Guitar Scales | The Complete Guide

Learn How To Play Scales Up and Down The Fretboard

This page will teach you everything you need to master guitar scales with proficiency.

After learning chords, the next most common step is to start playing single-note melodies over the entire neck, and knowing your scale patterns is vital for this process.

In the following, you'll learn the most common guitar scales, as well as basic theory knowledge about scale formulas and how to use them in songs and solo.

So let's get started!

Interactive Tool: 10 Guitar Scales To Practice

Use the tool below to learn the fretboard patterns of the most important guitar scales that a beginner should learn first.

Be sure to practice them as much as you can.

Don't forget to have a look at our tutorial on guitar scales.

Most Common Guitar Scales

Here below you find the diagrams and explanations for some of the most used guitar scales.

If need help to understand these diagrams, have a look at my how to read music for guitar tutorial.

Major Scale

The major scale is the foundation of Western Music so here it's the first in the list.

Major Pentatonic Scale

Pentatonic scales are composed of 5 notes (penta) and the Major pentatonic is a Major scale without the 4th and the 7th.

Minor Pentatonic Scale

The Minor pentatonic is another 5 notes scale.

Good to know: if you play the minor pentatonic in the key of E, we have a particularly easy fingering because we can use open strings.

The same concept can be applied to open major scales

Blues Scale

The Blues scale is a Minor pentatonic with a flattened 5th added. It has a unique sound that you immediately recognize.

Minor Scale

The minor scale is another important scale to learn, and it's relative to the major scale.

Dorian Scale

The Dorian scale is massively used in Jazz and Rock; it's a variation of the minor scale.

Mixolydian Scale

The Mixolydian scale is a Major scale with a flattened 7th, it has a Bluesy feeling.

Lydian Scale

The Lydian scale, thanks to its raised 4th, has an unique dreamy effect.

Drill down: You find many more guitar scale diagrams in my complete ebook Scales Over Chords.

All Guitar Scales Table

The tables below show you the formula for most of the existing guitar scales, and a link to drill down and learn fretboard patterns, chords from scale, how to use a scale and so forth.

To get the most of these scale formula tables, be sure to know what is an interval!

Common Scales

Scale	Formula
Major Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Minor Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Major Pentatonic Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Minor Pentatonic Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Major Blues Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Minor Blues Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7

Modes from the Major Scale

Scale	Formula
Major Scale (Ionian)	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Dorian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Phrygian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Lydian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7
Mixolydian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Minor Scale (Aeolian)	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Locrian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Harmonic Major Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7

Modes From The Harmonic Minor Scale

Scale	Formula
Harmonic Minor (Aeolian Maj 7)	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Locrian #6 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Ionian #5 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Dorian #4 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7
Phrygian Dominant Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Lydian #2 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7
Super Locrian Bb7 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 bb7 b7 7

Modes from The Melodic Minor Scale

Scale	Formula
Melodic Minor Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Dorian B2 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Lydian Augmented Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7
Lydian Dominant Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7
Mixolydian B6 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Aeolian B5 Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Super Locrian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7

Symmetrical And Diminished Scales

Scale	Formula
Augmented Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Whole-Tone Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7
Whole-Half Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Half-Whole Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7

Exotic Scales

Scale	Formula
Indian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Japanese Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Gipsy Hungarian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 b6 6 b7 7
Neapolitan Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 #5 6 b7 7
Persian Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Jewish Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Bizantine Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7
Arabic Scale	1 b2 2 b3 3 4 #4 5 #5 6 b7 7

You can even mix two scales together to generate new interesting structures, as explained in this hybrid scales tutorial.

Music Theory: What Is A Guitar Scale?

Scales are not the same as chords. When we practice scales we play them one note at a time, unlike a chord in which you play all the tones simultaneously.

We can consider a scale as a way to go from one note (say C) to the same note one octave upper (one octave is 12 frets on guitar)

Let's see this example on the guitar: take the C note at the 3rd fret of the A string , and the C one octave upper, at the 15th fret of the same string.

A scale is a way to go from one note to the same note one octave upper

If you count the number of the frets between the lower C and the higher C, you get 12. So this confirms that an octave spans 12 frets .

We have multiple ways to go from the lower C to the upper. We could play the frets 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 15 or play only 3, 7, 9, 11, 15 or even play all the frets between the two C (that would be a chromatic scale)

Of course, this holds true for ascending and descending both (from the lower C to the upper and from the upper to the lower)

Basic Scale Theory

The most important thing you must understand is that scales are not patterns. See a scale as a sound: each scale type has its own characteristic sound. Patterns are just ways to play scales on the guitar fretboard, due to the nature of the instrument.

The relationship between each selected fret determines the scale structure and thus its name. We can create scales of all of types.

Each scale type has its own unique combination of distances between the frets in the octave. This is called scale formula.

In music theory, frets translate to semitones or half-steps. On guitar, it's safe to consider frets, semitones and half-steps the same measure.

Usually, there are 7 notes to each scale within a one-octave range, but not always: pentatonic scales have 5 notes, and there are even scales, like bebop scales, that have 8 notes!

Considering that the scale doesn't change with an octave change we don't need to repeat it past 7 notes.

A C scale will always end and start on a C, and the same for each successive note. So a C major scale spanning 2 octaves is simply:

C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C

Remember: Scale Patterns are Movable!

Did you notice that the C major scale pattern above is just four frets wide? We call these box shapes, they span 4, 5 or 6 frets.

The reason why guitarists prefer to play scales along these box patterns are that the motion is more efficient: 1 finger for each fret (we're going to see this topic in the following)

The great thing about a guitar scales box is that it will work anywhere you place it on the guitar as long as you follow the pattern.

Each scale type has a specific box pattern which can be shifted to other keys. So, for example, if we want to play a D major scale , we move up the C scale pattern by two frets. Want an F major scale? Move the C pattern up by 5 frets!

To play the F major scale, we move the C major scale pattern five frets up, so that the root of the pattern (yellow note) is F

If you want to understand better how and why the frets are placed across the strings, have a look at the guitar notes tutorial .

Guitar Scales Exercises

Here below you find a great exercise that will help improve your scale speed and agility. It's based on the C major scale, I suggest approaching the pattern with the medium finger at the 8th fret.

For more things to practice, go to guitar scales exercises full list.

Which Scales Should I Play Over This Chord?

This is a common question that often confuses beginners. It's common practice to play a major scale over a major chord, a minor scale over a minor chord, and so forth.

Things get complicated when the harmony becomes more complex: dominant, altered, diminished chords, to name a few.

Which scales play well over those chord types? A good approach is to check the tones that compose the chord and what scale matches well with them.

Drill down: can learn more about this method in my scale chord application tutorial.

More Resources To Improve Your Guitar Scales Skills

Our introduction to guitar scales ends here.

To stay updated on new tutorials, subscribe to the free newsletter (you'll also get access to the download area with many free printable resources)

I'll leave you with some more resources to further deepen your music knowledge:

FAQ

What is the fundamental difference between a guitar scale and a chord?

Scales are played by sounding individual notes one after another, typically to create melodies or single-note lines. In contrast, chords involve playing multiple notes simultaneously to produce a harmonic sound.

Why are scale patterns important for guitarists to learn?

Scale patterns are vital because they provide a structured framework for playing single-note melodies and improvising across the entire fretboard. They help guitarists visualize and execute scales efficiently.

What does it mean when a guitar scale pattern is described as 'movable'?

A 'movable' scale pattern means that once you learn its shape on the fretboard, you can shift that entire pattern up or down to play the same scale in any key. The fingering relationship stays consistent, allowing you to adapt it across the neck.

What is a 'scale formula' and how does it relate to guitar playing?

A scale formula describes the unique combination of intervals (distances between notes) that define a particular scale's structure and characteristic sound. On the guitar, these intervals correspond to the number of frets between notes, with each fret representing a semitone or half-step.

How do 'box shapes' improve efficiency when playing guitar scales?

Box shapes are specific scale patterns on the guitar that typically span 4, 5, or 6 frets. They are designed for efficient movement, often allowing for a 'one finger per fret' approach, which streamlines playing and improves agility.

How do I determine which scale to use over a specific chord?

For basic chords, a general rule is to play a major scale over a major chord and a minor scale over a minor chord. For more complex harmony, a good approach is to identify the individual notes within the chord and then choose a scale that contains and complements those notes effectively.

Do all scales contain the same number of notes?

No, not all scales have the same number of notes within an octave. While many common scales have 7 notes (like the Major or Minor scale), pentatonic scales have 5 notes, and some, like bebop scales, can contain 8 notes.