Which scales should I focus on?

[DanPiazza]

I've been playing guitar for about two years now. I never really practiced many scales though, so I can't ever "jam" with people. I learned everything from just playing my favorite songs, so even though it may seem as if I know my way around a guitar, I really don't.

Advice as to which scales to learn? Google hasn't been too helpful; all I found was the chromatic scale.

[gahhh123]

Try practicing the 5 positions of the pentatonic scale. The scale is pretty popular, and versatile.

[DanPiazza]

What scale is that? Positioning I mean.

[gahhh123]

I don't really know how to explain it, but here's a link to a pretty good lesson on pentatonic scales.

http://guitar.about.com/od/specificlessons/ss/pentatonicscale.htm

[DanPiazza]

Thank you.

[miken3714]

Blues Scale

[DanPiazza]

Blues Scale

Please elaborate.

[miken3714]

I'm not a guitarist, but I do know that knowing/using the blues scale is a great way to jam/learn how to improv.

The hexatonic (6 notes) blues scale based off of the minor pentatonic scale with an added #4 (or diminished 5th)

The hepatonic bues scale is a regular diatonic scale with a lowered 3rd, 5th, and 7th degrees.

Work these out and you'll love them,

also just practice basic major/minor scales too.. those can never hurt

hope this helps a little!

[DanPiazza]

I'm not a guitarist, but I do know that knowing/using the blues scale is a great way to jam/learn how to improv.

The hexatonic (6 notes) blues scale based off of the minor pentatonic scale with an added #4 (or diminished 5th)

The hepatonic bues scale is a regular diatonic scale with a lowered 3rd, 5th, and 7th degrees.

Work these out and you'll love them,

also just practice basic major/minor scales too.. those can never hurt

hope this helps a little!

Thanks. I've never taken lessons either, so maybe I should just suck it up and spend the summer doing just that.

[-Mike-]

Hey man if you want try some of these scales out, its a pdf my guitar teacher gave to me with all the modes(fancy greek names for the scale degree the scales are based around). It should help as even if you don't know theory as its got the tabs for them all laid out for you. Heres the link: http://www.mediafire.com/?jke4lq1xnjg

[DanPiazza]

Thanks a ton! That's wicked helpful.

[-Mike-]

no prob dude!

[Republic]

Thanks for the info.

[AgainstTheCurrent]

My fav scale to shred on: blues, I could solo on it all day

Most songs I've ran into, however, are in major or minor scales

[Bennysuperfly]

Major and Minor for starters

[guitarpickheart]

I would agree with everyone else here: major/minor pentatonic is used in many, many songs as well as standard major/minor scales. Start with those, then learn some modes and more advanced theory.

[ibmx08]

google the name 'justin sandercoe'. website dedicated to free guitar lessons, and there are TONS of them. most are videos, but some are just text. ive been playing guitar for about 3 years, been following justin since i started.