Putting Theory on the Neck,
Part 1; Scales and Modes
By
Erik Stewart
Too
many times guitarists turn a cold shoulder to theory; because
it’s confusing, frustrating, and impractical at first. There
are many reasons for this. For one, theory is generally taught
through staff notation and keyboard mindset. Secondly, early classical
theory only vaguely applies to most guitar music now, so, guitar
players see no point and quit before the theory advances to where
it is good for practical guitar analysis. I intend to write a
series of articles that puts theory on the neck; and clears up
so much of this confusion and frustration.
I find the easiest way to conceive theory on the guitar is not
by note names on the staff, but, rather by the “shapes”.
By shapes I simply mean the intervallic relationships (amount
of space) between the notes that also look a certain shape on
the neck.
The Major scale
Scale Degree: 1 2
3 4 5 6 7
1 (these will become
crucial later on)
String: 0–2—4–5—7–9—11—12–
(Play these fret numbers on any one string)
Interval: +2
+2 +1 +2 +2 +2 +1 (this
means add this many frets)
Converted to C Major on the neck;
C,D,E,F,G,A,B
E ———————
B ———————
G —————4-5–
D ——–3-5-7——-
A -3-5-7————–
E ———————-
Notice that in this conversion we maintain the
intervallic relationship of a major scale.
The Major scale is the fundamental outline of almost all guitar
music. In fact, now that you understand its intervallic shape,
you already know all the church modes without realizing it. Western
music as we know it originated from Catholic monks over 600 years
ago, whether it be a Mixolydian jazz chart or a Phrygian metal
riff. Monks used to sing/chant simple arrangements of pitches
without a meter for a variety of ceremonial reasons throughout
each day. The intervallic relationship of these chants is actually
identical to the major scale. In fact, all church modes have the
same intervallic relationship as the major scale, the only difference
is which note of the set is heard as the most resolute, finale,
or home.
Intervals C
major relation Shape on One String
Major
+2 +2 +1 +2 +2 +2 +1 C,D,E,F,G,A,B -0-2-4-5-7-9-11-12-
Dorian
+2 +1 +2 +2 +2 +1 +2 D,E,F,G,A,B,C
-0-2-3-5-7-9-10-12-
Phrygian
+1 +2 +2 +2 +1 +2 +2 E,F,G,A,B,C,D -0-1-3-5-7-8-10-12-
Lydian
+2 +2 +2 +1 +2 +2 +1 F,G,A,B,C,D,E -0-2-4-6-7-9-11-12-
Mixolydian
+2 +2 +1 +2 +2 +1 +2 G,A,B,C,D,E,F -0-2-4-5-7-9-10-12-
Natural Minor
+2 +1 +2 +2 +1 +2 +2 A,B,C,D,E,F,G -0-2-3-5-7-8-10-12-
Locrian (rare)
+1 +2 +2 +1 +2 +2 +2 B,C,D,E,F,G,A -0-1-3-5-6-8-10-12-
Many patterns should leap out at you at this point! As you can
see, all the modes use the intervals of the C major scale; you
simply just need to know where to start. I recommend that you
work out these single string scales to the whole neck of the guitar.
(3 note per string for shredders) You can always double check
your notes with the single string shapes I listed above.
Lastly, there is one pattern of the modes that
is ever so important for composers to understand. Each of the
modes has a unique sound, and they can be classified into this
table, which exhibits how much brighter (to the top) or darker
(to the bottom) each mode sounds; which is directly related to
how many lowered or raised intervals there are from the major
scale.
Lydian (+1) -0-2-4-6-7-9-11-12-
Major -0-2-4-5-7-9-11-12-
Mixolydian (-1) -0-2-4-6-7-9-11-12-
Dorian (-2) -0-2-3-5-7-9-10-12-
Natural Minor (-3) -0-2-3-5-7-8-10-12-
Phrygian (-4) -0-1-3-5-7-8-10-12-
Locrian (-5) -0-1-3-5-6-8-10-12-
Thanks for reading and best of luck on your musical
adventure!
©2006
Erik Stewart All Rights Reserved
