5----|
|-----------------------------------------------5-6---7-5-----5----|
|-----------------------------4-----6---4-7---6-----7---------6----|
|-----------4-----6---4-7---6---4-7---6-----7-----------------7----|
|---4-7---5---4-7---5-----7----------------------------------------|
|-5-----7----------------------------------------------------------|


|-7-4---5-----4-------------------------------------------------------|
|-----5---7-----5---7-----5-------------------------------------------|
|-----------7-----6---7-4---6---7-4---6-----4-------------------------|
|-----------------------------7-----6---7-----6---7-4---6-----4-------|
|-----------------------------------------9-----7-----5---7-----5-----|
|-----------------------------------------------------------9-----7---|


|----------------|
|----------------|
|----------------|
|----------------|
|-7-4---5--------|
|-----5---7-4----|

Major Scale Exercise 8

|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------4----------|
|---------------------------4-------6-4---4-7-6-4-6---7-6-7----|
|---4-------5-4---4-7-5-4-5---7-5-7-----7----------------------|
|-5---7-5-7-----7----------------------------------------------|


|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|-7-4-6-7-6---4-6-4-----4--------------------------------------|
|-----------7-------5-7---7-4-5-7-5---4-5-4-----4---------4----|
|-----------------------------------7-------5-7---7-4-5-7-5----|

Major Scale Exercise 9

|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------4---------|
|---------------------4---------4-6-------4-6-7-----4-6-7-----4-6---|
|-----4-5-7-----4-5-7-----4-5-7-----4-5-7-------5-7---------7-------|
|-5-7-------5-7---------7-------------------------------------------|


|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---4-6----------------------------------------------------------------|
|-7-----6-7-7-6-4-----7-6-4-------4---------------------------------7--|
|---------7-------7-5-------7-5-4---7-5-4-----7-5-4-------5-4-------7--|
|---------5-------------------------------7-5-------7-5-4-----7-5-4-5--|

Major Scale Technical Exercises and Tips

Create your own major scale exercises using the blank tab

When you create them, use a note in particular as a reference point and always go back to it, play different patterns or riffs then come back so that your notes have a home, so to speak

Use these patterns to figure out where different chords lie in them, if you look hard enough you can create any chord from the major scale. There may be some deviations but every chord can stem from the patterns you just learned. You just need to learn them inside and out.

Creative Exercises and Tips for playing the major scale

When you play your major scale patterns, sing along with them.

If you're using the major scale to solo, think of a melody and try to work it into the solo to keep it interesting. Don't simply play a bunch of phrases (see the songwriting section) thrown together.

Think of movement when you solo, remember the intervals and their feel. Try to throw some of them purposefully and strategically into the solos.

Some comments on the major scale and soloing

The major scale and its theory can get very complex. At this point they are simply to learn the positioning and practice the positioning of the major scale. We'll discuss them with guitar chords later on an intermediate and then on an advanced level.

You can know the major scale and create really nice licks and solos. You don't need to shred. Look at Zack Wylde, guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne, or Eric Clapton. They use the pentatonic scale just about exclusively in their solos and they're awesome. They know what feel they want in the playing and they know that scale well enough to express that feeling.

The major scale and every other scale is the same way. Learn it well and you'll be able to do wonders with it. You don't need to know every mode to every scale. First of all, it would take a heck of a long time to do that. Secondly, being an accomplished guitarist has more to do with musicianship than technicality. Say something with your music and people will love it, regardless of how complex or simple it is.

The major scale is a great tool to have and use in your playing. Take a look at the next modal positioning charts and learn them. You'll be able to play the major scale at will, anywhere you want.

Keep the major scale intervals in mind

W - W - H - W - W - W - H

Check out the minor scale or take a look at Learn and Master Guitar, a phenomenal guitar instructioanl series that will have you soloing with the major scale in no time.