E Major Guitar Scale
Learning to play a guitar scale is the foundation for creating melodies. In this lesson we'll be playing the E Major scale, in a line - up a string.
A scale is a series of single pitches, ascending & descending in alphabetical order (& reverse). The tones of a scale system create the tonal material for a piece of music (they are a collection of pitches that can be used to create music - harmony & melody).
In Western music, 12 tones are utilized (each ONE half step to the next), yet for tonal music (in a key), we only use 7.
We 'eliminate' 5 tones by using a pattern: 221-2221, where a 2 = 2 half steps or 2 frets, & 1 = 1 half step or 1 fret. This is called the Major scale pattern.
The Major scale system creates a numbering system for the tone that is the root (the 1). It numbers the tones it selects. The root is one, then the tones that follow, that are selected by the Major scale pattern, are numbers 2-7.
We are deriving the tones of a key or scale by using the Major scale pattern.
E Major's Tones (1-7)
- E
- F#
- G#
- A
- B
- C#
- D#
- E (octave - same as 1)
E Major Linear in Tablature
The tones in this scale are E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E (frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12 respectively).
E Major Linear on a Fretboard
The hollow circle is the open string E, & the black dots are where you would place your fingers.
Try experimenting & improvising using this scale on a single string. Also, think about the chords derived from these tones. Each tone of the scale becomes a root of a chord (and a scale - modes). For the chords, start on the open E & skip every other tone (of the tones selected by the Major scale pattern - frets 0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12...) until you have a triad (a 3 tone chord). The E chord would be 0-4-7 = E-G#-B. The F#m chord would be 2-5-9 = F#-A-C#, etc.
E Major Guitar Scale Continued: Derivative vs. Parallel
