Major Scale
The major scale is the most important scale in music. Not
necessarily because it is used more for improvising than other scales but rather
because it is the scale that all other scales are measured by. The major scale,
known also as the diatonic major scale or the Ionian mode, has seven notes. The
notes are always in alphabetical order. The key of C is the only major key that
doesn’t have a # (sharp) or b (flat). The notes of the C major scale are C, D,
E, F, G, A, B, C. It ends on C an octave higher than it started. The C at the
end is called the octave because it is eight notes above the starting C. The
prefix oct means eight. The seven letters are also given number names. These
numbers are called intervals of the major scale. Therefore C is the first
interval, D is the second interval, E is the third and so on.
The major scale is constructed with a combination of whole
tones and half tones. C to D is 1 whole tone (span of 2 frets). D to E is 1
whole tone, E to F is ½ tone (span of 1 fret), F to G is a whole tone, G to A
is a whole tone, A to B is a whole tone, and B to C is ½ tone. Therefore, the
intervals that create a major scale are: W, W, ½ , W, W, W, ½. There is ½ tone between the 3 and 4 .
There is ½ tone between the 7 and 8. All other
intervals of the major scale are a whole tone apart.
Triads
You must have at least three notes to create a chord. A
major triad is the smallest chord. The prefix tri means three. The 1,
3, and 5. intervals of the major scale create the major
triad when played simultaneously.
Arpeggios
When the three notes of the major triad are played
consecutively, the notes are called arpeggios.
Major pentatonic
scales
A major pentatonic scale consists of five notes. The prefix
penta means five. The major pentatonic is created by deleting the 4 and 7
intervals of the major scale. Therefore, the major pentatonic consists of the 1,
2, 3, 5, and 6 intervals of the major scale.
Relative minor
scales
The major scales have relative minor scales. The relative
minor scale is also called the minor scale, the natural minor scale, the pure
minor scale, or the Aeolian mode. They are called relative minor because they
share the same key signature as the major scale. Sharing the same key signature
means they share the same notes. The relative minor is built starting at the 6 interval of the major scale. For example, The C major scale has the notes C,D,
E, F, G, A, B, and C. The Am scale has the notes A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and A.
Notice A is the 6 interval of the C major scale. Because the whole
tones and half tone (also called whole steps and half steps) of the minor scale
falls in different locations than the major scale the tonality (the way the
scale sounds) of the minor scale sounds different than the major scale.
The distance between the intervals of the minor scale are
W, ½, W, W, ½, W, W. As mentioned earlier, all scales are measured by being
compared to the major scale. If we compare the minor scale to the major scale, we
find the minor scale has a whole tone between the 1and 2 interval like the major. However, unlike the major scale, there is ½ tone
between the 2 and 3 interval of the minor scale. We
call this interval a minor third or b3 (flat 3). The b3 is the note
that gives the scale the name minor. The word minor and major usually describes
the 3 of the scale, chord, or arpeggio. Major = 3 interval (2 whole tones from the first interval. Minor = b3 (1 ½ tone from the
1 interval). When we compare all the intervals of the minor scale
to the intervals of the major scale, we find the minor scale has the intervals 1,
2, b3, 4, 5, b6, and the b7.
Minor pentatonic
scales
The minor pentatonic is constructed by deleting the 2,
and b6 interval of the minor scale. Therefore, the intervals of the minor
pentatonic are: 1, b3, 4, 5, and b7.
Relative minor
pentatonic scales
The major pentatonic has a relative minor pentatonic also.
For example, the C major pentatonic has the notes C, D, E, G, and A. The A minor
pentatonic has the same notes but starting at A instead of C. The notes A,
C, D, E, and G create the A minor pentatonic scale.
Blues scale
The blues scale is a minor pentatonic with a b5 added. The
intervals of the blues scale are: 1, b3, 4, b5, 5 b7. The b5 gives it the
‘blues’ sound.
Dorian mode
The Dorian mode is similar to the pure minor scale. The
intervals of the Dorian mode are 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7. The only difference in
the pure minor scale and the Dorian mode is the Dorian mode has a 6 instead of a
b6.
Mixolydian mode
The Mixolydian mode is the same as a major scale except it
has a b7 instead of a 7. This is a very important point because this scale works
well with the dominant 7 chords which are so predominate in music. The dominant
7 chord has a b7. This is why this scale fits with the dominant 7 chords.
Improvising
When improvising or trying to play lead a good place to
start is getting acquainted with the chords and arpeggios. Knowing the chords
and arpeggios gives you a solid foundation to build on. Plus, the notes of the
arpeggios are some of the notes of the scales. For example, the major arpeggio
has the 1, 3 and 5. Simply add a 2, and a 6 and you have a major pentatonic. After you get acquainted with the arpeggios, learning the
pentatonic scale is the next step. The major and minor pentatonic scales are
heard in all styles of music. Be sure to get comfortable with the major and
minor pentatonic scales. Many players get proficient with their minor pentatonic
scales but tend to neglect the major pentatonic scales. The great players tend
to weave in and out of the major and minor pentatonic scales effortlessly.
I tend to visualize the chords (arpeggios) on the guitar
neck and add the notes of the major and minor pentatonic scales around the
chords. I also try to exploit the differences between the scales. The biggest
difference between the major and minor pentatonic scale is the minor has a b3
while the major has a 3. Playing the b3 then the 3 gives us a bluesy sound and
is used extensively in blues, jazz, country, and rock. The next big difference
is the major pentatonic has a 6 while the minor has a b7. When improvising, these are the notes that stand out the most.
If you want a jazzier sound, always remember when playing
the major pentatonic you just add the 4 and 7 intervals and you have a major
scale. When playing the minor pentatonic, just add the 2 and b6 to
get the pure minor. Add the 2 and 6 to get the Dorian mode. When playing the major and minor pentatonic scales, you are
playing all the notes that are in the Mixolydian mode.
Modes
We have mentioned 4 modes. There are 7 modes. The modes are
given Greek names and -- for this reason -- many guitar students are intimidated when
I mention them. Fortunately, the modes are much easier to learn than the Greek
language (presuming you aren’t Greek). If you can play a major scale then you
can play all 7 modes. Each mode has the same notes as the first mode. Only the
starting and ending notes vary. See the illustration below:
Mode |
Synonym |
Intervals |
Notes (key of C) |
C Ionian Dm Dorian Em Phrygian F Lydian G Mixolydian Am Aeolian Bø Locrian |
major scale
dominant 7 scale pure minor |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 1,2,b3,4,5,6,b7 1,b2,b3,4,5,b6,b7 1,2,3,#4,5,6,7 1,2,3,4,5,6,b7 1,2,b3,4,5,b6,b7 1,b2,b3,4,b5,b6,b7 |
c d e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g a b c d e f g a b |
Improvising with modes
Chords and arpeggios are constructed by playing the odd
numbers of the mode as seen in the chart below:
Mode |
Intervals of mode |
Intervals of chord |
Resulting chord |
Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian |
1,2,3,4,5,6,7 1,2,b3,4,5,6,b7 1,b2,b3,4,5,b6,b7 1,2,3,#4,5,6,7 1,2,3,4,5,6,b7 1,2,b3,4,5,b6,b7 1,b2,b3,4,b5,b6,b7 |
1 3 5 7 1 b3 5 b7 1 b3 5 b7 1 3 5 7 1 3 5 b7 1 b3 5 b7 1 b3 b5 b7 |
CΔ, (CMaj7) Dm7 (D-7) Em7 (E-7) FΔ, (FMaj7) G7 Am7 (A-7) Bø, (Bm7b5) |
Because the notes of the C Maj7 are in the Ionian mode, the Ionian mode can be used to improvise over the C Maj7. The Dm Dorian works over Dm7, Em Phrygian over Em7 and so on. But that’s not all. Because all the notes of the modes share the notes of the same scale you can use any of the 7 modes to improvise over any of the 7 chords. For example, I can play the C Ionian, Dm Dorian, Em Phrygian, F Lydian, G Mixolydian, A Aeolian, or the B Loran mode while the rhythm section plays a C Maj7 chord. Likewise I can play any of the modes while any of the 7 chords are played. This all seems profound but remember -- with all these Greek names and sundry intervals when you boil it down -- all we are doing is playing the notes of the C major scale. The only thing that changes is which notes are emphasized.