Home / Fretboard Basics / Major Scales / Jam Tracks / About

The image below shows a sample fingering chart for a common rock scale. The 'root' note ( in this case, A ) is shown circled in black and appears 3 times on the chart. The numbers indicate which finger is typically used. Optional transitional notes are shown in black circles are not required but add flavor are typically used when moving to or from a dominant note in the scale. However, this is not always the case - but this is about 'jamming'. Don't use the transitional notes until you've gotten comfortable with the notes in the scale.

Start with the positions in white and, when comfortable, use the positions in black. A good finger exercise is to run up and down the scale until you can sound each note perfectly without thinking about it. This takes time - months, years, ... but will eventually become 2nd nature. On the Major Scales pages we'll look at common fingerings for several positions on the guitar neck.

Here's a sample of what this particular scale might sound like. First I'll play it with just the white notes, then include some transitionals, then just make something up using it all.

sample-scales.mp3

When practicing the scales in is important your wife, neighbors, friends, enemies, and small animals are shielded from the ensuing horrific sounds which inevitably emanate from people first learning musical instruments or even experienced players who like to practice scales to keep in practice. I strongly recommend headphones - it's save you from abandonment issues!...