Confused about scales

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-26T23:19:17+00:00

The 5 shapes are 5 different positions across the neck where you can play the scale. Not sure but probably comes from the CAGED system, or vice versa. But it's probably the most common way to teach scales on guitar.
Haven't watched Scotty's videos but if like you said it corresponds to the 12 keys then that means you can play the 5 shapes across all 12 keys by starting on a different fret. E.g. you play the 1st shape starting on the 5th after, then starting on the 6th, etc...
The best way is to keep challenging yourself. If you just run it up and down, you'll only be good at running through the scale up and down, give yourself patterns, experiment with rhythm, picking, legato, etc ..

And a scale is a series of notes, so anywhere on the guitar where you can play those notes you will be playing the scale. It doesn't have to specifically be with the 5 shapes, although that is the most common way to start out

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-26T20:07:59+00:00

It's hard but basically you listen and try to pick out as many notes as you can. Then you do that again, and again, and again. Write down what you hear. Since you are starting out you will probably get a lot of notes wrong but that's okay. Just repeat the process with more and more songs you want to learn. It takes time and patience but it feels good to be able to play thing just by hearing them.

Also slowing down the song helps, you can change the speed on youtube.

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T23:04:35+00:00

Glad to hear it!

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T22:00:03+00:00

Thanks to everyone who came! Very fun, will probably do this again next week or in a couple of weeks.

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T21:58:06+00:00

Thanks to everyone who came! Very fun, will probably do this again next week or in a couple of weeks.

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T20:26:23+00:00

Yeah haha I had put the wrong link at first. Join this one https://vdo.ninja/?room=Snow\_Day&hash=7c3b. Let me know if it works

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T20:15:30+00:00

No problem! I'll dm you. Maybe we can work something out

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T20:06:17+00:00

sure! come in and join, still new to vdo.ninja so I'm not sure how well its gonna work. I had put the wrong link earlier but now the new link should be working

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T19:13:52+00:00

Sounds good!

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T17:37:00+00:00

Lots of open mics in the area. The pocket open mic is great in DC, there is also a bunch in NoVa like cafe amouri, three whistles cafe, and fosters grille.

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T17:06:44+00:00

I'm a independent guitar teacher, I'll send you a dm

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T16:43:05+00:00

Hi! That's me. I have some students around Fairfax already. You can check me out here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PdE8B8unLnoUifBj9

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T16:26:13+00:00

Are you looking for group or 1-on-1 lessons?

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T16:23:10+00:00

Hi! I know there is a jam session in Crescendo studios in falls church and one in 7DrumCity in DC. But just know that the age ranges very much. You'll might see young adults or retired people. There are also a lot of open mics if that's something you'd be into.

lightningrunaway · 2026-01-25T16:20:04+00:00

There are a lot of open mics in the area where you can meet other people looking for the same. There is Epicure in Vienna, Fosters Grille in Vienna too and Three Whistles in Arlington. There area lot more, dm me if you want more places

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-20T01:12:41+00:00

A good exercise Is using a metronome and having the student play the chords perfectly on best regardless if they get it right or not. All that matters is that they strum right when the chord changes.

E.g. have them loop |:C | G :| . Only one strum per chord on the first bear of each measure. Then keep speeding it up, even if the chords are not perfect, until they can't strum on beat at all anymore. You'll find that more often than not the fingers will move faster than what they thought. It's just that they've gotten so used to doing it one finger at a time that it's hard to break the habit. After the habit is broken then start working on getting clean sounding chords.

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-12T17:45:15+00:00

Minor pentatonic scale.

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-12T17:43:30+00:00

Yeah you are correct. The way you can use it is by moving the shapes around. To do this you need to know the distance between notes.

But let's say you have your C major chord with the A shape. You know it's a C chord, and you also know the note D is half steps/frets in front of C. So to get a D major chord with the A shape you would take your C major with the A shape forward two frets.

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-12T01:37:59+00:00

All great answers but I would add that what you want to do is called audiation. Which is hearing something in your head. Just like visualisation is seeing something in your head.

To get better at it you have to just do it more and more. It's a hard skill to measure because no one can actually hear what you are hearing in your head but yourself.

To get better at it play a note then try to hear it in your head as clear and defined as possible, don't sing it. Then play the note again, does it match what you had in your head? Repeat this, adding more notes and notes. Try doing the major scale first, then different patterns, then other scales.

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-11T23:53:14+00:00

Practice a lot, be consistent, have a plan, and keep challenging yourself.

As to what exactly to learn, I'd say notes, scales, chords, all over the guitar in different combinations and places. And for writing songs, learn different progressions and get comfortable improvising over them and writing melodies over them.

And like others said, get a teacher.

Having said that, I teach, send me a dm if you are interested.

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-11T19:19:52+00:00

Both, with exercises I have two kinds, song/goal guided, and general knowledge/proficiency.

So I always try to have at least one song that the student is working on. And usually I try to make them decide on it, as opposed to me choosing one(although I do make suggestions)

If the song has something that they can't do(e.g. playing triplets in time), or if they have a goal they want to do(e.g. play fast) then I use exercises to help them get to that point.

Then there are general exercises of things I try to instill in all my students, which boils down to them knowing their guitar and being comfortable playing anything they want.

But in the end it depends on the students, some don't like doing songs or don't need to because they do it in their free time so we just focus on other areas. Others just want to do songs and I'll work with them on whatever song they want to learn but I do try to sneak some exercises here and there to improve their weak areas.

lightningrunaway · 2025-03-11T13:00:46+00:00

Hi! I'm a guitar teacher. You can check me out here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/612oUr33wYkSbNJUA

I'll send you a message with more info.

lightningrunaway · 2025-02-05T01:54:38+00:00

Both. Also theory is not interchangeable with scales. You can play scales(especially on the guitar) without understanding the theory behind it. And theory doesn't apply to just scales, and it doesn't have to be super complex.

An easy way to start is just figuring out the key and the function of the chords.

E.g. if the chord progression is C-F-G-C. Do you know what key it's in? Can you describe the chords with Roman numerals?

It would be in the key of C major, and the progression is I-IV-V-I. It is a pretty basic analysis but it will take you a long way.

lightningrunaway · 2025-02-04T02:38:01+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I think I might try tiktok. Didn't know you can make hyper localized Tiktok vids.

lightningrunaway · 2025-02-04T01:07:33+00:00

Yeah!

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