The Other Side Of Scales: A Fretted Perspective

Beginner and intermediate musicians often underuse scales. Now, I’m not going to address the intimidating number of scales. There are really only two scales immediately necessary to command chord sequences (see ).

Learning these two scales, along chord sequences, can help you harmony (supporting notes in a chord or melody and knowing how tonality affects everything). Tonality refers to whether a chord, song key, scale or melody is major or minor.

Minor “Sad” Scale

Both scales reside on the guitar’s bottom, or fatter, two stings for this exercise. The minor scale can be achieved by picking the fifth, seventh and eighth frets, one at a time on the thickest string, Low E, and then the same fret numbers on the neighboring string, A. The last note of the seven different intervals is on the third fret of Low E. When practicing, most people start and end by playing the same note, resolving the scale.

Major “Happy” Scale

This scale begins by playing frets five and seven on Low E. Continuing on to the A string, pick frets four, five, and seven. The last two notes are played on the Low E on frets two, four and resolving back on fret five.

Using Scales To Guide Chord Progressions

If you read , you know how to make a progression with randomly selected notes. These scales allow you to control your note choices. Follow the example below and you will understand.

1. Choose a scale (major or minor)
2. Starting on the root, choose three other notes (to prepare a chord sequence)
3. Each note chosen will be the root of a power chord 
4. Play each chord for one measure (strum each chord four consistent times)

Intervals and Progression Names

Intervals are just the chromatic numbers of the notes in the scale. If you start a progression on the root, or first note of our minor scale above, and choose the third note in the scale as your second choice to play the next measure, your sequence is called a Minor 1-3 progression. This is simply because you chose the first note for your first chord and measure and the third note in the scale for your following chord and measure: minor 1-3 progression in the key of A (note name of the fifth fret of Low E).

Why this is Worth Knowing

As paradoxical as it sounds, chord progressions have little to do with the marginal differences between songs. You can only get so many combinations of seven intervals. Rhythm, melody and unique chord builds are at the heart of what makes songs stand apart. There are also abstract elements like sonic qualities and musician characteristics, but those are topics not entirely relevant.

What’s Next?

This process is the first step to a full understanding of how the two tonalities interlock in one key. The next step in this topic is to know how and when to play a major or minor chord during a chord progression. Until then, create chord progression using these two scales.

About the author: Reisterstown resident Ryan Raines is a lifelong musician and music teacher. He plays guitar in .

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