fingerstyle guitar

Movable Guitar Scales

Movable guitar scales enable you to play in any of the 15 key centers. They create mileage for us by providing 12 scales for knowing one. [There are 3 enharmonic keys].
The nut of the guitar can be viewed as an origin. First & second position scales which include open strings can be shifted up to each subsequent position to create the same type of scale at a new root. All of the previous open strings will be closed.

We view Major scales on the guitar being comprised of 7 scale forms (SForms). They are C, B, A, G, F, E, & D. [All movable guitar scales].

In this lesson, we are taking a look at the C SForm.

You've most likely played a C Major scale already. If not, take a look at the C Lesson. Once you can play it, you may want to play it in ZERO position. This means starting the C tone (5th string, 3rd fret) with the pinky, and play the open tones (the nut) with the index (as if it needed fretted). This way you'll be able to use a scale you know, to acquire the fingering that will move up to create the other 11. This isn't necessary, yet it is an effective way to see what is going to happen once we shift it.

C Major Scale in a Frame Moving up a Fret to Create D-flat Major

• Right
• Left

Right

D-flat Major in Music Notation & Tablature

Keep in mind the rule for music notation: an accidental (sharp or flat different from key signature) which appears in a measure, lasts the whole measure, unless indicated with a natural or other sharp or flat. The G and E which appear in measure 2 above, last the whole measure. Same for the G, A & B in measure 4. When an accidental appears, it only lasts the duration of the measure (the bar line cancels any changes).
We could also write this scale using a key signature. The key signature defines which tones will be sharped or flatted for a piece of music. It identifies the key. When we do this, we don't write the sharps or flats into the measures. Any tone which appears in the music, and is sharped or flatted in the key signature, is sharped or flatted when it appears.

D-flat Scale in Notation & Tab

This process of moving the scale form up, works for every position. By knowing the C SForm, & knowing how to shift & close down the open strings (index becomes the nut), you get 12 for 1. 12 because there are 12 tones. A good exercise is to play the tone order (as indicated above) in every position.
A Look at All 7 Movable Guitar Scales