We have seen in previous lessons how to build the harmonized scale from the major scale. In this video I show the application on guitar in three different keys, using 7th chords.

This is what I play in the video:

You can find the most used 7th chords here as well:

Most common 7th chord shapes on guitar

where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminished, aug=augmented.

If you look closely, you will notice that the notes that are contained in the C major scale (being the example from the note C) are all a major or a perfect intervals.

C-D Major 2nd

C-E Major 3rd

C-F  Perfect 4th

C-G Prefect 5th

C-A Major 6th

C-B Major 7th

This stands true for all the major scales in every key.  So another quick way to find at what interval distance two notes are, is to calculate from the major scale.

How do I calculate intervals on guitar?

To  calculate intervals on guitar is not difficult at all as everything translate in exactly the same way. If I know the notes on the guitar neck this is all very simple as all I need to do is make the calculation like I did above. (Eg: if I am playing a C on the 3rd fret, 5th string and an F# 4th fret 4th string , that is a augmented 4th, just like above).

After a while you will see a some recurring ‘shapes’  and you will learn to quickly recognise an interval by the shape it draws on the fretboard, just like you do with chords: the following is an attempt to summarize all these shapes. Maybe not complete, but I hope it will help.

Click on the images below to download the interval charts PDF files:

Both these resources are from ‘The Guitar Kit Pro’, where the files will be higher resolution and unbranded: read all about it here: ‘The Guitar Kit Pro’ . Keep supporting this site by purchasing the products on the Shop page, thanks!

If you enjoyed the free version of ‘The guitar kit’, ‘THE GUITAR KIT PRO’ is an even bigger collection of music and guitar templates, that I personally use to teach, now available in a consistent and professional look.

Over 70 pages of print quality templates in both JPG and PDF format, customizable and brand-able (step by step instructions on how to add your own logo with popular programs are included).

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‘THE GUITAR KIT PRO’ INCLUDES:

(in 60 JPG’s and a 71 page PDF eBook)
BLANK MUSIC PAPER TEMPLATES:
BLANK STAFF PAPER TEMPLATE
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF (without Barlines)
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF (with Barlines)
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF+TAB (without Barlines)
BLANK TREBLE CLEF STAFF+TAB (with Barlines)
BLANK TAB ONLY (without Barlines)
BLANK TAB ONLY (with Barlines)
BLANK PAGE WITH BARLINES
BLANK GUITAR NECK BOX 6 FRETS
BLANK GUITAR NECK BOX 12 FRETS
BLANK GUITAR NECK BOX 24 FRETS
SCALES:
MAJOR/MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE/ BLUES SCALE (5 SHAPES)
MAJOR SCALES (5 SHAPES)
MAJOR SCALES 3 NOTES PER STRING (7 SHAPES)
MELODIC MINOR (5 SHAPES)
MELODIC MINOR 3 NPS (7 SHAPES)
HARMONIC MINOR (5 SHAPES)
HARMONIC MINOR 3 NPS (7 SHAPES)
WHOLE TONE SCALE
DIMINISHED SCALE
MODES OF C MAJOR
MODES OF C MAJOR, PARALLEL APPROACH
MODES OF C MELODIC MINOR
MODES OF C HARMONIC MINOR
ALL MODES – FORMULAS
CHORDS:
BASIC CHORDS CHART (Most popular open chords and Barre chords)
7TH CHORDS CHART :maj7, m7, 7, m7(b5)
CHORD VOCABULARY:
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:C)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Db/C#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:D)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Eb/D#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:E)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:F)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Gb/F#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:G)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Ab/G#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:A)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:Bb/A#)
MOST POPULAR CHORDS (TONIC:B)
ARPEGGIOS:
MAJOR/MINOR/AUG TRIADS ALL INVERSIONS
7th ARPEGGIOS ALL INVERSIONS
7th ARPEGGIOS 3 STRING SETS
MISC TEMPLATES:
12 BAR BLUES FORM (ROMAN NUMERALS)
12 BAR BLUES IN E
12 BAR BLUES IN A
12 BAR BLUES IN C
12 BAR BLUES IN G
GUITAR ANATOMY/FINGER NUMBERING
NOTE NAMES ON TREBLE STAFF/NOTE VALUES
NOTES ON GUITAR NECK
CAGED SYSTEM
STRUMMING PATTERN TEMPLATE
HARMONICS CHART
CIRCLE OF FIFTHS
MAJOR SCALES ALL KEYS
INTERVALS CHART
INTERVALS ON THE GUITAR NECK
TRIAD INVERSIONS (CLOSED)
TRIAD INVERSIONS (SPREAD)
GOALS SETTING TEMPLATE
STUDENT NOTES TEMPLATE FOR TEACHERS

I really like this style of phrasing, take some great examples like McCoy Tyner, and a lot of the ‘hard bop’ jazz cats. The basic idea is this: take a scale, in this example I will use a C major scale.

Now  play all the diatonic fourths contained in C major:

In the video I am playing on a Dm (Dorian) vamp, but you can use this phrasing technique on any scale, mode…have fun.

Let’s now go back to the basic theory post (quite successful over 10k views just the day I posted!) , and let’s see how things apply to guitar…just read the explanatins in red and watch the videos!

Let’s start again:

The natural sounds are:

You might also find in some books the name of these notes in Italian (nothing to do with ‘solfege’!) Do,Re,Mi,Fa,Sol,La,Si and in German C,D,E,F,G,A,H.

Sharps and flats.

# = sharp: raises the given note of a half step.

One half-step on guitar is a fret, easy. When you move up a fret (from the headstock to the body of the guitar) you are playing two notes that are a semitone/half-step apart from each other. From G natural to G# you would move up one fret.

## = double sharp: raises the given note of two half steps (also noted ‘x’).

From G natural to G## you would move up two frets.

b = flat: lowers the given note of a half step.

From G natural to Gb you would move down one fret.

bb = double flat: lowers the given note of two half steps.

From G natural to Gbb you would move down two frets.

= natural: cancels sharps and flats (double natural cancels double sharps and flats).

The Chromatic scale.

In this first video I start from the chromatic scale and show you how to build a major scale:


The chromatic scale contains all 12 natural and altered sound (using sharps and flats).

Notes called with a different name, but identifying the same sound, are called enharmonic (i.e.: C# e Db). The shortest distance between two sound of the chromatic scale is a Half Step, the distance of a fret on the guitar.

Intervals.

An interval is the distance between two notes.

Intervals of a second, third, sixths and seventh are called major. If a major interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a major interval is lowered by an half step it is called minor. If lowered by two half steps, diminuished.

Intervals of a fourth, fifth and octave are called perfect. If a perfect interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a perfect interval is lowered by an half step it is called diminuished (note the difference).

All the intervals from the tonic of a major scale to any other note of tha scale are major or perfect (i.e. between C and D=major 2nd, C e E=major 3rd, C e F=perfect 4th, and so on…)

Intervals can also be calculated summing up half steps: one half-step on guitar is a fret, easy. When you move a fret up (from the headstock to the body of the guitar) you are playing two notes that are a semitone/half-step apart from each other.

where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminuished, aug=augmented.

How to build a major scale.

Read the theory and watch the video below:

The spacing of the notes in a major scales follow this rule:

WWHWWWH

Where W = Whole step (a major second)  H= Half step

Example : C major

To build major sales in other keys use exclusively either sharps or flats choosing the notes so that a note with the same name is never repeated. In doing so you will only use Diatonic half steps (given by two notes with different name, i.e. C-Db, opposite to Chromatic half steps given by two notes with the same name, as in D –D#).

ON GUITAR:

Major scale – fixed position patterns

The Major scale template above is from TrueGuitarist.com’s ‘The Guitar Kit’, a free collection of guitar templates.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ‘THE GUITAR KIT’ FOR ALL THE SCALES AND TEMPLATES YOU’LL EVER NEED!!

This is a list of all the major scales in all keys. The order follows the amount of sharps and flats in the key.

Keys with flats.

Keys with sharps.

Relative minor (key)

Every major key has one relative minor which is made of the same notes, but starting from the sixth note. In other words, starting a minor third below (or a major sixth above) the root of the major scale. For example if we take C major its relative minor is A minor, spelled A B C D E F G.

On guitar: To play the relative minor, just start two notes before the note in the red circle.

Circle of fifths.

The circle of fifths one of the most used ways to summarize all I explained so far. It is very useful to memorize how many and which alterations a specific key has.

I find very useful to memorize FCGDAEB and the same sequence backwards BEADGCF. The first is the order of sharps the second, of flats. So if a key has, for example, 3 sharps (A major) they will be the first 3 notes in the first seqence (F# C# G#).

Harmonized major scale – How to build chords.

A practical application on guitar:

In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘degree’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale in any key.

If I stack on every degree two more notes a diatonic third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyse the intervals between notes:

a Major Triad has a Maj 3rd and a Perf 5th (Eg. C-E-G: C-E=maj 3rd , C-G Perf 5th).

a Minor Triad has a min 3rd and a Perf 5th.

a Diminuished Triad has a min 3rd and a diminuished 5th.

You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.

Already with this knowledge we can understand how to Analyze simple songs or how to write pop songs:

If we stack another note a diatonic third apart from the last note of the above triads we will have Seventh chords.

This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.

On Guitar this note choice for 7th chords might not work…let’s see some more popular choices to play this on guitar:

With this we can now analyse more complex songs like a simple jazz standard…watch the video:

I hope you enjoyed this lesson!

What follows is just a brief summary of basic theory and harmony necessary to understand practical applications on your instrument.

The natural sounds are:

You might also find in some books the name of these notes in Italian (nothing to do with ‘solfege’!) Do,Re,Mi,Fa,Sol,La,Si and in German C,D,E,F,G,A,H.

Sharps and flats.

# = sharp: raises the given note of a half step.

## = double sharp: raises the given note of two half steps (also noted ‘x’).

b = flat: lowers the given note of a half step.

bb = double flat: lowers the given note of two half steps.

= natural: cancels sharps and flats (double natural cancels double sharps and flats).

The Chromatic scale.

The chromatic scale contains all 12 natural and altered sound (using sharps and flats).

Notes called with a different name, but identifying the same sound, are called enharmonic (i.e.: C# e Db). The shortest distance between two sound of the chromatic scale is a Half Step, the distance of a fret on the guitar.

Intervals.

An interval is the distance between two notes.

Intervals of a second, third, sixths and seventh are called major. If a major interval is raised by an half step it is called augmented. If a major interval is lowered by an half step it is called minor. If lowered by two half steps, diminished.

Intervals of a fourth, fifth and octave are called perfect. If a perfect interval is raised by an half step it is calledaugmented. If a perfect interval is lowered by an half step it is called diminished (note the difference).

All the intervals from the tonic of a major scale to any other note of tha scale are major or perfect (i.e. between C and D=major 2nd, C e E=major 3rd, C e F=perfect 4th, and so on…)

Intervals can also be calculated summing up half steps:

where m=minor, M=major, P=perfect, dim=diminished, aug=augmented.

How to build a major scale.

The spacing of the notes in a major scales follow this rule:

WWHWWWH

Where W = Whole step (a major second)  H= Half step

Example : C major

To build major sales in other keys use exclusively either sharps or flats choosing the notes so that a note with the same name is never repeated. In doing so you will only use Diatonic half steps (given by two notes with different name, i.e. C-Db, opposite to Chromatic half steps given by two notes with the same name, as in D –D#).

This is a list of all the major scales in all keys. The order follows the amount of sharps and flats in the key.

Keys with flats.

Keys with sharps.

Relative minor (key)

Every major key has one relative minor which is made of the same notes, but starting from the sixth note. In other words, starting a minor third below (or a major sixth above) the root of the major scale. For example if we take C major its relative minor is A minor, spelled A B C D E F G.

Circle of fifths.

The circle of fifths one of the most used ways to summarize all I explained so far. It is very useful to memorize how many and which alterations a specific key has.

I find very useful to memorize FCGDAEB and the same sequence backwards BEADGCF. The first is the order of sharps the second, of flats. So if a key has, for example, 3 sharps (A major) they will be the first 3 notes in the first seqence (F# C# G#).

Harmonized major scale – How to build chords.

In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘degree’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale in any key.

If I stack on every degree two more notes a diatonic third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyse the intervals between notes:

a Major Triad has a Maj 3rd and a Perf 5th (Eg. C-E-G: C-E=maj 3rd , C-G Perf 5th).

a Minor Triad has a min 3rd and a Perf 5th.

a Diminished Triad has a min 3rd and a diminished 5th.

You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.

If we stack another note a diatonic third apart from the last note of the above triads we will have Seventh chords.

This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.

]]> http://www.trueguitarist.com/basic-music-theory-for-beginners/feed/ 10 http://www.trueguitarist.com/modes-of-major-scale-pt1/ http://www.trueguitarist.com/modes-of-major-scale-pt1/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:42:19 +0000 Gianni http://www.TrueGuitarist.com/?p=92

Modes are a simple subject that sometimes can be misunderstood. Modes are ‘inversions’ of a scale, a scale ‘within’ a scale that takes life of its own.

In this first series of videos about modes I show you the modes from the major scale: these are just 7 other scales, built with the same notes from the major scale, only starting from a different degree of that major scale. As an example these are the modes of the C major scale:

C Ionian

C D E F G A B

D Dorian

D E F G A B C

E Phrygian

E F G A B C D

F Lydian

F G A B C D E

G Mixolydian

G A B C D E F

A Aeolian

A B C D E F G

B Locrian

B C D E F G A

You can Check out and Print This PDF File for All the modes nicely notated: Modes of the Major Scale

I am sure you have noticed by now that, as I was saying, all these modes share the same notes, but from a different starting point. This makes them ‘sound’ different when isolated and played as a ‘key’ of their own, as the center of gravity is now shifted. I will show you in the next two videos a couple of different approaches to get to grips with these modes.

Basic Pentatonic stuff

I will not get too much into pentatonics as you can find stuff all over the net. Too

much has been said and done on the famous ‘pentatonic box’…As I say in the video, a

major pentatonic is a major scale without the 4thand 7th degree.

So C major pentatonic is: C D E G A

These are the 5 positions for the major pentatonic, in the example in G major (but

valid for all keys). Of course, remember that if you start from the 6th (the 5th note of the

pentatonic – also ‘box’ N.5) you will have the relative minor. In the example in G the

minor pentatonic will be E, just like E minor is the relative minor of a G major scale.

The last box at the bottom right is the famous ‘blues scale’…a minor pentatonic with an

added b5. Try and learn them just like we did for the major scale…all keys, down every

single string, from lowest note to highest note on the fretboard and so on. Find the ’5 boxes’ position fingerings below:

Printable PDF: Pentatonic Fingerings

In this video I’ll show you how to build the harmonized scale, which is vital to find out what chord belong to a specific key. In the example I am building the Harmonized scale in the key of C major. In one of the successive videos of this series you’ll see that you can use these chords to build a very simple songs in a single key.
The process is fairy simple: I stack on top of every note of the scale two consecutive diatonic 3rds. Let’s say, for example if I start from C, the two notes will be E and G. If I start from D the notes will be F and A…is this easy enough?

In the example below every note of a major scale identifies a ‘grade’ of the scale. In the example I have used C major, but this is valid for every other major scale.

If I stack on every grade two more notes a third apart (basically every other one) I end up with different kinds of triads (triad=group of three notes). These triads are shown in the example below. If we analyze the intervals between notes:

On the guitar, like in the video:

You will have the same series of chords in all the other keys Eg: F major: F, Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em.

This again is valid for all the 12 keys. This concept is vital to understand how songs are built and how to pick the correct scale for a solo.

The major scale on guitar

In this lesson I will show you how to go from the basic major scale down a single string to finding all the notes from a major scale all over the guitar neck. The most popular way to organize all these notes is by grouping them in the famous ’5 boxes’ so that all the notes are playable in a single ‘position’. A position, in very poor words, is nothing but a section of the fretboard, usually just 4/5 consecutive frets, that you can reach without moving your hand.

Printable PDF: Major scale 5 ‘box’ fingerings

Remember that this is so you understand the concept of finding the notes on guitar: ultimately you should be able to play a major scale starting from anywhere on the guitar.
So try and learn the major scale:

1. In every key
2. Up each single string
3. From the lowest note on the guitar to the highest note reachable
4. Learn them in ’1 octave mini positions’ starting from every Root you can find like I show in the video.
5. Play them starting from each finger of your left hand.

This, of course, is something you will not achieve in one day, but trust me it worth the effort.

Good Luck!