Learning Scales

[Michael Kinch]

What are the most important scales to learn when you are starting out? Where is the best link for them?


Thanks,

[JerseyPicker]

What are the most important scales to learn when you are starting out? Where is the best link for them?


Thanks,

I consider myself an "advancing beginner", so take my input for what it is: something that another beginner has found useful, not an expert opinion.

The "Mandolin for Dummies" book has provided me with an excellent introduction to scales. Before going through this book, I was capable of reading sheet music and picking out tunes, but didn't really pay much attention to scales other than "these are the notes used in this melody that I'm learning". In the scales chapter, each section introduces a new scale, and provides a tune that is in that key. They also introduce the "FFcP" concept, which will give you the knowledge required to play those scales all up and down the fretboard.

It hasn't made me a better player as far as how I sound, but it has helped put things into perspective. Learning new tunes/songs in unfamiliar keys is now not as challenging. Noodling in these scales ("musically mumbling" at my level) is a lot of fun, too.

[pops1]

Major and minor pentatonic are a good place to start. Learn as many as you can. A major scale is only a few notes more than the pentatonic so that would also be good.

[Mark Wilson]

They are all important, but maybe G, A, & D, are good to start learning first

They can be played open or closed. Probably easier to start with scales in the first position using open strings. Example: Basic 2 octave G scale using open strings

Closed scales have no open strings and can be moved around to other root positions. They are the harder ones to play. Example: Closed position scales

Here's Tim O'brien showing his warm up exercise using closed scales:
Warm up using closed position scales

[bigskygirl]

I use them to warm up...on the mandolin once you learn one you pretty much know them all. I would practice them all from time to time rather than limit yourself to just one or two - if you learn D, F, and G you can just move over one string and have A, Bb, and C so there's 6 add E and you’re set...the other keys are not real common...once you learn a few you’ll see a pattern develop.

I think mandolessons has a few videos as does banjo ben, just check google and I’m sure tons of sites and videos are available. There are a few books out Ted Eschilman has the nice ffcp system that is worth learning. Have fun.

[gspiess]

If you play with vocalists, learning the key of E may prove helpful.

[Br1ck]

I play major scales every day in every key in the first position. This will give you every scale pattern in both closed and open positions. D flat needs to be in the second position. I also name each scale root note in my head to learn the fingerboard better. I alternate playing them slower and then faster. Slower, and I pay attention to right hand issuese as pick , evenness of up and down stroke tone, and tremolo. Sped up I try for clean and fast,mreletively speakng.If I screw up for whatever reason,the metronome speed goes slower and I play it ten times or so. I have no scientific proof, but I believe I'm able to learn things quicker. Pentatonic is next.

[JeffD]

What are the most important scales to learn when you are starting out? ,

What kind of music are you chasing after. For bluegrass and fiddle tunes we might emphasize G,D, and A. For folk songs and sing alongs C would be a good one also. For playing with a singing guitar player E is very useful. For blues and jazz I would not want to leave out F and Bb.

I am not trying to discourage you and I am sorry if I have.

The more important thing IMO is to jump in and get going. Start say with a G scale and just practice the potatoes out of it until you find yourself thinking in G. The pattern will stick with you and the second scale you learn, whatever it is, will be that much easier for having learned one already.

[Mark Wilson]

Here's one way to add scales into your practice. As you're learning a new tune, note the key of the tune you are learning and find the scale for that key. Practice that scale as a warm up before you get down to work on the tune.

On fiddle tunes, I might go thru the pentatonic scales for each chord in the tune prior to practicing a new tune. Lots of ways to tie together