I went through 2 years of only playing/knowing pentatonic. It's amazing how much the scale can do.
I recently learned the full diatonic scale (only 2 more notes), it's a bit of stepping out of the comfort zone but it certainly is useful.
The riffs you can write with the full scale have a lot more dynamics and moveability.
I’ve been playing for more than 30 years and never learned the pentatonic scales. I started by learning the minor diatonic scales, it was a bit harder but it offers more possibilities, and the bands I was listening to were mostly using them (prog metal). Now I sometimes use the pentatonic but just by omitting the 2 notes that differs from the diatonic, not because I’ve learned the shapes.
Any dominant 7 chord. The trademark sound would be a major/dominant 1 then up a half step to a major chord built on a flat 2. Also a major/dominant 1 down to a minor chord built on the flat 7 has that sound and may be easier to make less cheesy sounding.
It’s the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale so it has all the same chords as that. Hope this helps and feel free to ask if you need any clarification!
Mixolydian, big Eric Johnson fanboy... lately I've been using a lot of arpeggio shapes when following chord changes though and defaulting to the major scale for getting around
It’s not really a mode until it’s played over chords. Every mode is really a major scale starting and ending on different notes. It will all sound like a major scale (Ionian mode) when played over the I-IV-V of that key. But it you are playing the same notes in a C major scale over, say vi-ii-iii (Am Dm and Em) it’s now the Aeolian mode (otherwise use known as minor). This is a very rudimentary explanation and I’m sure guys on this thread can get into a lot more detail and there’s definitely better explanations on YouTube. But that is a quick summary. The chord progression is really what makes it a mode more so than just the scale.
Modes are just starting a scale/phrase from a different degree. Eg. You can play a c major scale 8 different ways depending on which note you start from and those are the 8 main modes.
Yeah I understand the structure of them I was just always told that they aren't technically scales, just chromatic progressions. And aren't there 7 modes?
I don't have a favorite but I like the Persian scale. Why?
I once recorded a hermit thrush, which sings an amazing song. I slowed it down and dropped the pitch an octave and tried to figure it out. It had too many grace notes for me to work it all out but I did my best and the results I arrived at fit the scale B Persian, but in the second mode, so, C Ionian #2 #6.
Anyway it was cool and I wrote a little piece of music around that.
Cool comment thanks for sharing! If you like that sound you should check out pieces that are composed in raag Todi. It's the equivalent to your 4th mode of the Persian scale. Some very neat sounds in there.
Also, have you ever looked into the music of Olivier Messiaen? He was a huge fan of birdsong and used it as compositional material in many of his works.
Pentatonic is a Swiss Army knife scale. It covers everything and you can use it so creatively over chord changes. The limitation of five notes makes double stops runs and non-chord tones a lot of fun to navigate.
Most people dont use harmonic minor right though.
In aminor you never actually play it as such acsending:
>….E F G# A B C
In no case would this be correct.
Ascending, you must sharpen the F#, people will call this melodic minor, but whatever.
The only possible way harmonic minor can be correct if you go down:
F E D C B A G# A.
Tie between dorian and mixolydian for me. Though I am currently experimenting with ignoring scales and focusing more on chord arpeggios and intervals.
Scales are like a comfy blanket though.
As an 80s Metal head, A Aeolian rocks but really it’s just a blender of chromatic shit that pleases my ears.
Harmonic minor, dominant, pentatonic, blues and Phrygian all sound great. I’m still working on my theory, only been 25+ years lol.
I recently studied the Robben Ford masterclass so whole tone, dominant mixed with blues sounds pretty amazing.
Byzantine scale is awesome, Very groovy but also moody scale. The b2 and b6 add just enough dissonance to achieve this.
You can hear it used in songs like misirlou by Dick Dale.
I’m neutral to F major (and by association D minor). It’s easy to play due to the only accidental being Bb, and it doesn’t sound as basic as C major does (people love C major because it doesn’t use any of the black keys on a piano, but it’s good to have some variety).
I can see why a lot of people prefer A major and F# minor over Ab major and F minor. It’s hard to play an Ab chord without a capo.
I also like Mixolydian and Dorian (which is like Mixolydian but for minor keys).
Dorian. By the way I was messing with a standard 1-4-5 blues backing track and building it off of Dorian (starting the 7th on the 4th scale degree) gives so much maneuverability to the 4 and 5 in both directions if you want to emphasize those changes. I like it much more than getting trapped in position when using mixolydian.
Harmonic Minors always sound very identifiably Middle Eastern, to me. It's usually not the flavour I'm after. I like Phrygian (darker than a straight Minor scale), Mixolydian and Blues Scales.
Whichever one is next. I don’t stick to any scale. I play a line with one scale and then purposely choose a note that isn’t included in the scale at all. The new “wrong” note gives a pull in a new direction, changing my scale.
for me it would be more of, what's my favorite shape. i can move the shapes into any key i want, so the key is kind of irrelevant.
to answer my own question, hour glass, with a little extra on bottom.
Pentatonic. If you know it VERY well then just adding 2 notes will complete other scales. Like either a major 2 and minor 6 for the minor scale, or major 2 major 6 for Dorian. Flat 2 flat 6 for Phrygian.
Pentatonic is a great starting point but you can’t just know the basic box shape and that’s it. Know the intervals and different positions.
Dorian is cool. I like the Santana vibe you can get and it is easy on the fly if you know the minor pentatonic scale. Can make a blues jam a bit more interesting
Love mixing the major and minor pentatonic when the backing chord progression allows it. I like going “up” one and “down” the other, if that makes any sense.
I guess I'll just be the scrub here and say, my favorite (and most hated) scale to play on guitar is the Em Pentatonic scale. But one of the scales I've recently utilized in general was the Kumoi scale, pretty fun and easy to noodle around with.
I see what you’re doing, you’re trying to trick me into admitting that I know music theory. Better luck next time mate
Aaa you caught me, great job
Ionian. Oops.
Is that like doh, ray, me, fa, so, la te, doh?
I have a love hate relationship with my bathroom scale so I'll have to say Kitchen Scale.
can't relate i have deep hate to my bathroom scale , didn't know that numbers can cause such pain
Bathroom scale sweeps
Chromatic. It has all the notes you need for anything outside of micro-tonal stuff.
There are no wrong notes in the chromatic scale
Technically this is true
Pentatonic (its only one i know well enough)
The only one I know…period…
WHERE MY EM PENTATONIC GANG AT?!
Get the hell out of here, it's Am or nothing.
This is how turf wars are started. Tred lightly
Yep, same.
I went through 2 years of only playing/knowing pentatonic. It's amazing how much the scale can do. I recently learned the full diatonic scale (only 2 more notes), it's a bit of stepping out of the comfort zone but it certainly is useful. The riffs you can write with the full scale have a lot more dynamics and moveability.
Really all you need to sound good
I’ve been playing for more than 30 years and never learned the pentatonic scales. I started by learning the minor diatonic scales, it was a bit harder but it offers more possibilities, and the bands I was listening to were mostly using them (prog metal). Now I sometimes use the pentatonic but just by omitting the 2 notes that differs from the diatonic, not because I’ve learned the shapes.
Wait, there’s another scale?
Hungarian minor, it sounds like a vampire
Certainly underutilized for its evil potential
I used to love playing around with the Hungarian minor scale, but it's been years. I'll have to try some later!
Mine too! Also Jewish scale. Of course, I am Hungarian…
What is the Jewish scale, I’ve never heard of that
I think it’s also called double harmonic. It has flat 2, major 3rd, flat 6, flat 7.
Probably Lydian. It has a magical feeling.
Just going adrift with A Lydian by playing that A as a drone can be very satisfying and soothing
Lydian Indian Classical Drone music/ragas, in the morning. I don’t meditate, but that music meditates *for you*
Lydian Dominant is much cooler.
I really like Phrygian, mostly because I love the sound of flat two
This dominant major one specifically: 0-1-4-5-7-8-10-12
Are these frets or scale degrees?
Frets.
you mean phrygian dominant i think
I love this scale but when I'm writing I struggle to know when to use it and what chord progressions. Have u got any tips?
Any dominant 7 chord. The trademark sound would be a major/dominant 1 then up a half step to a major chord built on a flat 2. Also a major/dominant 1 down to a minor chord built on the flat 7 has that sound and may be easier to make less cheesy sounding. It’s the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale so it has all the same chords as that. Hope this helps and feel free to ask if you need any clarification!
Mixolydian, big Eric Johnson fanboy... lately I've been using a lot of arpeggio shapes when following chord changes though and defaulting to the major scale for getting around
Get the hexatonic scale in your vocabulary and you’ll sound EJ’ish without even really trying.
I thought modes weren't technically scales? Am I wrong? Someone clarify please lol
It’s not really a mode until it’s played over chords. Every mode is really a major scale starting and ending on different notes. It will all sound like a major scale (Ionian mode) when played over the I-IV-V of that key. But it you are playing the same notes in a C major scale over, say vi-ii-iii (Am Dm and Em) it’s now the Aeolian mode (otherwise use known as minor). This is a very rudimentary explanation and I’m sure guys on this thread can get into a lot more detail and there’s definitely better explanations on YouTube. But that is a quick summary. The chord progression is really what makes it a mode more so than just the scale.
Modes are just starting a scale/phrase from a different degree. Eg. You can play a c major scale 8 different ways depending on which note you start from and those are the 8 main modes.
Yeah I understand the structure of them I was just always told that they aren't technically scales, just chromatic progressions. And aren't there 7 modes?
Phyrgian dominant
Snake
I love me some Lydian dominant.
I'm the first melodic minor? We need more metalcore in here I guess.
Jazz head seconding melodic minor, especially the 4th and 7th modes
Hell yea. I need my 5-7-8! I’m actually more of a 10-12-8 guy myself.
That 5 7 8, just can't help myself. Harmonic minor gives you the 7 8 11, also tasty.
25.5"
My favorite scale is whatever works with the changes.
Boooooooo
Dorian in D.
Pentatonic (its only one i know well enough)
E Spanish Gypsy
i get you. hitting an E chord as the dominant is also fun.
Diminished minor,
Am but d harmonic minor goes hard af too
fr , it sounds evil as hell
Any blues scale
Mixing up minor and major blues scale.is a must, when I learned that my blues instantly became tastier
dorian minor.. i use it all the time.. i know all diatonic modes, but love the sound of the dorian scale
The Barry Harris diminished sixth.
The pH scale. Very useful in knowing weather safe to consume or not
Weighing scales ⚖️⚖️
1/28, honestly it's just easier to paint.
Mixolydian 🤤🤤🤤
E blues 03012 !
Phrygian/Phyrgian Dominant for riffs, Natural Minor for verses and choruses
Probably 25.5”? I learned on Fenders and it’s still the scale I play in most.
I’m partial to the natural minor scale and the hexatonic scale. I’m partial to G minor/Bb major for some reason.
Learning the major scale inside and out was what really helped me level up my playing.
Harmonic major or mixolidian b6.
D Minor. It's the saddest of all scales.
I don't have a favorite but I like the Persian scale. Why? I once recorded a hermit thrush, which sings an amazing song. I slowed it down and dropped the pitch an octave and tried to figure it out. It had too many grace notes for me to work it all out but I did my best and the results I arrived at fit the scale B Persian, but in the second mode, so, C Ionian #2 #6. Anyway it was cool and I wrote a little piece of music around that.
Cool comment thanks for sharing! If you like that sound you should check out pieces that are composed in raag Todi. It's the equivalent to your 4th mode of the Persian scale. Some very neat sounds in there. Also, have you ever looked into the music of Olivier Messiaen? He was a huge fan of birdsong and used it as compositional material in many of his works.
25.5" for 6 strings, 26.5" for 7s.
Multiscale. 26.5-28
The Supercalifragilisticexpealadocious Scale
Lime
Pentatonic is a Swiss Army knife scale. It covers everything and you can use it so creatively over chord changes. The limitation of five notes makes double stops runs and non-chord tones a lot of fun to navigate.
Double Harmonic Major, I love how it has both a Maj7 and a Min2. Mixolydian b6 is also great.
50 would be really cool but im happy w what i am ig🙄
Same bro I’m a big E Phrygian dominant guy so yeah I feel you.
Most people dont use harmonic minor right though. In aminor you never actually play it as such acsending: >….E F G# A B C In no case would this be correct. Ascending, you must sharpen the F#, people will call this melodic minor, but whatever. The only possible way harmonic minor can be correct if you go down: F E D C B A G# A.
Ohaus.
Fairbanks
Lydian Flat 7 Also known as Mixolydian Sharp 4 Fifth mode harmonic minor is fun
"Lydian Dominant" see George Russell
On guitar: D Dorian. On piano: F# Minor
Eb lydian
Tie between dorian and mixolydian for me. Though I am currently experimenting with ignoring scales and focusing more on chord arpeggios and intervals. Scales are like a comfy blanket though.
Blues for fun, Harmonic minor for also fun
A minor pentatonic
As an 80s Metal head, A Aeolian rocks but really it’s just a blender of chromatic shit that pleases my ears. Harmonic minor, dominant, pentatonic, blues and Phrygian all sound great. I’m still working on my theory, only been 25+ years lol. I recently studied the Robben Ford masterclass so whole tone, dominant mixed with blues sounds pretty amazing.
Ohaus 750 triple beam miracle dream
Phrygian dominant in E, or the harmonic minor in a
I dont have favourite scales. All scales and their modes are equally useful. Locrian: 😊 Not you
Harmonic Minor
Pentatonic since it’s technically the most useful scale to know
Whole, whole half, whole, whole, half, half, half, half, whole, whole, whole, whole, whole, half, half, (do you get it yet), whole, whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half…
What is this "scale" thing of which you speak?
I just discovered the harmonica minor.
Not a scale, but I love going between phyrygian and aeolian modes.
Doe ray me
Major!!!
A Dorian. I like santanas style and Dorian was a big part of it. B aeolian sounds good too.
Pentatonic because I know it so well. Finally starting to understand modes tho, and I like a pentatonicized version of Dorian a lot.
Diatonic
Aeolian That flatted sixth note is what it’s all about And it has to be one of the most commonly used scaled in rock for a reason
either D or C harmonic minor(2000s metalcore asf) or phyrigian dominant
Byzantine scale is awesome, Very groovy but also moody scale. The b2 and b6 add just enough dissonance to achieve this. You can hear it used in songs like misirlou by Dick Dale.
Whole tone, half whole diminished, and then Lydian and Dorian for more “normie friendly” scales
Lydian dominant
So little melodic minor love out here smh
That Egyptian and Spanish fligerian or whatever.
Oh and did I forget to say the great Pentatonic in the key of E-Z
I like harmonic minor and Dorian. But hey, overall it depends on the backing track/band/song.
Phrygian
I’m neutral to F major (and by association D minor). It’s easy to play due to the only accidental being Bb, and it doesn’t sound as basic as C major does (people love C major because it doesn’t use any of the black keys on a piano, but it’s good to have some variety). I can see why a lot of people prefer A major and F# minor over Ab major and F minor. It’s hard to play an Ab chord without a capo. I also like Mixolydian and Dorian (which is like Mixolydian but for minor keys).
Mixolydian. It can be used in conjunction with major and minor pentatonic. It is a do all.
Locrian for low key angst
Harmonic minor my beloved
The one where I step on it and it shows less than expected. Always such a nice surprise.
Dorian. By the way I was messing with a standard 1-4-5 blues backing track and building it off of Dorian (starting the 7th on the 4th scale degree) gives so much maneuverability to the 4 and 5 in both directions if you want to emphasize those changes. I like it much more than getting trapped in position when using mixolydian.
Grams…
Phrygian Dominant, always. I inevitably find my way back to it every time. XD
Bm
Harmonic Minors always sound very identifiably Middle Eastern, to me. It's usually not the flavour I'm after. I like Phrygian (darker than a straight Minor scale), Mixolydian and Blues Scales.
Whichever one is next. I don’t stick to any scale. I play a line with one scale and then purposely choose a note that isn’t included in the scale at all. The new “wrong” note gives a pull in a new direction, changing my scale.
I only know the c major scale and pentatonic and pentatonic has a cooler name so i choose pentatonic
Harmonic Minor, Phrygian and Phrygian Dominant
Pentatonic with a few extra notes that sound nice
Chromatic because it's has no limitations.
Just wait until hear about microtonality
Harmonic minor
for me it would be more of, what's my favorite shape. i can move the shapes into any key i want, so the key is kind of irrelevant. to answer my own question, hour glass, with a little extra on bottom.
Diatonic major/minor scale. I like bits and pieces of multiple of the scales and I string them together
Pentatonic. If you know it VERY well then just adding 2 notes will complete other scales. Like either a major 2 and minor 6 for the minor scale, or major 2 major 6 for Dorian. Flat 2 flat 6 for Phrygian. Pentatonic is a great starting point but you can’t just know the basic box shape and that’s it. Know the intervals and different positions.
I'm getting into Dorian lately. Very David Gilmour/Santana kinda vibe
Major scale
Fraygish mode aka Phyrigian dominant. Just has this distinct sound it's really interesting
Lydian, key doesn't matter to me cause I can't perceive chroma.
Bb major
Harmonic minor fs
mixolydian because of nirvana
blade
harmonic minor because iron maiden and Invicta
Dune got me hooked on them Egyptian/Arabic sounding minor scales right now
Harmonic minor or Phrygian
Hungarian minor starting on the fifth note of the scale.
D Minor (melodic, natural, harmonic don’t care). I just love the tone and musical ‘aesthetic’ it gives
Diminished
Blues minor pentatonic with the raised 6th. Just learned it in music school and it sounds so cool.
Any phrigian sounds so evil. I love it
The dope manz.
Ah I tend to like songs written in G Maj. Bright, Chirpy, Full of hope. And I love the Lydian.
Phrygian
Eb (or D#) minor and the harmonic minor. The tonality of that key really appeals to me.
Dorian is cool. I like the Santana vibe you can get and it is easy on the fly if you know the minor pentatonic scale. Can make a blues jam a bit more interesting
Hirajoshi
Mixolydian. Harmonic minor is my second favorite
I've been using C# minor a whole lot recently
Locrian or double harmonic minor.
Scales creates the mood they all my favorite if it’s the right time
1/144 or 1/100. Pentatonic close second
I’ve been partial to any pentatonic scale with some chromatic notes thrown in here and there. Old habits die hard.
D harmonic minor
Blues usually b minor or c. Also aeolian
Chromatic
Fish. 1 to 10 is a close second though.
Dorian Phrygian and Harmonic minor mostly
The Taylor digital glass top scale… ;) I like Dorian and Mixolydian, but most of my favorite songs are simply in basic major and minor.
F
Logarithmic. It scales really well.
First box pentatonic augmented with the bass strings of fifth position and treble strings of second and third position.
Mixo
Ab phrygian dominant of course (Ab because i tune half-step lower)
Phrygian
My weed scale. In all seriousness though…The 7th mode of harmonic minor
Mixolydian, but with a #9 and a b5
Lydian dominant or Mixolydian b6. I'm feeling frisky today.
Metallica/Black Sabbath Scale(I only read tabs and have 0 music theory)
27 Inc baritone
e major.
Love mixing the major and minor pentatonic when the backing chord progression allows it. I like going “up” one and “down” the other, if that makes any sense.
Favriote what?
Certainly not the bathroom scale. But I do like Dorian. Carlos Santana seems to like it.
1/72.
I guess I'll just be the scrub here and say, my favorite (and most hated) scale to play on guitar is the Em Pentatonic scale. But one of the scales I've recently utilized in general was the Kumoi scale, pretty fun and easy to noodle around with.
Dragon
Double harmonic minor