The Power of Simple Scales

Learning scales is a fantasic way to create melodies. Below is an example, with tab, of a scale. The C major scale to be precise.

It doesn’t look like much but if you play around with the order of these notes or play some of the notes more than once (or even not at all) you can make a melody in that key.

Here’s an example of that idea. It’s a familiar tune that I invite you to play along to.

 

Notice that this entire melody only uses the notes in the C major scale illustrated at the top.

Play around with the scale and see what you come out with. If you don’t like it, try another. If you do like it see what else you can do. Invite a fellow musician over and see if you can harmonise. And most importantly: Have fun!

Rate this:

0.0

Tab is your friend

I cannot stress how much gutar tab (or tabulature) can help in learning guitar.

If you have no idea what I mean by guitar tab, let me give you a link to wikipedia’s article on the subject.

Here it is, though don’t get too excited. It’s quite a comprehensive and in depth article.

Simply put, tab is a clearer way of reading what note(s) to play than a classical musical score on a stave and also shows what number fret to hold on which string.

To get started I recommend going through About.com’s How to read Guitar Tab tutorial.

Once you’re up to scratch on how to read tab what’s stopping you from playing all your favourite tunes?! There’s plenty of sites that display tab to help you learn songs from Abba to ZZ Top.

Just type your favourite song followed by ‘tab’ into google and hey presto!

Get stuck in!

Rate this:

0.0