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If you want to be a great lead guitar player, it’s imperative that you learn guitar scales. You might already know this, but many new guitar players think of scales as being the blues scale. Those pentatonic blues scales are definitely important to rock guitar lead playing, but they’re not the whole story. You should expand your guitar playing so that you are using scales that demand the use of your pinky and have more notes. This is not to just be technically impressive, it’s because when you learn guitar scales beyond the blues you expand your aural palette. You have more colors to work with to create dazzling lead guitar playing.

Learning about the major scale modes can be a great starting point to really expand your guitar soloing skills. There are seven different major scale modes created by starting on a different note of the major scale. So, in all keys there are 49 different guitar scales, which can provide plenty of variety to your lead playing. Remember, the modes are constructed from the major scale, but by starting and finishing on each of the seven notes, completely different sounds can be created.

Ionian Mode- This is the standard or “straight” mode, and it’s the first one you will see when you learn guitar scales. So, starting on the root tone, we add T-T-ST-T-T-T-ST where the “T” stands for full tone/2 frets, and the “ST” means semi-tone/1 fret. Just remember that in the key of C, this scale will begin and finish with C.

Dorian Mode- used in rock and blues. This mode begins and ends with the major scale’s second tone. So in the key of C, simply start and end on the D note.

Phrygian Mode- If you want to solo with a little “Egyptian” or Middle Eastern feel should check out the phrygian mode. Here you will start and end with the major scale’s third tone, creating E Phrygian.

Lydian Mode- This mode is similar to the major scale, but we simply sharpen the 4th, giving a “spacey”, bright feel to the mode. Joe Satriani and Steve Vai use this mode extremely well to create dazzling solos. Start and end on an F in the key of c to create this mode.

Mixolydian Mode. This is widely used for rock and jazz guitar solos and can be easily played over power chords. To play a guitar scale in Mixolydian, begin and end on the major scale’s fifth tone. So, in C, you’ll begin and end your solo with a G note.

Aeolian Mode- also known as the natural minor scale. This scale will create a sad feel to a song or solo. It is used in many different styles of music, from ballads to metal. Here you will start and finish with the A note of the C major scale.

Locrian Mode- One of the most unusual modes has to be the Locrian mode. You can create high levels of tension by using its leading tone. It will be that anticipating factor that lets you know the root note is approaching. In this mode the solos will start and finish with B. This B note sits just a semitone under the C giving this effect.

So if you want to learn guitar scales, check out the modes. The sounds you can create are endless when working with a variety of different tonal “colours”.

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