Guitar Scales - Major Scale, Minor Scale, Blues Scale, Pentatonic Scale

Guitar scales are used when playing guitar solos and lead guitar. A scale is a group of notes played in a certain order based on how far apart the notes are from each other.

A good understanding of scales also helps in creating more complex chords by knowing which notes to add to a simple triad or chord. Guitar scales are also a good warm up exercise and help improve finger dexterity.

Guitar Scales

Major Scales
The major guitar scale is the basis from which other guitar scales and guitar chords are derived from.

Natural Minor Scales
The natural minor guitar scale is also known as the Aeolian Mode. A natural minor scale can be played using the same notes as a major scale starting on the 6th note of the major scale.

Harmonic Minor Scales
Harmonic minor guitar scales are very similar to natural minor guitar scales with the exception of one note. To play a harmonic minor scale, raise the 7th note of the natural minor guitar scale by a half step.

Minor Pentatonic Scales
The minor pentatonic guitar scale is a five note scale. The minor pentatonic scale's use is popular in rock lead guitar riffs and soloing, and is usually played over chord progressions that start with a minor chord.

Blues Scales
The blues guitar scale is an extension of the minor pentatonic scale, adding the flat fifth of the scale. This note is often referred to as the "blue note" and adds tension to the scale.

Major Pentatonic Scales
The major pentatonic guitar scale is usually played over major chords, and is used in rock music as well as country music.

How to Read Guitar Scale Diagrams

The image below is an example of a Guitar Scale Diagram. Guitar scale diagrams show the scale pattern to play a scale and how the pattern would appear on the fretboard.

guitar scale diagram

The diagram represents the fretboard of a guitar. Like reading a guitar tab, the bottom line of the guitar scale diagram represents the low E string.

Follow the arrows in order to play the guitar scale. The red (root) and black dots show where to fret the string to play the guitar scales.

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e|-----------------|
B|-----------------|
G|-----------------|
D|-----------4-6-7-|
A|-----4-5-7-------|
E|-5-7-------------|
Guitar Scale Tabs

The CAGED Method