How to Play the Pentatonic Scale on Acoustic Guitar – 8 Solo Ideas

May 28, 2019

The Pentatonic scale is one of the most famous scales on the guitar. We call it Pentatonic because it only contains five notes. The I, II, III, V, and VI for the Major Pentatonic and the I, III, IV, V, and VII for the Minor Pentatonic. This scale can be used in a verity of music styles to write melodies and solos.

But how can you play the Pentatonic scale on the acoustic guitar? To play the Pentatonic scale on acoustic guitar, learn the simple E minor pentatonic scale in the first position of the neck. Practice the scale with fingerpicking and picking technique. Learn the sound of the scale and sing aloud the notes. Once you memorize the scale, learn the remaining Pentatonic shapes.

One of the remarkable things about the Pentatonic scale is the fact that it can be easily used to solo over a chord progression. Playing this scale on the acoustic guitar can give you access to many melodic ideas that work beautifully in styles such as Folk, Blues, Pop, Rock, and Jazz.

In this lesson, we are going to explore how to play the Pentatonic scales on the acoustic guitar with eight solos ideas that you can practice, learn, transform, and implement into your playing.

We will learn:

How should you practice the Pentatonic scale on the acoustic guitar?
Fingerstyle vs. guitar pick.
Major vs. Minor Pentatonic.
The five Pentatonic shapes.
Guitar solo 1 – Pentatonic melody in E minor.
Guitar solo 2 – Pentatonic riff in G major.
Guitar solo 3 – A minor Pentatonic solo.
Guitar solo 4 – Hendrix Pentatonic over chords.
Guitar solo 5 – C major Pentatonic.
Guitar solo 6 – Blues Pentatonic.
Guitar solo 7 – Connect the Pentatonic boxes.
Guitar solo 8 – Mechanical Pentatonic melody.

How Should You Practice the Pentatonic Scale on The Acoustic Guitar?

The Pentatonic scale is mostly associated with the electric guitar and the Blues (as well as a lot of different genres), but can you play it on the acoustic guitar?

Absolutely! Playing the Pentatonic scale on the acoustic guitar will give you a different feel to the scale, especially with the fingerpicking technique.

When you practice the Pentatonic scale with the fingerpicking technique, you are forced to play fewer notes (unless you can play the scale fast). Playing less makes you focus more on target notes and melody. In the examples you will learn below, I am using the targeting notes approach a lot.

So how should you practice the Pentatonic scale? If you are using the fingerpicking technique, focus less on the speed and more on the note choice.

Of course, we can practice the scale with mechanical patterns to help to memorize the shapes and build skill, but the end goal should never be just speed.

Here’s the difference between playing the Pentatonic scale mechanically vs. playing the scale melodically and rhythmically.

Fingerstyle vs. Guitar Pick

On acoustic guitar, you can practice the Pentatonic scale with either fingerstyle technique or a guitar pick. However, playing the Pentatonic scale with the fingerstyle technique will force you to work more on notes choice rather than technique and speed.

If you decide to practice the scale with the fingerstyle technique start by plucking the strings with common patterns such as “index – middle” or “index – ring.” Always use the alternate fingering technique at the beginning.

If you are new to fingerstyle and you like to play the acoustic guitar with a guitar pick, you can practice the Pentatonic scale with the alternate picking “Up-Down,” which is indeed the most common picking pattern for scales.

Here’s an example of the B minor Pentatonic played with the fingerstyle pattern “Index-Middle” or the alternate picking “Up-Down.”

Major vs. Minor Pentatonic

Now that we’ve covered some of the basic techniques on how to practice the Pentatonic scale, let’s learn the difference between the Major and the Minor Pentatonic.

The Major Pentatonic comes from the Major scale, and it is considered by many musicians the simplification (both harmonically and melodically) of the Major scale.

Major Pentatonic

So, how many notes we have in the Major Pentatonic? In the Major Pentatonic, there are five notes, the I, II, III, V, end VI. If you play the C major scale C D E F G A B C and you get rid of the note F and the note B you will play the Major Pentatonic scale.

Here’s a comparison between the Major scale and the Major Pentatonic.

Minor Pentatonic

The Minor Pentatonic comes from the Natural Minor scale. In music, the Natural Minor scale is also called the “Relative minor,” which is the scale that starts from the sixth degrees of the Major scale.

In the C major key, for example, the relative minor scale is the A Natural Minor scale, because this is the scale that we build on the sixth degree of the scale.

We can apply the same concept of “Relative minor scale” to the Pentatonic scale. The relative minor Pentatonic scale of C major will then be the A minor pentatonic scale.

The Five Pentatonic Shapes

In this section, I am going to show you the five Major and Minor pentatonic shapes. We will not spend too much time playing around with the scale mechanically. Instead, we will be exploring the Pentatonic scale melodically and harmonically with musical examples.

The white dot represents the Root note of the scale. You can easily transpose the scale in any key by playing the box in a different position. If you move the white dot on the note D, for example, you will play a D major or D minor scale.

There is no difference in notes between the C major Pentatonic and the A minor Pentatonic. The only difference is the Root note position.

The Five Major Pentatonic Shapes

The Five Minor Pentatonic Shapes

Guitar Solo 1. Pentatonic Melody in E Minor

In this first example, we are going to play a Pentatonic melody in E minor key. The E minor is indeed one of the most popular keys on the guitar along with the E minor Pentatonic scale.

The melody is played with the Pentatonic shape, which has the root note on the Low E string open.

Guitar Solo 2. Pentatonic Riff in G Major

The riff is a phrase that is repeated over and over throughout the song. Think about Smoke on the Water or Layla. We can create beautiful and simple guitar riffs on acoustic guitar using the Pentatonic scale.

In this example, we are going to play a Pentatonic riff in G major key. The goal for this example is to come up with a riff that is easy to play and difficult to forget. We will be using the G major Pentatonic.

Guitar Solo 3. A Minor Pentatonic Solo

The Pentatonic scale is used to improvise and write guitar solos. In this exercise, I am going to show you how to play a solo on the acoustic guitar using the A minor Pentatonic.

One of the most common A minor Pentatonic shape is the one played on the position five of the neck. The solo you are about to learn is entirely played on the top three strings only. We will use the D, A, and low E string to play the bass note of the chords.

Guitar Solo 4. Hendrix Pentatonic Over Chords

Hendrix loved the Pentatonic scale. He was able to implement this scale into his chord progressions melodically and harmonically. The technique Hendrix used is called “Double Stops.” This technique involved playing two strings simultaneously. After plucking the strings, Hendrix will then hammer one of the two strings creating an interesting rhythmic and melodic embellishment.

Here is an example.

Guitar Solo 5. C Major Pentatonic

Let’s try an example using Major Pentatonic. One of the things that I like about the major Pentatonic is the positive and bright sound. Major scales always sound beautiful to my ears.

For this example, we are going to learn a melody in C major using the C major Pentatonic scale in the first position of the neck. We will also move the melody to position five for some of the chords.

Guitar Solo 6. Blues Pentatonic

The Blues is one of the most inspired music styles of all time. The major and minor Pentatonic scale work magically over the blues chord progression. We can’t talk about the Pentatonic scale without going through the Pentatonic scale.

In this example, you are going to learn a simple Blues in A played with the Pentatonic scale. Some of the chords could be new to you. Take things step-by-step and learn one position at a time.

Guitar Solo 7. Connect the Pentatonic Scale Shapes

In all the examples we learned in this lesson, we always used the Pentatonic scale in one position. As there are five Pentatonic positions, it is advisable that you also learn how to connect the Pentatonic boxes up and down the fingerboard.

So, how do you connect two Pentatonic shapes effectively? The easiest way to connect two Pentatonic shapes is to write the scale down and practice the changes while reading the scale. Start by connecting two strings only. Then, add more strings as you become better. When you feel you memorized the scale get rid of the tab and play the scale from memory.

This is an example of how to move the Pentatonic scale up the fretboard.

Guitar Solo 8. Pentatonic Runs Up the Neck

Another great way to play the Pentatonic scale is by practicing runs up the neck. Playing the scale across the fretboard is not only a good exercise for your fingers but also for your musicality, plucking, and tone.

Is it challenging to play Pentatonic runs on the acoustic guitar? Playing the Pentatonic scale across the neck can be challenging if you don’t know where to start. The Pentatonic runs can be of two, three, or four notes. At first, move the scale up and down the neck on two strings only. Write the tab if you need a reference. Once you get better at playing the runs on two strings, add one more string to the group.

This is an example of how to play Pentatonic runs up the neck.

Let’s Wrap This Up

I hope you enjoyed this lesson. The Pentatonic scale is a must for any guitar player and musician who loves music. It’s a versatile scale that can be played almost on any style of music and at any level.

If you want to know more about this scale, check this excellent article by musical.u talking about the Pentatonic scale. Watch the video of Bobby McFerrin demonstrating the power of the Pentatonic scale.

Good luck.

Marco

How to Play Scales Smoothly on Fingerstyle Guitar – 5 Steps

Apr 29, 2019

Scales are one of the most important things you will have to practice on the guitar. Almost every guitar player on earth spend time playing scales and you, my friends, are not an exception. In this lesson, I am going to show you how to play scales smoothly on fingerstyle guitar and how to finally achieve the control and tone you hear from guitar players such as Tommy Emmanuel and Don Ross.

The question is: How can you play scales smoothly on fingerstyle guitar? You should start by learning the right-hand plucking position. Always use a 45-degree angle and pluck the strings with the side of the fingertip for smooth plucking and use a combination of flesh and fingernail. Keep your fingers as close as possible to the strings and move as little as possible. Also, play the scales with different rhythmic patterns.

Playing scales smoothly doesn’t mean you should play them fast. I firmly believe that speed is never the ultimate goal when playing scales; instead, focus on tone, control, and rhythm.

This lesson should be the next step after you learned how to practice scales on the guitar. Check this article if you want to learn how to get started with playing scales on the guitar.

These are the five steps when playing scales smoothly.

Right-hand position for smooth strings plucking.
Fingerpicking patterns for scales.
The left-hand position.
How to practice scales on three strings.
How to practice scales on six strings.

1.Right-Hand Position for Smooth Strings Plucking

One of the very first things we should work on for smooth strings plucking is the right-hand position. When it comes to fingerpicking technique, the right-hand is your most valuable weapon. Soo many beginners start playing guitar without knowing how to pluck the strings correctly, so it becomes almost impossible for them to achieve smooth plucking.

You should position the right-hand at a 45-degree angle. Position the thumb in front of the fingers and let the index, middle, and ring finger fall on the strings. When playing scales, the main plucking pattern is the i-m-i-m (index, middle) so make sure the thumb doesn’t clash with the index.

In the picture below I am going to show you the difference between a good and wrong right -hand plucking position.

2.Fingerpicking Patterns for Scales

Let me show you some of the most common fingerpicking patterns for scales that guitar players use all the time.

A fingerpicking pattern is a combination of fingers movement repeated over and over. When I practice scales, I mainly use five fingerpicking patterns.

Pattern 1. Index-middle (i-m).
Pattern 2. Index-ring (i-a).
Pattern 3. Index-middle-ring (i-m-a).
Pattern 4. Middle-index (m-i).
Pattern 5. Middle-ring (m-a).

If you are just getting started, choose only one or two patterns. The index-middle and middle-index are the ones beginners prefer the most as they are simple and easy to remember. Always apply the right-hand rules for each pattern you decide to use.

3.The Left-Hand Position

There are two rules that you should follow to achieve the correct left-hand position. Even though in this lesson we are learning how to pluck scales smoothly it is also important to understand how to position the left-hand correctly so that you can get the most out of the fingerstyle technique.

The two rules are:

1. Thumb position
2. Fingers position

Let-Hand Thumb Position

So, how should you position the left-hand thumb on guitar? Place the left-hand thumb behind the neck in the middle of the neck. The phalange should lay flat on the back of the guitar neck. Leave space between the bottom neck and the palm and stretch the fingers close to the frets.

When you practice and play scales, you should never seat the left-hand thumb on top of the neck. I know that there are a lot of guitar players who do that, but I don’t recommend that when you practice.

Below, how to position the thumb correctly.

Left-Hand Fingers Position

When you practice scales, you should stretch the left-hand fingers as close as possible to the frets. By doing so, you will improve your fingers stretch and dexterity. The reasons why we keep the thumb in a low position behind the neck to allow the fingers to stretch properly.

By achieving a more significant finger stretch, you will also be able to move less and reduce what we call “Flying fingers,” which is the unnecessary movement on the fingers.

This is how your fingers should look like on the guitar neck.

4.How to Practice Scales on Three Strings

Practicing scales on three strings only is one of the most beneficial exercises for developing smooth plucking. The top E string, B, and G string are thin and less rough than the D, A, and low E string so if you want to play scales smoothly, I highly recommend that you start with practicing scales on three strings only.

In the example below I am going to show you an A major scale in one position played on the top three strings. Practice the scale with the fingerpicking pattern i-m and m-i. Keep the plucking thumb relaxed or rested on the D string. Don’t use a metronome yet. Just play the scale as evenly as possible.

Once you familiarize yourself with the A major scale, add the bass note on the first note. Pluck the A string simultaneously with the A on the G string fret two and let the bass note ring out while you perform the scale.

This simple trick makes you focus on the melodic side of the scale, and it will help you smoothen up the sound.

Here is a list of a bunch of scales played on the top three strings only. Practice the scales without a metronome and apply the right-hand and left-hand rules we talked about at the beginning of this post.

Remember to pluck the strings with a 45-degree angle and focus on the tone and dynamics. Don’t worry about the speed. Just focus on the plucking movement, tone, and dynamics.

Notice that the scales don’t necessarily start from the Root note.

C Major Scale

F Major Scale

G Major Scale

E Major Scale

D Major Scale

5.How to Practice Scales on Six Strings

The very next step to learning how to play scales smoothly on fingerstyle guitar should be practicing scales on six strings. There are a lot of different scale shapes that you can work on, but in my experience, I find that Pentatonic scales are probably the best starting point.

I usually practice the scales in this order.

Pentatonic Scales.
Major scales.
Minor scale.
Hamonic minor scale.
Melodic minor scale.

Pentatonic Scale

The reasons why I love the Pentatonic scale is because of the symmetrical shapes that this scale has. It is mainly played with two notes per string, so they are easy to memorize and great for skyrocket your fingerstyle technique.

This is an example of the F# minor pentatonic scale that I use all the time to practice the fingerstyle technique. The starting speed is 60 Bpm (beats per minute). Because the scale is played with sixteenth notes, at 60 Bpm, you should play four notes per beat.

Use the five fingerpicking patterns we talked about in chapter 2 but mainly focus on i-m and m-i which are going to be the one you will use the most.

Major Scale

The Major scale is the number one scale every musician refer to when it comes to modern music theory. This scale is also one of the first scale beginners learn. We can use the major scale to practice the fingerpicking technique and make it smooth and groovy.

In this example we are checking out a B Major scale played in a vertical box. The speed is 60 Bpm, but this time we are using eighth notes so you should play two notes per beat.

Always practice with different fingerpicking patterns.

Minor Scale

The minor scale is very similar to the major scale. The minor scale is a major scale played starting from the 6th degree of the major scale. If you lay down, for example, the C major scale and play this scale starting from its 6th degree, you are then playing an A minor scale.

In this example, I am going to show you an A minor scale in position V.

To make the exercise more challenging we are changing the rhythm to triplets which are played with three notes per beat.

Let’s Wrap This Up

I hope you enjoyed this lesson. Learning how to play scales smoothly on the guitar should be one of your main goals. A lot of guitar players play scales to improve their speed and control, but in this lesson, we focused more on how to play scales smoothly with the fingerstyle technique.

Start by learning the right-hand and left-hand position and focus on the scales played on the top three strings only. You should then focus more on tone and dynamics rather than speed.

Good luck!

Marco Cirillo

How to Practice Scales on Guitar – 11 Effective Ways that WORK!

Mar 11, 2019

One of the questions I get asked the most is “Marco, How should I practice scales on guitar?” Because there are so many different scales and shapes, how do you know which guitar scale should you learn first? And most importantly, how much time should you spend practicing scales on guitar?

To effectively practice scales on the guitar commit to play each scale for at least 10 minutes a day. You should learn no more than two scales at a time. Practice each scale in one position of the guitar neck before moving on to more complex type of scales.

There are eleven steps you should follow to learn how to practice scales on the guitar.

1. Practice scales for at least 10 minutes every time you exercise.
2. Start by learning the chromatic scale.
3. One octave scale
4. Practice the scales vertically
5. Practice the scales with different rhythmic patterns.
6. Practice the scales horizontally.
7. Play the scales with triplets.
8. Symmetrical pattern
9. Scales in Thirds
10 Scales in Sixth
11. The Melodic Minor Scale

1. Practice Scales for at Least 10 Minutes

If your goal is to learn how to practice scales on guitar the very first step is about making sure you are committed. Make scales a priority and practice them for at least 10 minutes every time you play the guitar.

I highly recommend that you play scales with a metronome.

Practicing with a metronome helps you track your results. Start with a low speed and focus on playing each note correctly. Increase the speed when you can play the scale without making mistakes.

Focus on tone and dynamics. Even scales deserve to sound beautiful so make sure you pluck the strings smoothly for better tone and plucking control.

It can be frustrating at first, but with commitment and consistency, you will become a better guitar player.

Before We Get Started

There are a few terms you should learn before we get started.

Learning these musical terms is of paramount importance because you can’t improve something if you don’t know how to name it!

Here are some of the terms we will be using a lot:

Scale: A scale is a progression of notes. The most popular scales are the Major scale, Minor scale, Hamonic Minor scale, and Melodic Minor scale.
Intervals: An interval is a distance between two note. The root note and the next note we play. The two most essential intervals you must learn are the Semitone (also called half-step or just H) and the Tone (also called whole-step or W).
Interval scales: An interval scale is a scale played with two notes. The most popular is the scale in 3rd and 6th.
Measure: The space between two vertical lines in which we write the notes.
Triplets: A triplet is a set of three notes played in one beat. It is usually indicated with a number 3 on top of the three notes.
Chromatism: Any piece of scale that we play between two frets is called chromatism. You will learn more about it in the Chromatic scale section.

2. Start by Learning the Chromatic Scale

The chromatic scale is the musical scale that includes all the twelve notes available in music. This scale is also called the half-step scale because of its interval constructions.

Each note of the chromatic scale is a half step (or a semitone) from the next one. On the guitar, a semitone is a distance between one fret.

If we play the chromatic scale in C, we will have the following notes: C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C.

There are only twelve pitches due to the natural semitone between E-F and B-C.

C – C# = Semitone.
C# – D = Semitone.
D – D# = Semitone.
D# – E = Semitone.
E – F = Natural semitone.
F to F# = Semitone.
F# to G= Semitone.
G to G# = Semitone.
G# – A = Semitone.
A – A# = Semitone.
A# – B = Semitone.
B – C = Natural semitone

IMPORTANT: There are different ways of naming these intervals. The Semitone is also called Half-step or just “H.” The Tone can also be called Whole-step or just “W.” We will refer to W and H when we talk about the Harmonic Minor Scale.

How to Practice the Chromatic Scale on Guitar?

The chromatic scale is one of the best guitar technique-building exercises.

Its symmetrical shape makes it easy to create many finger patterns that you can practice to develop speed, control, timing, stretch, and accuracy.

Let me show you how the chromatic scale looks like on the guitar fretboard.

Chromatic Scale Ex.1 – The Basic Chromatic scale Pattern.

In this very first exercise, play the chromatic scale in the first position of the guitar neck.

With the left hand play the 1st fret with the finger 1, the 2nd fret with finger 2, the 3rd fret with the finger 3 and the 4th fret with the finger 4.

Pluck the strings by alternating index and middle finger. You can also pick the strings with a guitar pick if you prefer.

Chromatic Scale Ex.2 – The One String Chromatic Pattern

Let’s find a more interesting way to play the practice the chromatic scale.

With the one string chromatic pattern, we play the chromatic scale on one string up and down the neck.

This exercise is extremely beneficial for fingers stretch and finger dexterity.

There are a few points you MUST follow when practicing this exercise.

Follow the numbers on top of the music score for the left-hand fingers.
Lower the left-hand thumb down to the middle of the guitar neck.
Position the fingers close to the fret-wire.
Pluck the strings with alternate fingering or with a guitar pick.

When you feel ready, practice the exercise on the other strings.

Chromatic Scale Ex.3 – The Spider Exercise

The spider exercise is one of the most popular guitar technique exercises on guitar.

Many guitar players practice the chromatic scale using this approach in many different combinations and patterns.

In this example, we are going to learn the spider exercise in only one position of the neck. Once you learn it, you can then transpose it up and down the neck.

With the spider exercise, we are going to play the chromatic scale on two adjacent strings, but you can also practice with skipping strings too.

3. One-Octave Scale

An octave is a distance between two notes that have the same name but a different pitch.

When I play a C major scale I am playing the seven notes of the scale, C D E F G A B, plus the note that complete the octave, C.

Practicing one-octave scales is probably one of the easiest ways to getting started with scales.

In this lesson, I am going to show you three different one-octave scales and how to practice them.

One-Octave Scale Ex.1 – Scale Sequence in Thirds

In this exercise, we are going to practice a G major scale in one-octave range.

The major scale formula is G A B C D E F# G.

The scale is very simple to memorize so I am also going to add a few rhythmic variations that will challenge your rhythmic skills and timing.

One-Octave Scale Ex.2 – Four Notes Sequence

In this exercise, we are going to practice the one-octave scale in C major key with a four notes sequence.

The idea is to play the scale in a group of four notes. Each group of notes starts from a different degree of the scale.

Check the example below:

Group 1: C D E F
Group 2: D E F G
Group 3: E F G A
Group 4: F G A B
Group 5: G A B C

Because we are playing a one-octave scale, we can only have five groups of notes.

Check the example below.

4. Practice the Scales Vertically

Things become interesting once we move to vertical scales.

Vertical scales are scales played in one position of the guitar neck in a range between three and six frets and can be used as a technical exercise as well as for improvisation and guitar solos.

In this section, I am going to show you how I like to practice vertical scales and the patterns I like to play the most.

Vertical Scale Ex.1 – Descending Scale Pattern

In this exercise, we are going to play a descending scale in G major key.

Practicing descending scales is always more challenging at first as we are more accustomed to playing scales from the lowest to the highest note.

On top of that, we will play the descending G major scale with a repetitive pattern of four and eight notes.

One of my favorite exercises.

Vertical Scale Ex.2 – Ascending Scale Pattern

Same example as exercise 1, this time we are going to practice this beautiful ascending E minor scale played with a pattern of six notes.

This E minor scale is played in position VII (seven) and starts on the 5th string. Make sure you follow the left-hand fingers on the top of the music score.

More Examples of Vertical Scale

In this section, I am going to show you some of the most popular vertical scales on the guitar you should know.

You can practice each scale to improve your technique by implementing the scale sequences we learned above. You can also use this scale to create beautiful solos and melodies.

Learn how to play these following vertical shapes:

A minor scale
C major scale
E major scale
B minor scale
D minor scale

Notice that not all the scales start from the root note.

A minor Scale

C Major Scale

E Major Scale

B Minor Scale

D Minor Scale

5. Practice the Scales with Different Rhythmic Patterns

Can we play music without rhythm? Well, the answer is no.

Rhythm is one of the three elements that make music possible: Harmony, Melody, and Rhythm.

If you know how to clap your hands or tap your foot to a steady beat, then you know about rhythm.

In this section, I am going to show you how to practice scales with different rhythmic patterns so that you can challenge not only your fingers but also your inner rhythm.

Before we get started, learn the basic duration of the notes and how to name them. We are going to combine different note value to make the scales more challenging to play.

Basic Duration of the Notes

Whole note (semibreve).
Half note (minim)
Quarter note (crotchet)
Eight note (quaver)
Sixteenth note (semiquaver)
Thirty-seconds note (demisemiquaver)

There are also shorter notes such as the 64th note and the 128th note, but they are insanely short for most music.

The Time Signature

Simply put, the time signature defines how to count the rhythm of the song.

Also called “meter,” it is written at the beginning of the score with two numbers displayed in a fraction style.

Some of the most common time signature are the 4/4, which has four quarter notes in a measure, or the 3/4 which only has three.

The measure (also called bar) is the space between two vertical lines where we write the notes.

Learn more about how rhythm works in music by reading this beautiful article written by WikiBooks.

Different Rhythmic Pattern Ex.1 – Quarter Notes and Eight Notes Combined

In this first exercise, we are going to combine eight notes and quarter notes.

The scale we are learning is the A minor Phrygian scale, which is the scale built on the 3rd degree of the Major scale.

The notes are: A Bb C D E F G A

Play one note per beat for the quarter note and two notes per beat for the eight note.

In the measures with the quarter note, count 1 2 3 4 and play one note per beat. In the measures with the eight notes, count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Play two notes per beat.

Different Rhythmic Pattern Ex.2 – Eight Notes and Sixteenth notes Combined

Let’s spice things up and try something more fun to play.

In this example, I am going to show you how to play a beautiful E major scale with both eight notes and sixteenth notes.

To make it more interesting, we are going to create a melodic pattern that sounds like classical music.

Remember to play two notes per beat for the eight note and four notes per beat for the sixteenth notes.

Different Rhythmic Pattern Ex.3 – Chromatic scale in 4 and 6

Another great way to practice scales with different rhythmic patterns is what I call “Scale in 4 and 6”.

When you practice the scale this way, you will play four sixteenth notes followed by six sixteenth note, called sextuplet.

It is easier to use this rhythmic pattern with the chromatic scale because of the symmetrical shape that the scale offers.

Learn the exercise below.

6. Practice the Scales Horizontally

Horizontal scales are one of the most exciting and fascinating guitar exercises you’ll ever practice.

Opposite to the vertical scales, which are played in one position, the horizontal scales are played up and down the guitar neck between five and twelve frets.

When you see the horizontal scale on a diagram, you get a clear idea of how complex it is.

Remember to play each note from the bottom left just as you would read a book. You will start with the 5th string fret 3 and 5, then the 4th string with fret 2, 3, 5, and 7, etc.

The horizontal scales reminds me of when I was studying classical guitar. When you play classical music, you spend a lot of time working on your technique. Scales and arpeggios are among the guitar exercises you will practice the most for years.

I still remember me practicing all these beautiful horizontal scales up and down the neck and how good it felt to play them.

A great exercise for your technique, neck memorization, speed, and control.

Horizontal Scales Ex.1. E major scale

Let’s get started with this E major scale played in three octaves played in three positions of the neck.

The notes of the E major scale are E F# G# A B C# D# E.

Follow the left-hand fingers on top of the score.

Horizontal Scales Ex.2. E Minor Scale

Let’s play the same scale shape in the minor key.

The E minor scale is E F# G A B C D E.

Horizontal Scales Ex.3. A Harmonic Minor Scale

The Harmonic minor scale (also called Aeolian #7) is a Natural minor scale with the 7th note sharpened.

Let’s compare the A Natural minor scale with the A Harmonic minor scale.

The sound of the Harmonic minor scale reminds me of the Spanish flamenco music as well as Arabic and Classical.

In this section, I am going to show you the B minor Harmonic scale played horizontally. Play the scale with alternate fingering index-middle or middle-index.

7. Play the Scales with Triplets

Playing scales with different rhythmic patterns is indeed one of the most effective ways to take your technique to the next level.

The triplet is the rhythmic pattern I usually give to my students once they master the sixteenth notes. Some guitar players call this “switching between 4 and 3,” and the reason for that is because we refer to triplets as three notes per beat as opposed to the sixteenth note which is four notes per beat.

The triplet looks like this.

So, how do we count the triplets?

In the examples below, one beat takes one triplet. We call it “Three notes per beat.”

There is a very simple system that a lot of guitar players and musicians use to count the triplets correctly.

Split the three notes as it follows: one-tri-plet, two-tri-plet, three-tri-plet, four-tri-plet. Start again from number one for each measure.

Let’s practice two scales with triplets.

Ex.1 – G Major Scale Played with Triplets

In this example, we are going to learn the G major scale with triplets.

Remember to play three notes for each beat.

Ex.2 – B Minor Scale Played with Triplets

Another scale played with triplets, this time in B minor key: B C# D E F# G A B

Notice how the scale is played differently on the way back.

8. Symmetrical Patterns

A symmetrical, pattern is a set of notes that can be repeated on different octaves.

It is called symmetrical because it’s played with the same shapes over a different set of strings.

Look at the G minor below and how the six notes G A Bb C D Eb are repeated one octave higher on a different set of strings with the same shape.

This way of playing scales works perfectly on the electric guitar due to the number of frets available. However, I find that some of these patterns can also be played on the acoustic guitar.

Let me show you a few examples.

F minor Symmetrical Scale Ex.1

In this example, we are going to combine two patterns on the same set of strings in F major key. The notes are F G A Bb C D.

The scale starts on the first fret so the positions can be quite stretchy.

Take it step-by-step and save your tendons.

9. Scales in Thirds

Practicing scales in thirds is indeed one of the best ways to develop the fingerpicking technique on guitar.

A 3rd is a music interval. Precisely, it’s the distance between one note, called root, and its third.

The 3rd can be major or minor depending on how many tones and semitones there are between the two notes.

Let me show you the difference between major and minor 3rd.

Because we are plucking two notes at the same time, it is obvious that playing interval scales like the one we are about to learn can be beneficial for your plucking technique as well as finger’s stretch and control.

There is a lot of plucking patterns that we can use to play scales in 3rd.

Let me show you a few of them.

Ex.1 – Scale in Thirds in C major

In this example, pluck the strings with the index and middle finger.

Use the left-hand fingers shown on top of the music stuff. The passages with the little finger are the most stretchy. Take it step-by-step.

Ex.2 – Scale in Thirds in B Harmonic Minor

Another example in 3rd in B Harmonic minor key.

This scale is played without open strings.

Ex.3 – Scale in Thirds with Different Plucking Pattern

You can practice the scale in 3rd by playing a combination of notes called “Root/3rd – 3rd/Root”.

With this combination, the first chord starts with the Root note followed by its 3rd. The second chord starts with the 3rd first.

Pluck one string at a time and play the notes as evenly as possible. If the plucking hand gets tired, stop immediately.

This is a very simple example in C major. You can then extend this concept to any other scale you know.

10. Scales in Sixth

You can also practice scales in sixth.

The 6th is a musical interval just like the 3rd but with the distance of six notes between the root and its 6th. This interval can also be either major or minor.

This is an example of major and minor 6th on guitar.

Ex1 – A major Scale in Sixth

The first example in position one in very simple.

The A major scale is: A B C# D E F# G# A

11. The Melodic Minor Scale

The Melodic minor scale is just like a Natural minor scale with the 6th and 7th degree raised.

This is the scale formula of the Melodic minor scale.

One of the main characteristics of this scale is that it is played differently ascending or descending.

The ascending scale is the Melodic minor scale. In C minor the scale looks like this: C D Eb F G A B C.
The descending scale becomes Natural. C D Eb F G Ab Bb C

This is how the scale looks like:

Difference Between Classical and Modern music

You can practice and play the Melodic minor scale in two different ways.

In Classical music the scale is played with the formula we learned above with the descending scale becoming natural.

In Jazz music, the scale is played the same both ascending and descending as it mainly used for improvisations and solos.

Let me show you an example of Melodic minor scale.

Remember to apply all the concepts you learned above to practice the Melodic scale. Symmetrical patterns, thirds, sixths, different rhythmic patterns. They all work on the melodic minor scale too.

Ex.1 – C# Melodic Minor Scale

In this very first example, we are going to explore the C# Melodic minor scale.

The notes of this scale are C# D# E F# G# A# B# C# in its ascending shape and C# B A G# F# E D# C# in the descending shape.

Let’s Wrap This Up

I hope you find all the information inside this blog useful guys.

I know! It’s a lot of stuff to take in one go. I recommend that you practice one scale at a time.

Practicing scales should be something you do consistently over the years. A few months won’t do the job.

Practice guitar scale for at least 10 minutes a day. Use it as warm up or for your solos.

Keep your fingers busy but save your tendons.

Good luck with this lesson guys.

Marco.

How to Play the Pentatonic Scale on Acoustic Guitar – 8 Solo Ideas

How Should You Practice the Pentatonic Scale on The Acoustic Guitar?

Fingerstyle vs. Guitar Pick

Major vs. Minor Pentatonic

Major Pentatonic

Minor Pentatonic

The Five Pentatonic Shapes

The Five Major Pentatonic Shapes

The Five Minor Pentatonic Shapes

Guitar Solo 1. Pentatonic Melody in E Minor

Guitar Solo 2. Pentatonic Riff in G Major

Guitar Solo 3. A Minor Pentatonic Solo

Guitar Solo 4. Hendrix Pentatonic Over Chords

Guitar Solo 5. C Major Pentatonic

Guitar Solo 6. Blues Pentatonic

Guitar Solo 7. Connect the Pentatonic Scale Shapes

Guitar Solo 8. Pentatonic Runs Up the Neck

Related Questions

Let’s Wrap This Up

How to Play Scales Smoothly on Fingerstyle Guitar – 5 Steps

1.Right-Hand Position for Smooth Strings Plucking

2.Fingerpicking Patterns for Scales

3.The Left-Hand Position

Let-Hand Thumb Position

Left-Hand Fingers Position

4.How to Practice Scales on Three Strings

C Major Scale

F Major Scale

G Major Scale

E Major Scale

D Major Scale

5.How to Practice Scales on Six Strings

Pentatonic Scale

Major Scale

Minor Scale

Related Questions

Let’s Wrap This Up

How to Practice Scales on Guitar – 11 Effective Ways that WORK!

1. Practice Scales for at Least 10 Minutes

Before We Get Started

2. Start by Learning the Chromatic Scale

How to Practice the Chromatic Scale on Guitar?

Chromatic Scale Ex.1 – The Basic Chromatic scale Pattern.

Chromatic Scale Ex.2 – The One String Chromatic Pattern

Chromatic Scale Ex.3 – The Spider Exercise

3. One-Octave Scale

One-Octave Scale Ex.1 – Scale Sequence in Thirds

One-Octave Scale Ex.2 – Four Notes Sequence

4. Practice the Scales Vertically

Vertical Scale Ex.1 – Descending Scale Pattern

Vertical Scale Ex.2 – Ascending Scale Pattern

More Examples of Vertical Scale

A minor Scale

C Major Scale

E Major Scale

B Minor Scale

D Minor Scale

5. Practice the Scales with Different Rhythmic Patterns

Basic Duration of the Notes

The Time Signature

Different Rhythmic Pattern Ex.1 – Quarter Notes and Eight Notes Combined

Different Rhythmic Pattern Ex.2 – Eight Notes and Sixteenth notes Combined

Different Rhythmic Pattern Ex.3 – Chromatic scale in 4 and 6

6. Practice the Scales Horizontally

Horizontal Scales Ex.1. E major scale

Horizontal Scales Ex.2. E Minor Scale

Horizontal Scales Ex.3. A Harmonic Minor Scale

7. Play the Scales with Triplets

So, how do we count the triplets?

Ex.1 – G Major Scale Played with Triplets

Ex.2 – B Minor Scale Played with Triplets

8. Symmetrical Patterns

F minor Symmetrical Scale Ex.1

9. Scales in Thirds

Ex.1 – Scale in Thirds in C major

Ex.2 – Scale in Thirds in B Harmonic Minor

Ex.3 – Scale in Thirds with Different Plucking Pattern

10. Scales in Sixth

Ex1 – A major Scale in Sixth

11. The Melodic Minor Scale