Easy Beginner Guitar Lesson - How to Play the Blues Scale in the Key of G and Master Your Guitar
If you only learn one blues scale make sure you it's this one, the blues scale in the key of G; 85% of the time you jam with someone the first thing they will call out is "let's play a blues in G" guaranteed this is going to happen, so the idea is to get in early and learn this scale before you go out jamming.
When you think about how most guitar players learn the guitar it's no wonder they find it difficult to adapt to 'real world' musical situations. Guitar Scale Mastery Traditional 'learn to play guitar' methods devote pages to learning the standard major diatonic scale which will definitely help you playing 'Three Blind Mice', 'Yankee Doodle', 'Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley' and other such tunes, however I think you would agree these tunes are not high on the list at jam sessions.
The idea is simple... learn the type of scales that are used in the type of music you want to play and learn them in the popular keys.
Today's article will focus on the Blues scale in the key of G; this is definitely a popular scale and a popular key, I'd make certain you pack this scale in your guitar case along with a spare set of strings whenever you go out to play.
Firstly, let's compare the various types of common scales in the key of G.
G minor pentatonic = G - Bb - C - D - F - G
G major pentatonic = G - A - B - D - E - G
G blues scale = G - Bb - C - Db - D - F - G
G major (diatonic) = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
If you took a casual glance at this collection of scales it looks as if there is a lot of material to learn, however a closer inspection reveals certain similarities that will help you remember and recall this important information e.g.,(1) the G major pentatonic scale contains the same notes as the G major
(diatonic) scale simply omitting the fourth and seventh notes of the G major diatonic.
(2) The G blues scale has exactly the same notes as the G minor pentatonic scale only with an additional Db (flattened 5th) note.
Here are some popular ways to play the G blues scale on the guitar; keynotes indicated [].
-------------------------
-------------------------
-------------------------
------------------3--[5]-
---------3--4--5---------
-[3]--6------------------
And now the G blues scale one octave higher.
-----------------------[3]--
-----------------3--6-------
-------3---5--6-------------
--[5]-----------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
Try playing the G blues scale on the first string as a linear scale for variety of tone and added excitement for the listener.
G linear blues sale
G = 3rd
Bb = 6th
C = 8th
Db = 9th
D = 10th
F = 13th
G = 15th
The linear idea is also buy guitar scale mastery a great way of connecting your lateral scales e.g.,
1. standard lateral scale pattern in the first position
-----------------------[3]--
-----------------3--6-------
-------3---5--6-------------
--[5]-----------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
2. linear blues scale played entirely on the first string
-[3]--6--8--9--10--13--[15]--
----------------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
3. lateral scale pattern one octave higher than first position scale
---------------------------[15]--
--------------------15--18-------
-------15---17--18---------------
--[17]---------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
Now you are ready to head off to the nearest jam session confident that you will have your G blues scale mastered on guitar.
When you think about how most guitar players learn the guitar it's no wonder they find it difficult to adapt to 'real world' musical situations. Guitar Scale Mastery Traditional 'learn to play guitar' methods devote pages to learning the standard major diatonic scale which will definitely help you playing 'Three Blind Mice', 'Yankee Doodle', 'Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley' and other such tunes, however I think you would agree these tunes are not high on the list at jam sessions.
The idea is simple... learn the type of scales that are used in the type of music you want to play and learn them in the popular keys.
Today's article will focus on the Blues scale in the key of G; this is definitely a popular scale and a popular key, I'd make certain you pack this scale in your guitar case along with a spare set of strings whenever you go out to play.
Firstly, let's compare the various types of common scales in the key of G.
G minor pentatonic = G - Bb - C - D - F - G
G major pentatonic = G - A - B - D - E - G
G blues scale = G - Bb - C - Db - D - F - G
G major (diatonic) = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
If you took a casual glance at this collection of scales it looks as if there is a lot of material to learn, however a closer inspection reveals certain similarities that will help you remember and recall this important information e.g.,(1) the G major pentatonic scale contains the same notes as the G major
(diatonic) scale simply omitting the fourth and seventh notes of the G major diatonic.
(2) The G blues scale has exactly the same notes as the G minor pentatonic scale only with an additional Db (flattened 5th) note.
Here are some popular ways to play the G blues scale on the guitar; keynotes indicated [].
-------------------------
-------------------------
-------------------------
------------------3--[5]-
---------3--4--5---------
-[3]--6------------------
And now the G blues scale one octave higher.
-----------------------[3]--
-----------------3--6-------
-------3---5--6-------------
--[5]-----------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
Try playing the G blues scale on the first string as a linear scale for variety of tone and added excitement for the listener.
G linear blues sale
G = 3rd
Bb = 6th
C = 8th
Db = 9th
D = 10th
F = 13th
G = 15th
The linear idea is also buy guitar scale mastery a great way of connecting your lateral scales e.g.,
1. standard lateral scale pattern in the first position
-----------------------[3]--
-----------------3--6-------
-------3---5--6-------------
--[5]-----------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
2. linear blues scale played entirely on the first string
-[3]--6--8--9--10--13--[15]--
----------------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
----------------------------
3. lateral scale pattern one octave higher than first position scale
---------------------------[15]--
--------------------15--18-------
-------15---17--18---------------
--[17]---------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
Now you are ready to head off to the nearest jam session confident that you will have your G blues scale mastered on guitar.