Maybe this is a broad question, but, what exactly does it mean to understand a scale?
A scale is just a series of notes and you can make up your own actually!! But to understand a scale simply means you understand the (intervals) which are the spaces inbetween the notes and you also know what the notes are that are in that particular scale , IF YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND ANY SCALE MAKE SURE THE 1ST ONE IS THE MAJOR BECAUSE EVERY OTHER SCALE USES THE MAJOR AS A REFERENCE POINT !!! SO UNDERSTANDING THAT ONE IMO IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN MUSIC THEORY TO UNDERSTAND, I HOPE THAT HELPS !!
LEARN THE MAJOR SCALE AND TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT ONE 1ST MY FRIEND
Thank you very much James !
My problem is that I do know intervals and notes but still feel like I don't understand it..
My dilemma is wether I should spend more time on scale theory or proceed with lessons and connect the dots with new material..
Ofc, you can not now the answer to that, but I hope more people will give different views and approaches..
Thank you friend !!
MY ADVICE IS TO GO AROUND THE CIRCLE OF 5THS AND LEARN EVERY MAJOR TRIAD ROUTE POSITION, 1ST INVERSION AND 2ND INVERSION IF YOU DO THAT THE WHOLE FRETBOARD WILL OPEN UP FOR YOU REALLY LISTENING TO TOMO AND FOLLOWING EACH LESSON IN ORDER UNTIL YOU COMPLETE UNDERSTAND IT THEN MOVE ON THAT IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO GO !!! I HOPE THIS WAS USEFUL TO YOU !! GOOD LUCK BROTHER
Ante
Ante,
I suppose there are many levels of understanding a scale. If we take the game of chess for an example, just because we know the rules for how the pieces move, we still have a lot to learn about the game.
Maybe the first level is knowing how to derive the scale and being able to name the notes in any key for the scale (major = WWH-W-WWH, key of C= CDEFGABC, minor = WHW-WHW-WHW, C = CDEbFGABC).
more advanced levels would be:
1. to recognize the scale in a song - major, minor, dominant, diminished, etc.
2. take a song like happy birthday and play it in another scale, like minor happy birthday minor
If you listen to it, play it, and know how to derive it, then you have an introduction and maybe you can move on because it is in your head. Then at some point you can come back to it for more understanding of how to apply it or why it works or does not work with some chords. (just like chess, after you study some games you can go back to the basics to gain a deeper understanding)
Khai Goodall
Ante
Thank you Jeffrey,
Chess analogy is perfect for my situation !
Here is Tomo's comment:
"Thanks so much for subscribing to my Guitar Wisdom. Remember, when you study scales, you study harmony, too. So, learn he pitch of each degree, when you learn a scale."