If you really want to play guitar scales, chords and arpeggios at the speed of thought, you need to practise them until your thought waves are in the mode of what you hear in your imagination. You play them so many times that they become mantric and you are the sound. Visualisation techniques boost ability to learn guitar as well as improvising. You must concentrate, visualise and hear in your mind all you can play in the real world. This is how you program the sound you want to become instinctive or intuitive in performance or recording situations.

On your first guitar lesson it's not necessary to learn every scale possible. For example, harmonic and melodic minor scales are rarely used in standard commercial corporate rock music. Most forms of metal do use harmonic minors though. So if you are planning to play classic type rock you can leave those guitar scales for later, especially since they are much more complicated than others to harmonise.

 

 

A major or minor pentatonic blues scale will usually work over anything, blasted out of course! The pentatonic scale originated in China. Every note in the scale had an esoteric meaning and spiritual significance over the human psyche! Black man won his freedom with the knowledge of this scale and the heart chakra! The music was called blues!

Using a variety of guitar scales in a phrase can be difficult, but remember even if you make a mistake, you can turn it into a positive by building on it to create a new enchanting phrase. Bluffing, as it is known amongst pros. This is a standard pro joke amongst experienced gigging and recording soloists. When guitar scales become second nature and you play in any key without the slightest hesitation, that is only the beginning.

 

 

What scale goes with what chord? Then you must make it musical and expressive. Sequences on melody are only a small part of motor skills. You must visualise your melody and let your imagination and music play you! Not memorise your motor skills then show off what a great memory you have. When you sing, endomorphines are set off in the brain. Chanting does the same, that's why a choir sounds so beautiful. In meditation a mantra is a word you repeat to center your mind. Anything cycled centers your mind including constant guitar practise.

Guitar scales and chord-scale relationships should become first nature when improvising. The most important thing is feel, phrasing and taste. Wise use of guitar scales gives you the ability to improvise and play great solos provided your musicianship has been matured. Learning guitar scales should not be a chore but enjoyable enough to practise for hours! In western cultural music, scales are usually defined as major, minor or dominant in quality. Arpeggios and chords are just as important a tool for improvising. Remember modes are really scales too! Don't let all the flashy names scare the shit out of you. There are only 12 notes in western music so each guitar scale usually has 7 different notes. That leaves 5 Notes to panic about!

 

 

John Mizarolli

Guitar Virtuoso & Leading

World Guitar Tutor

07958 427 236