KW Guitar Society Tip #13 If There Was The One And Only Scale


Imagine for a second you are on a desert island with your guitar and an evil sorcerer casts an evil spell on you.  That is, you can only play one scale for the rest of your life!!!

So…….. what scale is it going to be?

Aghhhh!!!!

I pick the three octave G Major scale.

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g_multi_octave_scale

Why this scale?

1. It is three octaves that run throughout most of the fretboard, which is great for improvising.

2. It is different descending then ascending.

3. There are enough different types of shifts to become good at them.

4. Within this scale I can play all the modes.

Sometimes our soloing can sound too scale like.  However when this scale is memorized , you can practice this exercise,

Box3-G-Wave-1

 

by improvising a couple of simple lines and then jump intervals to another part of the scale.  Continue doing the same thing throughout the fretboard and listen to how the lines begin to flow because you are no longer playing in a box pattern.

“NO LONGER PLAYING IN A BOX PATTERN” …. hmm, I think I may have hit upon something there….. see you next week for part two!!!!!

Stephen Zurakowksy

Artistic Director

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Stephen Zurakowsky Classical Guitarist's avatar

Stephen Zurakowsky Classical Guitarist

Stephen Zurakowsky(www.anumi.ca) is a graduate from The University of Toronto. He has studied with Norbert Kraft, Eli Kasner, David Russell, Stepan Rak and Phil Nimmons. Recently he has been awarded an International CD Distribution grant from The SOCAN Foundation, which will oversee the airplay of "Four Trees In Winter" in 135 radio markets worldwide. Stephen has enjoyed substantial support from the Ukrainian arts community across Canada, having been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers and radio programs. He performs chamber concerts as a soloist and has written works for electric classical guitar and choir. A Zurakowsky concert encompasses a sense of deep passion, as you feel invited to experience his love for composing and how his Ukrainian heritage has an influence on his creativity. His music has been featured on Canada's CBC and was reviewed in Toronto's The Wholenote Magazine as a favourable pick amongst classical independents.

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