The guitar tuning scheme is ingeniously designed so that your hand may have the greatest musical range for the least amount of movement. The name I give to this tuning scheme is Lateral Translation. Since each string of the guitar is a subdominant higher as you go from the low E to high E (except between the G and B strings) across the fretboard, any chord or scale pattern that you know in one key can easily be translated to the subdominant key by simply moving it across the fretboard by one string. See the following illustration:
The presentation of scales and arpeggio practice in this method takes advantage of Lateral Translation so that each subsequent sight reading exercise of a new key is raised by a subdominant from the previous one. In this manner, only a slight adjustment in fingering is necessary to master the new key. This feature will better allow you to concentrate on the notation-fingering relationship that you will need to learn for your new key.
In all, there are only five major and minor scale patterns that you will need to know in order to master the fretboard. These are based on the familiar open chords that you learned as a beginning guitarist:
Each of these five forms can be slightly adapted to derive their melodic minor forms:
The important thing to realize about these scale forms is that they are not tied to a particular key. Each form becomes a new key, depending on where the root note begins. For example, the Em-form, based on the open position Em scale, becomes a Gm scale when the root note begins on the G note, 3rd fret, of the low E string. Again, the same form becomes a Am scale when moved to the A note of the low E string, at the 5th fret, and so on. In all, there are 12 possible positions for each form as you advance from fret zero (the nut) to the 12th fret. Since each of these positions represents yet another key, you will need to learn an entirely new note-finger mappings for each position, despite the similarity of the note pattern. To make this arduous task easier, the printed text, Reading Rosette, excludes positions based on the sharp or flat notes of the chromatic scale. Since these keys (F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb) are relatively rare in music written for the guitar, you can practice them on your computer by loading the appropriate MIDI file and transposing them to the desired key (See appendix).
On the other hand, you can play the same scale throughout the fretboard if you switch to another scale-form. Obviously, each form, though retaining similar notes, has a different fingering position, so you will have to adapt your sense of note placement for each form, despite the similarity of note values. Below is a fretboard diagram showing you the five forms of the C scale throughout the neck of the guitar.
Although, ideally speaking, all keys are created equal, the practical problem of playing them make some more useful than others. The open position--where the nut acts like an extra finger or two--is an especially favorable position for playing most written guitar music. We will begin with open-E key in order to take advantage of the lateral translation scheme as you advance to the neighboring subdominant, A-key. After you master the A-key, you will advance to the subdominant D major, and so on. Note that the scale files are loaded at the 5th position in order to allow maximum transposition range. You will have to transpose them to the open position if you wish to begin there (to see how to transpose See appendix).
After mastering the open position major and minor keys (E, A, D, G, C), you may wish to advance to the 3rd position keys (G, C, E, A, D) beginning at the 3rd fret, and so on. If you master these essential forms from start to finish, you will have a good foundation in sight reading for the essential keys and positions.
You can obtain the complete set of scales, triads, sevenths, ninths, and etudes from the internet. Moreover, these can be easily transposed to any key, including F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, and B (See appendix for instructions on how to download and use a free MIDI reading application, Finale NotePad). These MIDI files will allow you to both hear, and see each note as the music automatically scrolls through the exercise.
- Learn the scale patterns by rote before beginning to read.
- Say the names of each note out loud before you play the diatonic scale for the first time in your practice session.
- Progress by weaning yourself away from relying on the tablature numbers and focussing more and more on the staff notes.
- Try to feel each sharp or flat so that each key seems like a unique variation relative to the pure C-key.
- Play the scale slowly and deliberately, confirming each note as you go. Only speed up when you are sure of each note. You may find this frustrating and plodding at first, however, the pay-off will be large in terms of speed and accuracy when you really understand a key/form thoroughly.
- You can make the most of the text by playing the scales backward, as well as forward!
- Try to practice these scales a little each day, rather than, say, twice-a-week for two hours. Any good typing manual will tell you that an hour each day is all you need to get the most benefit out of your practice.
- Try to maintain descent sitting posture as you practice. You do not want to reinforce bad habits while you acquire good ones!
- Try to find patterns that will help you memorize the fingering and sharp/flat schemes for each key. For example, you will find that the 5th and 10th fret positions are much like the open position--only that the notes are shifted laterally by one string.
- Be persistent! The greatest weakness of this method is that scales can sound pretty dull. However, if your mind is focussed on learning to read, you will hardly notice what your roommate hears. Be sure to find a scale level that is challenging: once you can read it easily, you should move on.
- Do not compete with that other guitarist who seems to blaze through the scales. The reward goes not to who is fastest, but who can learn to sight read well over the long haul.
Good luck and I would be most greatful to hear what you think of the method, including any bugs that need fixing.
Antony Nispel, 2004 awnispel3@mac.com
Antony Nispel has been teaching recreation guitar in the Santa Clara valley since 1992, carrying on the work of his acclaimed teacher, Edward Rodriguez. Antony's guitar manuals include: Beginning Guitar for the New Millennium co-written with Mr. Rodriguez, Fretboard Rosette: A key to mastering the fretboard, and Reading Rosette: A key to mastering essential scales and arpeggios.
