Simplifying Guitar Scales for Beginners

Learning scales on the guitar is a very important process. To truly become a seasoned player you really do need to get a handle on knowing the notes on the fret board and how to play the scale for each one.

Each scale starts with the root note (or the scale name like "C" scale). Each scale follows the same pattern W-W-H-W-W-W-H This means that the next note is either a whole step or a half step from the previous note. A whole step on guitar is two frets always, a half step on guitar is always one fret.

Keep in mind that a chromatic scale for any instrument is below:

C-C#/Db-D-D#/Eb-E-F-F#/Gb-G-G#/Ab-A-A#/Bb-B-C

And the difference between each of these is a half step so for scale in C
C (one whole step would be two frets or D)
D (one whole sterp would be two frets or E)
E (one half step wold be one fret or F)
F (one whole step would be two frets or G)
G (one whole step would be two frets or A)
A (one whole step would be two frets or B)
B (one half step would be one fret or C)
C

Try another scale, how about a G scale
G (one whole step /two frets or A)
A (one whole step/two frets or B)
B (one half step/on fret or C)
C (one whole step /two frets or D)
D (one whole step/two frets or E)
E (one whole step /two frets or F#)
F# (one half step /one fret or G)
G

If you follow this simple pattern for major scales you will be able to find all the scales you need to play on the guitar.