Guitar Tricks Online Guitar Lessons

Extending The Scale

 

First let's add our extra notes to the pattern. We could keep going up after our highest note, but instead we're actually going to extend in the other end. So instead of having the 5th fret of the G-string be our lowest note, we'll now add the 4th fret. I'm using my index finger for this one as well.

This is the same note as the 7th fret of the high E-string only a lower octave. And again, if you're confused by this octave concept think of our grown man and the kid singing a melody together. They're singing the same notes, but one is higher than the other. And if it doesn't make any sense, don't even worry about it. It'll click all of a sudden!

Now we'll add two more notes and those will be the 7th and the 5th fret of the D string. Now when we practice this together, we'll start on our lowest note going up towards the high strings. Then when we reach the top note, we'll breathe for a second and then we'll come back down the scale. I'll count us in really slowly, and then we'll play the scale as quarter notes, meaning one note per count.

Now let's try this out together, and then afterwards you should try it on your own at whichever tempo feels comfortable for you whether it's faster or slower than this.

Anders Mouridsen
Instructor Anders Mouridsen
Tutorial:
Extending The Major Scale
Styles:
Any Style
Difficulty:
print notation download lesson open guitar tuner
Extending The Scale song notation

You need to be registered to ask our instructors a question.

Questions & Answers

1 week ago
Tnx for he great content! How fast/seamless should I be able to play this part of the scale before moving on?
Mike Olekshy 3 days ago

Hello - thanks for the question! As long as you fully understand the concept and can play along with the example slowly, it's okay to move ahead to the next lesson!

1 month ago
My first big challenge so far. It's quite a stretch getting from the newly added 7th fret (d string) to the 4th fret (g), and then sliding over to the 5th fret creates that surface noise along the string. How might I improve on that? Anders achieves the transitions so seamlessly.
Mike Olekshy 3 weeks ago

Hello - thanks so much for your question! Going from the 4th to 5th fret, you need to slide your hand up the fretboard slightly, but try lifting your finger off the string temporarily then refretting the 5th fret once your hand is in position. Hope this helps!

1 month ago
My first big challenge so far. It's quite a stretch getting from the newly added 7th fret (d string) to the 4th fret (g), and then sliding over to the 5th fret creates that wicked screech along the string. How might I improve on that?
Mike Olekshy 3 weeks ago

Hello - thanks so much for your question! Practice slowly, and try moving your finger off the string as you move between frets. Another thing that might help is to use lubricant on your strings - such as Dunlop Ultraglide. Hope this helps!!

2 months ago
It would be great if that was dictated in the notes as to what scale this is. C major scale from the G so then is it safe to say that this is a CMajor scale with a minor 7th?
Mike Olekshy 1 month ago

Hello - thanks for your question! This tutorial is a continuation from the previous one that taught the C major scale in one octave, so, yes, Anders is still playing a C major scale. In this lesson, he is adding lower notes from the C major scale into the pattern for the purpose of teaching a melody. So, yes, he's playing the C major scale, but starting on the G note. This does not change the scale at all. It is still a C major scale. It definitely does not add a minor 7th. Hope this helps!

10 months ago
What scale is this? One of the notes sounded off and I didn't know if I was hearing it wrong. Thanks.
Josh Workman 10 months ago

Hi, what may sound a little strange to your ear is that he is playing a C major scale but from the G, so it might end up sounding like a G scale with the 7th note a 1/2 step lower than you would expect. Otherwise, everything looks and sounds correct.