I never figured out how to read scales. They confuse the shit outta me! Help.

PS) I've been playing since Sept.

dont worry about it. ive been playing for about five years and i cant play one scale

a few modes though....like that does me any good

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Most of my fellow metal guitar players where I live are not a fan of scales or theory. I, however, crave it. I don't quite get what you mean you could never read them, but here goes one huge-ass lesson on music theory. I'll start from the very basics since I have no idea of your level of knowledge.

Basics: In western music, there are 12 notes. They are lettered as follows: C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B. After this, they repeat. The next C is the octave.

Intervals: Intervals are the space between two notes. A whole step is when a note is two semi-tones (I think that's the right word) higher or lower. For example, from C to D would be a whole step. A half-step is one semi-tone. For example, C to C#/Db. In the chromatic scale, which is all of the 12 notes previously discussed, every note climbs on half-step to the next note.

Major Scale: Here is the C Major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. The intervals for it are as follows (w=whole, h=half):

w-w-h-w-w-w-h
c d e f g a b c

*Remember that E to F is only a half step as is B to C.

Each note in the major scale is given a number. They are as follows:

w--w--h-w--w--w--h
c d e f g a b c
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

These numbers also have names. ( I CAN'T REMEMBER, SHIT!)

These numbers are the "formula" for the major scale. We can now apply this to other keys. For example, in the key of E major the scale would be:

w--w--h-w--w--w--h
e f# g# a b c# d# e
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Other Scales: All scales are based off the Major scales basic formula. For instance, here is the natural minor scale (1,2,b3,4,5,b6,b7) in C and E:

w--h-w--w--h-w--w
c d eb f g ab Bb c
1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8

w--h-w--w--h-w--w
e f# g a b c d e
1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8


Conclusion: Scales are basically sets of notes. Certain ones hold certain emotions.There! Damn I hope that's what you wanted cuz it took me forever!

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Thanx a lot. That will be very helpful, and I will try to use it when I want to try working on theory and stuff like that, but...I just see a scale with a bunch of dots and I don't know what order to play them in????

You don't know what order to play them in? That's your problem? Dammit! I ALMOST BROKE MY HAND TYPING ALL THAT! No, I'll explain:

Here's an A Natural Minor scale:

E|---R---|------|---x---|---x---|------|
B|---x---|--x---|-------|---x---|------|
G|---x---|------|---x---|-------|--x---|
D|---x---|------|---R---|-------|--x---|
A|---x---|------|---x---|---x---|------|
E|---R---|------|---x---|---x---|------|
5 6 7 8 9

You would play it like this:

E|--------------------------------5-7-8-------------------
B|--------------------------5-6-8-------------------------
G|--------------------5-7-9-------------------------------
D|--------------5-7-9-------------------------------------
A|--------5-7-8-------------------------------------------
E|--5-7-8-------------------------------------------------

and then descend it. Just keep repeating that. It really builds your accuracy and your speed.

Good Luck

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Oh shit, by the way Transient, modes are scales, it's just that they are based off of other scales.

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Ooooohhhhh thanks a lot lamb_of_god! *gets guitar*

Also read the scales and sweeps thread. And yeah, modes are derived from scales. Every scale has as many modes as there are notes in that scale. The regular scales have 7, the pents have 5, the wholetone and enigmatic scales have 6, be bopp scales have 9, and of course the chromatic scale has 12. All the modes do is change the root note. So for the c major scale, the one that all nomanclature is based off of, the first mode is Ionain, c-d-e-f-g-a-b, the second is Dorian, d-e-f-g-a-b-c, next Phrygian e-f-g-a-b-c-d etc. Each mode has a different sound and emotion. You can do that to any scale.

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man i never tried taking lessons, everything i know was self taught. so i dont know any scales or reading sheet music, i can only read tabs. and i dont even use those much.