Scale confusion


William MG
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William MG
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04/11/2019 8:32 pm

Hello!

hoping I can get some help with the scale finder tool. I am going through Lisa's tutorial right now and am on the C Major scale. But I when I look at what she is showing and try to find it on the tool I cant find it.

Can anyone help me understand how to use this tool?

thanks!


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 1
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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04/12/2019 2:12 am
Originally Posted by: William MG

hoping I can get some help with the scale finder tool. I am going through Lisa's tutorial right now and am on the C Major scale. But I when I look at what she is showing and try to find it on the tool I cant find it.[/quote][p]Lisa teaches the C major scale in this lesson & you can see which notes she is referring to by the notation on the page.

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=24484&s_id=2010

[quote=William MG]Can anyone help me understand how to use this tool?

The Scale Finder is simply a reference tool. It always regards "Pattern 1" as whatever pattern that places the root note on the low E string & played by the pinky, regardless of any other factor. Then, it covers all the strings & frets with notes from that scale in that position. Likewise for the other patterns: the goal is simply to cover the fretboard with the scale pattern. So the Scale Finder is more like a dictionary or encyclopedia of every possible C major scale pattern!

On the other hand, Lisa is teaching the most basic C major scale as a unit (one octave C to C in the low register) at a beginner level. So, use the material on the lesson site to follow what she is playing.

If it helps, you can see the pattern that Lisa is teaching on the Scale Finder if you click on C, then major (ionian), then Pattern 4.

Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
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William MG
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William MG
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04/14/2019 10:15 am

Thank you for the reply Christopher. I have read this several times but I am not sure I fully follow but perhaps as I get more experience it will become clearer.

Thank you again.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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04/15/2019 12:37 pm

You're welcome for the reply.

Originally Posted by: William MGI have read this several times but I am not sure I fully follow but perhaps as I get more experience it will become clearer.

Let's see if I can help you understand! :)[br][br]

Any given scale is identified by two pieces of info: its root note and its scale formula. We start with it's root note, anywhere you can find it on any given instrument.

So for example, the C major scale can be played starting on the note C, anywhere you can find it on the guitar. There are lots of places to play the note C on the guitar and, therefore all of them are valid places to start playing the C major scale. Then we follow with the scale formula and get the notes D, E, F, G, A & B. And place them anyway on the guitar you can find them.

The Scale Finder is a tool for doing exactly that. It shows you every place on the guitar that you can play the notes of the C major scale. It covers the fretboard with C major scale notes.

For example, Pattern 1 on the Scale Finder shows this fretboard pattern.

But notice that this pattern shows more notes above & below the Cs of the beginner viersion. That's because there are more notes of the scale available in that position. But it's just not necessary for a beginner version. In fact it just potentially causes more confusion & info overload for a beginner. However for the purpose of the Scale Finder tool, it's a necessary inclusion because those notes are there!

I hope helps to clarify the issue & makes sense in a way that helps you understand. Please ask more if necessary & best of success with the scale!


Christopher Schlegel
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William MG
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William MG
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04/15/2019 7:12 pm

You are awesome Christopher. You put a lot of work into this. I promise to go through it, I am sure it will help.

thanks again!


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

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manXcat
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manXcat
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04/16/2019 5:44 am

I read through this out of sheer curiosity, commenting here only to offer kudos.

The readability of and clarity in your explanation so that any rank beginner could comprehend and understand the answer to William MG's question rates an A+ Christopher. Two thumbs up!

Seems to me that it'd be a common beginner inquiry even if many don't post to ask as William MG did. Perhaps it should be pinned in the Music Theory sub-forum so it presents noticeably at the top?


# 6
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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04/17/2019 11:11 am
Originally Posted by: manXcat

The readability of and clarity in your explanation so that any rank beginner could comprehend and understand the answer to William MG's question rates an A+ Christopher. Two thumbs up!

Thanks for the compliment! :)


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William MG
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William MG
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04/20/2019 3:25 pm

I finally got to this Christopher and now understand it. Thank you again for your help.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 8
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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04/22/2019 11:02 am
Originally Posted by: William MG

I finally got to this Christopher and now understand it. Thank you again for your help.

Good deal! You're welcome.


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William MG
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William MG
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04/23/2020 3:12 pm

I am reviving this Christopher because I can now honestly say I have a good enough handle on scales and notes that I can put the notes together in such a way that they make sense. It took me a year, but I feel that today a light bulb lit up and I had clarity.

GT has provided me what I was looking for and of course that happens because of instructors like yourself.

I may come back to GT again if I want to add more tools, but for the near term my goal is to take what I now have and engrain in my daily playing.

Thanks again Chris for your excellent advice over the past year. And of course to the other instructors as well.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 10
fuzzb0x
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fuzzb0x
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04/23/2020 7:09 pm
Originally Posted by: William MG

I may come back to GT again if I want to add more tools, but for the near term my goal is to take what I now have and engrain in my daily playing.

Thanks again Chris for your excellent advice over the past year. And of course to the other instructors as well.

Does this mean you are for now leaving us here at GT William?

I hope not as you have been a valuable contributor on the forums since you joined.


# 11
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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04/24/2020 1:03 pm
Originally Posted by: William MG

I am reviving this Christopher because I can now honestly say I have a good enough handle on scales and notes that I can put the notes together in such a way that they make sense. It took me a year, but I feel that today a light bulb lit up and I had clarity.[/quote]

Good deal. Moments like that are why we keep going!

[quote=William MG]I may come back to GT again if I want to add more tools, but for the near term my goal is to take what I now have and engrain in my daily playing.

Thanks again Chris for your excellent advice over the past year. And of course to the other instructors as well.

You're welcome! And thanks for using GT. Best of success with your guitar learning & playing. Happy trails until we meet again! :)


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William MG
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William MG
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04/25/2020 9:44 pm
Originally Posted by: fuzzb0x
Originally Posted by: William MG

I may come back to GT again if I want to add more tools, but for the near term my goal is to take what I now have and engrain in my daily playing.

Thanks again Chris for your excellent advice over the past year. And of course to the other instructors as well.

Does this mean you are for now leaving us here at GT William?

I hope not as you have been a valuable contributor on the forums since you joined.

Appreciate the comment fuzz.

No I'll still be around, what Iam doing is restricting how much new material I take in. Ive put so much stuff between my ears this past year it's just now really starting to sink in and things are beginning to make sense. So the next 8 mos will be really focused.


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 13
fuzzb0x
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fuzzb0x
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04/25/2020 10:04 pm

Glad to hear you are sticking around William MG, I understand what you are saying about needing time to focus on all the material you have learnt so far, I often find myself needing to go back to older lessons and re-learn them as I didn't give the lessons the full attention to allow it to stick in my brain for good.


# 14
mjgodin
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mjgodin
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04/25/2020 10:33 pm

I totally here what your saying William. Sometimes it's easy to take on too much wonderful information they teach here and it becomes a bit difficult to juggle it all and make practices effective. Hope to still see you around as I always enjoy your advice and perspective on things. Good Luck.

Moe


# 15

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