Major Scale (part 2)

 

Lesson Goals:

♦ Review proper fingering for major scale
♦ Identify the root note of the major scale and name the scale

Now it's time to put this all together. You should now know how to play a major scale and be able to remember the pattern of the scale.

You should also be able to identify the root note position in the pattern of the scale.

All we need to figure out is the name of the major scale we are playing at any given position on the neck.

To do that we will go back to our lessons on naming the notes on the 6th string.

Let's look again at which note in the pattern of a major scale is the root note.

To figure out the name of the major scale you are playing all you have to do is determine what note on the 6th string the root note of the scale falls on.

For example - look at Figure 1 on the right. The root note of the major scale when played in that position falls on the 3rd fret. You know from before that the note on the 3rd fret of the 6th string is a "G" note. Therefore, that scale is a "G major" scale.

Look at Figure 2. The root note of that scale falls on the 5th fret of the 6th string. As you will remember, that is an "A" note so the scale in that position is an "A major" scale.

The same holds true for Figure 3. The root note in that position falls on the 8th fret of the 6th string which is a "C" note so the scale is a "C major" scale.

Notice that the pattern of the major scale is identical in all the positions in Figures 1-3, only the name of the scale changes according to the root note you are starting on.

Now, if you can remember the pattern of a major scale and your notes on the 6th string, you can play, and name, a major scale anywhere on the neck of the guitar!