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Fundamentals of Scales
Notation and Terminology
Scale Exercises
Melodic Techniques
Closed Positions
Diatonic Modes
Triplet Exercises
Scale Patterns
Scale Exercises by Key

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Diatonic Modes

Diatonic Scales and Modes are described briefly in an earlier section in which the following table is discussed. It identifies, for a given key, the relative key from which the notes are used to form each diatonic mode:  

                Mode     Play notes from…                # frets away from the root…

                Ionian (Major)      I

                Dorian    VII-       +10,         -2

                Phrygian            V+           +8,           -4

                Lydian    V         +7,           -5

                Mixolydian          VI            +5,           -7

                Aeolean (Minor)   III-           +3,           -9

                Locrian   II-         +1,          -11

To play an Am Scale, one would use the notes in the major scale of the flatted III chord (III-), which is C. An Am scale contains the notes from a C major scale, except the scale starts and ends on the A notes. The locations on the resonator guitar neck of the notes in a C scale are identified in detail in other sections. An Am scale exercise can be derived from any of the C Major Scale exercises:

  2 Octave Am exercise:

 A  B  C  D  E  F  G  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  A  G  F  E  D  C  B  A  G  F  E  D  C  B  A 

 1  2  3- 4  5  6- 7- 1  2  3- 4  5  6- 7- 1  7- 6- 5  4  3- 2  1  7- 6- 5  4  3- 2  1 

|                       |                       |                       |  

-------------------------------0--------5--7--5--------0--------------------------------

-------------------------0--1-----5--6-----------6--5-----1--0--------------------------

-------------------0--2-----------------------------------------2--0--------------------

----------0--2--3-----------------------------------------------------3--2--0-----------

----0--1-----------------------------------------------------------------------1--0-----

-2-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------2—-

To play an Em Scale, one would use the notes in the major scale of the flatted III chord, G, with the scale starting and ending on the E notes.

Open Position Em exercise:

 E  F# G  A  B  C  D  E  D  C  B  A  G  F# E  D  C  B  A  G  A  B  C  D  E

 1  2  3- 4  5  6- 7- 1  7- 6- 5  4  3- 2  1  7- 6- 5  4  3- 4  5  6- 7- 1

|                       |                       |                       | 

-------------------0--2--0-------------------------------------------------

-------------0--1-----------1--0-------------------------------------------

-------0--2-----------------------2--0-------------------------------------

-2--4-----------------------------------4--2--0-----------------------0--2-

-------------------------------------------------1--0-----------0--1-------

-------------------------------------------------------2--0--2-------------

To play an A Mixolydian Scale, one would use the major scale of the IV chord, D, with the scale starting and ending on the A notes.

2 Octave A Mixolydian exercise:

 A  B  C# D  E  F# G  A  B  C# D  E  F# G  A  G  F# E  D  C# B  A  G  F# E  D  C# B  A

 1  2  3  4  5  6  7- 1  2  3  4  5  6  7- 1  7- 6  5  4  3  2  1  7- 6  5  4  3  2  1 

|                       |                       |                       |  

-------------------------------0--------5--7--5--------0--------------------------------

-------------------------0--2-----5--7-----------7---5----2--0--------------------------

-------------------0--2-----------------------------------------2--0--------------------

----------0--2--4-----------------------------------------------------4--2--0-----------

----0--2-----------------------------------------------------------------------2--0-----

-2------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2-

To play a G Dorian Scale, one would use the major scale of the flatted VII chord, F, with the scale starting and ending on the G notes.

2 Octave G Dorian exercise:

 G  A  Bb C  D  E  F  G  A  Bb C  D  E  F  G  F  E  D  C  Bb A  G  F  E  D  C  Bb A  G 

 1  2  3- 4  5  6  7- 1  2  3- 4  5  6  7- 1  7- 6  5  4  3- 2  1  7- 6  5  4  3- 2  1 

|                       |                       |                       |  

----------------------------------0--------5--------0-----------------------------------

-------------------------------1-----5--6-----6--5-----1--------------------------------

----------------------0--2--3-----------------------------3--2--0-----------------------

-------------0--2--3-----------------------------------------------3--2--0--------------

----------1-----------------------------------------------------------------1-----------

-0--2--3-----------------------------------------------------------------------3--2--0—