You diffently should learn the scale pattern thru the neck, but first find a diagram of the fretboard with all the notes marked on it, and start learning which frets, on which strings equal which notes. each fret has six notes, for six strings, they repeat there selves exactly starting on the 13th fret you will notice. You also need to know how to stay in key playing by your self, and with others. C major, and G major are I think keys to start learning because all the open strings are in those two keys, and only G major has a sharp note, C has all naturals, no flats or sharps. The notes in the key of C major are root note C-D-EF-G-A-BC. the dash between notes indicate unplayed notes in the key. THATS THE PATTERN, LOOK ON YOUR FRETBOARD NOTE REFFRENCE GUIDE AND FIND ON THE TOP STRING THE NOTE C. THEN LOOK UP AND DOWN THE FRETBOARD GUIDE AT TOP STRING D THEN E F THEN G THEN A THEN B C. surelly you see the pattern for the key of C now. Now move to the next smaller string, THE PATTERN IS THERE TO, AS WELL AS ON ALL THE STRINGS, JUST DONT HIT ANY OTHER NOTES BUT THE ONES ABOVE AND YOU WILL BE ON YOUR WAY. Between the 1st and 5th fret from top to bottom do this exercise to get the idea! Try playing top string first fret to start hit open E, hit closed F, hit closed G, fith string open A, closed B, then C, forth string open D,closed E and F third string open G, closed A, 2nd string open B, closed C, closed D, 1st string open E, closed F, closed G. MAKE SURE TO USE YOUR FRETBOARD NOTES GUIDE FOR THIS TO LOCATE NOTE AND FRET LOCATION, AS WELL AS OPEN STRING NOTES TOP TO BOTTOM E-A-D-G-B-E. This pattern goes up and down all the strings, in all the 12 diffrent keys, just diffrent notes for each key. The key of G is G-A-BC-D-EF#-G. enough for now. See if this helps the light bulb get brighter in the scales&key department. If at first you dont get it read it over and over till you do.
