Pastor Brad's FREE Metal Guitar Lessons The Major Scale Free Metal Guitar Lessons      Guitar Jams       PB's Metal Music       Reviews I have these lessons listed in order--so that they build upon one another.  Make sure you've digested the lessons leading up to this one BEFORE you try to tackle this one! A fundamental scale that every player needs to become familiar with is the Major Scale.  It is the familiar 'do, re, mi' scale and is commonly used over major chords.  The major scale is probably the most widely recognized of all the scales, and as such, is an excellent place to begin learning about scales in general.   The major scale is essentially no more than a series of whole steps and half steps, played in the following order: W W H W W W H . The table below explains: W = Whole Step = 2 Frets H = Half Step = 1 fret Thus, anywhere you play 8 notes according to the above pattern--whether you play them on  a single string or using all six strings--you have a major scale. If you begin with a "C" note ( 5th string 3rd fret), the major scale would follow this pattern:  C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C Here is a pattern for the major scale that I use frequently... it's actually two full major scales back to back... thus it covers two "octaves". Major Scale in "A" (6/5 is the "tonic" and is an "A" note) E --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- B -----------------------------------------------7--9--10------------------------ G ------------------------------------6--7--9------------------------------------- D ---------------------4--6--7 s9------------------------------------------------ A ----------4--5--7---------------------------------------------------------------- E ---5--7---------------------------------------------------------------------------        M  P  I   M  P    I R P    P   I  M  P   I   R   P   (Remember: I = index finger, M = middle, R = ring, P = pinky)   PRACTICE TIPS: 1.   Begin with all down strokes--as far as picking is concerned.  As you feel comfortable you can add alternate picking patterns, hammer-ons, pull-offs etc.  But at the beginning, go slow, play each note cleanly.   2.  Always remember--the clean accurate playing of each note in the scale is more important than speed... speed will come in time. 3.  Once you master this scale at this position on the neck (in "A") try playing it in several different places.