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Using horizontal scales on guitar

2,104 views · Published 4 April 2016 · 8:44 · Indexed 22 October 2026

Channel: New Secret Guitar Teacher · 2016 · Music

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Horizontal scales. Ideas for using single string scale runs on the guitar. Tapping.

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Script:
In the last sound bite we explored how to find and play Major scales up and down individual strings. In this lesson we are going to take a look at some of the things you can do with these scales.

Playing horizontal scales in the key of any of the open string notes has certain advantages. So let's start with that. Simply playing up and down the scale bouncing off the open string is quite effective. When you use a note repeatedly like this, it is referred to as a drone note. Using drone notes is a common device in many forms of music. This is especially effective if you are playing with sustain.
 
Notes can be picked  or linked with hammer-ons  pull-offs  or both. You can find all kinds of interesting textural patterns. You can use the whole scale with these ideas or just home in on a segment of it like this...and explore the possibilities offered by using those notes against the key note.

Once you have got used to working with combinations of hammer-ons and pull-offs, try working in a few bends.You don't need to limit technique to the fretting hand. Have a go at adding notes in using the picking hand like this...this is called tapping and is a favourite technique of hard rock and heavy metal lead guitarists.  

A similarly experimental approach can be applied to using scale runs in keys based on fretted notes. You can work strictly between the key notes of the scale like this. But there is also no reason not to use a drone note that isn't the keynote of the scale. Here for example I am playing the scale of Bb major from fret three on the G string to fret 15, but I am using the open G as my drone note.

If you have studied our lessons on modes you will appreciate that this is one of the ways to play modally. In this case we are implying the 6th mode as the note G is the 6th in the scale of Bb major, so this is coming out as a G Aeolian mode which is the same as the Natural Minor Scale. 

Or a stranger sounding mode like the Lydian, the 4th mode of the major scale.
I could play an A major scale on the D string for example  and use the open D as my drone note. Then maybe integrate it with a D Maj7 arpeggio something like this. 

Let's try a locrian modal scale by playing a C major scale on the B string. This could be worked in with a Bmin7b5 chord or arpeggio. 

Hours of fun for you there to explore the endless possibilities that these scales offer. In the next lesson we'll take a brief look at how to use other scale types horizontally.

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