subject: Guitar Lesson -- Movable Scale Forms [print this page] The whole idea of a moveable scale is no big deal if you have an understanding of one particular scale in the first place -- the Chromatic Scale. As it turns out all scales are moveable by the Chromatic Scale.
Here's a review of that scale:
A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A etc...
This is also known as a 1/2 step scale because the numeric distance or interval between each note is 1/2 step by definition.
The neck of your guitar is also a chromatic scale, as each fret is defined as 1/2 step. That means that anything you play on the guitar is "moveable" by this scale.
In this article we will look at scales.
Here's a form of the G major scale:
E-------2-------3----------------5--------------
B----------------3----------------5---------
G-------2----------------4-------5---------
D-------2----------------4-------5----------
A-------2--------3---------------5----------
E-------2--------3---------------5----------
This scale is played in the 2nd position. That is, your 1st finger goes on the 2nd fret, and the rest if your fingers (2, 3, and 4) line up on frets 3, 4, and 5.
Here's the F minor or Ab major pentatonic scale:
E---1-------------------------4---------------
B---1-------------------------4--------------
G---1------------------3---------------------
D---1------------------3---------------------
A---1------------------3---------------------
E---1-------------------------4--------------
This scale is in the 1st position.
We need to stop thinking of scales as just being mere scales. These things are scale "forms" -- moveable by the one and only chromatic scale.
So... If we take the G scale above, think of it as a "form" in the 2nd position, then move it 1/2 step (or 1 fret) to the 3rd position, we will then be playing the G# or Ab major scale. If we move it up one more 1/2 step (1 fret) to the 4th position, we will then be in the the key of A.
Same thing with the pentatonic scale. If we move this form up 1 fret, we will then be playing an F# minor or A major pentatonic. Move it up 1 more fret, and we will be doing the G minor or Bb major pentatonic.
You need to try this on your guitar, moving these forms up and down the neck while memorizing the keys. What's also important for you to realize is that all other scale forms that you may know are also moveable by the same means.
Now you can play some kind of lead in any key on your guitar.
