Chris
Forum MVP
The Major scale, which is sometimes referred to as the Ionian mode; is a popular scale used in music to create a happy, positive feeling in songs. It is used in creating major chords. A scale is a series 8 notes which begin and end on an octave. What separates major scales from other scales is how the notes are separated from each other. The major scale follows this pattern: . W-W-H-W-W-W-H The notes on your guitar are separated this way:
A (1) B (1/2) C (1) D (1) E (1/2) F (1) G (1) A
A "1" indicates a whole step, the "1/2" indicates the notes are separated by a half step. W stands for whole steps, H for half steps.
The A major scale contains the following notes: A,B,C#,D,E,F#,G#,A. Lets get started with an A major scale starting on the 5th fret of the top E string. (an A note).
Tab:
Here is a map of where the A major scale can be played on the fretboard.
Now an A major scale does not need to start on an A, yet A can still be the root. For example, here is an A major scale beginning on F#, but A is the root.
Tab:
You can solo in this pattern when a rhythm player is playing in the key of A, or a chord progression starting in A.
A (1) B (1/2) C (1) D (1) E (1/2) F (1) G (1) A
A "1" indicates a whole step, the "1/2" indicates the notes are separated by a half step. W stands for whole steps, H for half steps.
The A major scale contains the following notes: A,B,C#,D,E,F#,G#,A. Lets get started with an A major scale starting on the 5th fret of the top E string. (an A note).
Code:
E ||-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|
B ||-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|
G ||---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|
D ||---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|-X-|-X-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|
A ||---|-B-|-C-|---|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|
E ||-F-|---|-G-|---|-X-|---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|Tab:
Code:
E||--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|------------------7----|--9----10----||
B||--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--7----9----10---------|-------------||
G||--------------------|--------------------|-------6----7----9--|-----------------------|-------------||
D||--------------------|------------6----7--|--9-----------------|-----------------------|-------------||
A||-----------------5--|--7----9------------|--------------------|-----------------------|-------------||
E||--5----7----9-------|--------------------|--------------------|Here is a map of where the A major scale can be played on the fretboard.
Code:
X ||-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-A-|---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|
X ||-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-A-|---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|
G ||-X-|-A-|---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-A-|---|
X ||---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-A-|---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|
A ||---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-A-|---|-X-|-C-|
X ||-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-A-|---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|Now an A major scale does not need to start on an A, yet A can still be the root. For example, here is an A major scale beginning on F#, but A is the root.
Code:
E ||-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-X-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|
B ||-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|
G ||-X-|-X-|---|-X-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|
D ||---|-X-|-F-|-X-|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|
A ||---|-X-|-C-|-X-|-X-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|
E ||-F-|-X-|-G-|-X-|-X-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|Tab:
Code:
E||---------------------|---------------------|-------------------|------------2----4----|--5----||
B||---------------------|---------------------|-----------------2-|--3----5--------------|-------||
G||---------------------|---------------------|--1----2----4------|----------------------|-------||
D||---------------------|------------2----4---|-------------------|----------------------|-------||
A||-----------------2---|--4----5-------------|-------------------|----------------------|-------||
E||--2----4----5--------|---------------------|-------------------|----------------------|-------||You can solo in this pattern when a rhythm player is playing in the key of A, or a chord progression starting in A.
