Lesson 4: The C Major/A minor Scales

I decided that Lesson 4 would come early, as it is an easy concept. Scales are essentially patterns of pitch, or steps on the melodic ladder.  Another way to say it is "what music is made of", but that could be argued.

Anyway, the A minor scale is:

-----------------|----------------|
-----------------|---------6-8-10~|
-----------------|---5-7-9--------|
-------------5-7-|-9--------------|
-------5-7-8-----|----------------|
-5-7-8-----------|----------------|

The C Major scale is the same thing as the A minor scale, and vice versa. They are relative to each other in the sense that:

- A minor is the relative minor to C Major.
- C Major is the relative major to A minor.

If you start at C on your guitar and go back 3 frets to A, and if you start at A and go 3 frets forward you land on C.

That is true if you go backwards on any note 3 frets. They will be relative of each other.

Practice this scale everywhere on the neck. A good thing to do will be to find out the notes, and locate all of them on the neck. It will do you good. :D

--mike.b.