The Major Guitar Scale | Guitar Tutorials Now

Why Is the Major Scale So Important?

The Major guitar scale is essential for you to learn if you want to play lead guitar and it’s also the foundation that all the other scales ( like the pentatonic, minor scales, blues scales ) are built upon.

Musical notes are made up of seven letters, A to G. Between each note we have what is called an ” interval “, and between each interval we have a ” semitone “.

For this guitar tutorial, we will look at the C major scale which is the most simple and common scale in western music. By studying this major scale, we will be able to apply this knowledge to all the other major scales.

Sharps And Flat – What Is The Difference?

Look at the notes on a piano, there are black and white keys. Each black key represents a semitone. These keys are commonly known as either sharps or flats. For example the note between F and G keys can be denoted as F# or Gb.
Using The C major Scale to form the major guitar scales

Starting on C
The next note of the scale is D. The distance between C and D is two half tones or one full tone.
The next note of the scale is E. The distance between D and E is two half tones or one full tone.
The next note of the scale is F. The distance between E and F is one half tone. There is no black key on the piano between E and F.
The next note of the scale is G. The distance between F and G is two half tones or one full tone.
The next note of the scale is A. The distance between G and A is two half tones or one full tone.
The next note of the scale is B. The distance between A and B is two half tones or one full tone.
The next note of the scale is C. The distance between B and C is one half tone.

The Intervals of the C major Scale are:

Full Tone – Full Tone – Half Tone – Full Tone – Full Tone – Full Tone – Half Tone

Using this pattern we can now form the other major scales. Let’s have a look at the G major scale.

Starting on G
From G we move 1 full tone to find the next note of the scale – A
From A we move 1 full tone to find the next note – B
From B we move 1 half tone to find the next note – C
From C we move 1 full tone to find the next note – D
From D we move 1 full note to find the next note – E
From E we move 1 full note to find the next note – F#
From F# we move 1 half tone to find the next note – G

The G major Scale looks like this – G A B C D E F# G

We can use the same pattern as above to form the remaining major scales. Some of the more common one are listed below

D Major Scale: D E F# G A B C#
B Major Scale: B C# D# E F# G# A#
E Major Scale: E F# G# A B C# D#
A Major Scale: A B C# D E F# G#
F Major Scale: F G A Bb C D E
F# Major Scale: F# G# A# B C# D# E#
Bb Major Scale: Bb C D Eb F G A

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