I will assume that you have seen a guitar scale chart by now, It’s pretty intimidating right? It looks a lot of work and no fun at all. When I first started playing the guitar a few years ago, I too had a hard time figuring it out, with all the chords and the numbers you see on the guitar scale chart, it feels like it’s impossible to know even some of this at all. I was thinking that, there must be another way to learn guitar scales than just looking at chords and numbers. Then one day when I was practicing it just came to me. Hey wait a minute! all this chords and numbers I’ve been looking at and practicing countless hours are just the Simple Do Re Mi.
But before we start and continue with the lesson. I just want to clarify this things. I’m not saying that I invented this method on how to learn the guitar scale. For sure every guitar player who is been playing for years now knows all about this and also I’m not saying that guitar scale charts are not useful and wont help you. You can use it, you can learn from it, it’s worth looking at. It’s just that I learned and understand what I’m doing with this method and I feel that it’s going to help other guitar players who are just starting out practicing guitar scales. That’s why I want to share this.So without further ado, here’s the simple method on how to Learn Guitar Scale Using Simple Do Re Mi For Beginners.
Guitar Do Re Mi, Major Chord And Relative Minor Chord
For this tutorial will be using the G Major Scale and will also include its relative minor chord Em. Will dissect the scale into group of patterns, and each pattern will have the Do Re Mi together with the Guitar Number System to represent the notes and chords of the scale. You will find how easy it is to remember these patterns and when you make a mistake you’ll actually hear it so you can properly adjust a half step lower or higher on the notes using this type of method. Also remember, this is done with alternate picking.
G Major Scale
- G Major Scale: G A B C D E F# G
- Chords in G Major: G Am Bm C D Em F#dim G
- Scale Formula: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Major key chord sequence: Maj min min Maj Maj min dim Maj
- Major: 1-4-5
- minor: 2-3-6
- Diminished: 7
- Relative minor: 6th Degree Em
Common Chord Progressions in G Major:
- G-C-D
- G-Em-C-D
- Am- D7- Gmaj7
E Natural Minor Scale
- E Natural minor Scale: E F# G A B C D E
- Chords in E minor: Em F#dim G Am Bm C D Em
- Scale Formula: 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7
minor Key chord Sequence: min dim Maj min min Maj Maj min
- minor: 1-4-5
- Major: 3-6-7
- Diminished: 2
- Relative Major: 3rd Degree G Major
Common Chord Progressions in E minor:
- Em-C-D
- Em-Am-D
- Em-Am-Bm
- Em-C-G-D
- F#m7b5-Bm-Em
G Major Scale Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do
Start at the red dot DO (1) of the low E string with your middle finger, followed by the other fingers to descend on the rest of the dots ending on the DO (8) of the D string. Then go back ascending starting now from where you stop, reversing the finger pattern you’ve created. You may have ended on your ring finger or pinky finger, but this really depends on what finger you’re comfortable to use, which means as long as you have a rhythm going up and down the frets and having an easy time doing it, you’re alright.
Aside from starting only at DO (1), this time will include the LA (6) and TI (7) on the low E string. Start with an open E or LA (6) then the index finger to TI (7), the middle finger again at the red dot DO (1) and continue to finish the first pattern.
Like the first pattern start at the red dot, but this time with the DO (1) on the D string and using your ring or pinky finger descending to the rest of the dots ending on the DO (8) of the high E string. You can include the RE (2) on the high E string in the second pattern then go back ascending again.
Another starting point on the second pattern is the DO (1) of the open G string and there is another FA (4) on the B string that you can also use for the second pattern.
I’m sure that you get the hang of it by now that you can start from the top low E string of the first pattern continuing on until you reach the last note RE (2) of the high E string of the second pattern, then go back ascending.
G Major Relative Minor Is E minor
Every Major chord has its relative minor, and for the G major it is the Em. Now let’s try to scale the E minor from top to bottom then again going back ascending. Try it now with the Em Natural and Pentatonic Scale.
The G Major and E minor scale are basically the same. Both are made up of the same 3 Majors, 3 minors and a Diminished chord.
Practice The 5 Patterns Of The G Major Scale
To help you practice, here is the breakdown of the G Major scale and the E natural minor scale, which is again the relative minor of G Major.
Adding to that, these exact 5 patterns will be useful when you move onto practicing the other major key scales and their relative natural minor key scales. The placement of the patterns will be different on every key, but you will notice the arrangement or the shape is just the same.
We have provided the links below for the other major and minor scales to try and have an AHA moment by just using these 5 patterns.
pattern 1
pattern 2
pattern 3
Pattern 4
pattern 5
Finally we’re done, the Do Re Mi is all there and all you have to do is follow it and practice. So speaking of practice, here’s a free online metronome to help you gain muscle memory on your fingers, build speed and precision.
Then try the scale patterns on different keys Goodluck!
Major Scale