Guitar Blues Scales

JimFC

Blues Newbie
I was testing myself on Griff's Blues Scales flash card web program and noticed a pattern. Please let me know if I'm all wet - or if the pattern I see is correct! I uploaded a simple text file that I put together - but this seems to me to be a much easier way to look at the keyboard.

String 1 and 6, of course are the same and the minor scale right is Box 1 and minor left is Box 5.
The major left will always be the same as the minor right.
Minor left is 1 less than the minor right (duh!)
Major right is therefore 1 greater than the major left or 1 more than minor right!

So, memorizing this and knowing what the desired root note is - I find it easier to determine which box to play, left or right, major or minor!

Jim C.
 

Attachments

  • major-minor.txt
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tommytubetone

Great Lakes
I just keep going over Griff's flash card program over and over hoping to eventually have it down
cold.
The flash cards are great and I use them, but I also will put on an extended length backing track and play major and minor left and right patterns from each root note. This seems more "real world" to me. It's going to take awhile for this to be automatic. :unsure::oops:
 

matonanjin

Chubby, old guy trying to play some blues.
I'm really glad @JimFC started this thread because I was going to ask about it. Griff posted in the blog at some point about his flash card program. Not too long ago he revisited it. But unfortunately I didn't bookmark it. I want to study it. Does anybody have a link? I would appreciate it.
 

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
The flash cards are great and I use them, but I also will put on an extended length backing track and play major and minor left and right patterns from each root note. This seems more "real world" to me. It's going to take awhile for this to be automatic. :unsure::oops:
I think the ideal way to practice is a combination of both.

Work with the trainer for a little while until you get hit with one that is really foreign to you (this may not take long for many folks ;) ...

Then pick a backing track and work with that pattern for a while over that backing track to get it in your ear and fingers.

Repeat as needed for many moons...
 

tommytubetone

Great Lakes
I think the ideal way to practice is a combination of both.

Work with the trainer for a little while until you get hit with one that is really foreign to you (this may not take long for many folks ;) ...

Then pick a backing track and work with that pattern for a while over that backing track to get it in your ear and fingers.

Repeat as needed for many moons...
Good advice. Many moons is about right. :eek:
 

Griff

Vice Assistant General Manager
Staff member
Good advice. Many moons is about right. :eek:
Remember that this is the gift that keeps on giving...

Just the other day I was in a lesson and found myself needing a scale in a position I wasn't comfortable with and I got tripped up as well. Now, granted, that doesn't happen often anymore, and it was a rather unusual scale, but it still happens sometimes. We all have things to practice on.
 
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