Major
is minor, and minor is major
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Here is a basic C major scale with the root C indicated in
blue. To the right of that you see the same scale fingering,
only with A indicated in blue. As you have learned, a C major
scale and an A minor scale contain the same notes. That means
that a basic C major scale fingering, is in reality also a
fingering for an A minor scale, if you are thinking of A as
the root of the scale. Though this fingering does not neatly
go from A to A, you are playing the full range of the notes
in an A minor scale in that position.
C
Major Scale
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A
Minor Scale
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This means that the basic A minor scale fingering, is also
another position of a C major scale, if you are thinking of
C as that root of the scale instead of A.
A
Minor Scale
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C
Major Scale
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So you now have a 2 position area of the neck that can either
be considered all C major, or all A minor. The trick is to
know where all of the A and C notes are. These will be your
guides.
Two
positions of either A minor or C major
There are a lot ways to play major and minor scales on the
neck of the guitar. The previous scale positions are the most
basic, and are the best ones to learn first.
Relative major, relative minor
The relationship between C major and A minor is relative.
A is the relative minor of C major, and C major is
the relative major of A minor. Just think...relative...same
blood, same notes.
The 3 fret rule
If you are playing a major scale, and want to
know what the relative minor scale would be, go down 3 frets
from the root of the scale. (down in sound)
If you are playing a minor scale and want to
know what the relative major scale would be, go up 3 frets
from the root of the scale. (up in sound)
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Down
3 frets = relative minor
Up
3 frets = relative major
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Page 2, Natural minor on the neck of the guitar
