Why The Major Scale Is So Important (It's More Than Just A Scale)

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

If you enjoyed this video, you might want to check out my full-length guitar course Listen & Play -- it's all about teaching beginner and intermediate guitarists how to start playing by ear. Check it out here: andrewclarkeguitar.com/p/listen-play

[@nixedd]

which way should you watch you Guitar lesson playlist?

[@314westender159]

Some people just have a gift for teaching and this guy is one. All this information has been presented hundreds of times but not like this. This is gold. Heartfelt thanks and best wishes to you sir!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

I really appreciate that. Thank you very much.

[@cjweb]

Yes, well said. Agree 100%

[@Bootsnpackpack]

Second this

[@johndavids4780]

He makes it relatable.

[@iamhapidays8766]

Explained well that a new and experienced spectrum of guitar players could easily understand. Outstanding teacher!

[@anapdesa]

Loved this lesson! I just started playing the guitar and this helped me a lot. Thank you for uploading this video. 😊

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's great! Thank you for checking out the video :)

[@katz5434]

Hi Andrew, newbie to your channel I really appreciate your style and concise method of teaching! Looking forward to working through your content and growing with you on your channel, thank you 🙏

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Welcome aboard! 😀

[@tonnyhansen1284]

I don't understand anything of this. Too fast, too many informations for me.

[@deltafour1212]

Why doesn't this channel have a gaziilion subscribers and likes? These lessons are gold! People need to wake up!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

This actually means so much to me. Thank you :)

[@deltafour1212]

@Guitar Solos ...but enough about your channel and the lack of views, likes and subscribers.

[@deltafour1212]

@Guitar Solos It's so easy to criticize isn't. At least he took the time and put an instructional video out there that someone could use or learn from that they might not have known before. Beginner or advance player. Can't wait to see your instructional video(s) so you can show us how it's done

[@deltafour1212]

@Play Guitar The Right Way If I can learn something from it, you bet your ass I would

[@deltafour1212]

@Play Guitar The Right Way You're right! Eating and keeping the electricity on is so unimportant

[@morriskaller3549]

Why do all channels say music theory is so boring? Its super interesting to actually understand the inner workings of music

[@rajdohadwalla8847]

Very clever analogies and lucid methods of teaching, extremely useful, looking forward to more!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thank you! More on the way :)

[@aiden_zae]

Plz upload more guitar lesson. You're my fav out if millions idk why

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Wow, thank you. I'm planning on releasing a bunch more lessons very soon!

[@tonymediati8274]

@@andrewclarkeguitarman you are great at teaching, detailed and to the point, I just watched your other video on finding the key and subbed right away, let me know if you give some kind of virtual lessons, I’d be very interested……✌️🇨🇦

[@killjoy335]

I'm a self taught player. Never had time to deep dive into theory. But know I found myself stuck at some level when I need to learn how to solo and understand keys. I've watched so many videos with pretty credible KZbin teachers but eve my favourite ones failed to deliver the information I needed. But here just in two videos I've learned more than I was trying to get for years. The stuff you tell is actually building up in my mind. It's applicable! Thank you so much your content! Keep up the good job🎉

[@Rayan_plays]

There are a ton of youtubers who will tell you to play leads , chords , blues and scales... but this man is teaching how you can play anything on guitar just by yourself....now i can say that i have a great guitar teacher online and recommend this channel to my friends.....love your lessons ♥️

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos :)

[@whatabouttheearth]

Rick Beato and Jason Zacs theory courses are good, Zac is piano but he's obsessed with the circle of fifths. And if you don't know who Rick Beato is I don't know what to tell you.

[@charlie-obrien]

@@whatabouttheearth The difference between this guy and Rick Beato is that you get entire lessons here, while Rick wants to sell you a book. Nothing wrong with that, but that's what it is.

[@jake.e.wanabee5333]

@@charlie-obrien you forgot or don't know Carl Brown GuitarLessons365, complete & COMPREHENSIVE. Andrew is awesome too

[@nico3641]

When finding the key of a song, do you still use the major scale to discover the key of the song even if the song is in a minor key? Does my question even make sense?

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Hey! I answered your question under your comment on the other video. Cheers! :)

[@loudenjk]

Hopefully someone can help me understand. For the e major scale example (starting at the 9th fret). Once you play the B note (12 fret B string) and you go to C# (9th fret high e), isn’t that distance than a whole step? It’s 3 frets from the B note you played on the 12 fret to the C# you played on the 9th fret. I don’t understand how that follows the formula of: WWHWWWH. I’d appreciate the help!

[@mirzunayedali1724]

BRother, I didn't even know before, but this just sa re ga ma pa. Damn, music do be universal.

[@deegrawnz]

Since learning scales and how each notes sound my ability to play has skyrocketed. Definitely worth learning music theory for any instrument, even your voice.

[@michaelcraig9449]

COOL! You have it all in order? I have been struggling with how to use this stuff for years! Until now, I have a bunch of unrelated bits and pieces of stuff, but no major system of how to totally jam, or write, or compose. I sure hope this helps a lot! Thanks.

[@coarsegoldkid]

Hello Andrew, somehow I stumbled upon your channel. I'm an almost 73 year old beginner. Where should I begin with your YT lessons?

[@nbdysfool3]

Great video! What about the major scale in the bottom 3 strings (D, A and low E)? How do those apply with the top 3 strings?

[@elizabethanderson2968]

My fave guitarist is Hiram Bullock!!! So, I need a LOT of inspiration

[@greenxxghostie]

I'm 44 & been playing since i was 15, vast majority self taught. Self taught basic piano about 25 years ago, which forced me to learn basic theory. Long story short, this guy is great for explaining theory for GUITAR at a level one can consistantly follow. I've been looking for an instructor like this & will recommend him to beginners/young folks starting out! Keep at it dude :)

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Really appreciate that. Thank you!

[@kgonera]

First and only person on KZbin who is explaining music theory in easy and understandable way. Thank You

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

I’m doing my best! Thanks for watching :)

[@raydanielz9408]

"It is not as complicated" as other teachers makes it seem. You made it much, much more easier than I thought I understood it for the past two years 👏👏👏. Thanks a million

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's so great to hear! Happy to help :)

[@ShathruMI]

The beauty of internet! Can't believe we get so much of excellent content for free. I've been struggling with my online guitar course and I stumbled upon this gem of a channel. God bless!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

I'm pumped that you're finding my videos helpful! 😀

[@markpower2973]

just came across your channel and have no idea how youve not got hundreds of thousands of subscribers! I will be watching all of your videos, for sure, love the simplicity and conciseness, brilliant stuff!

[@brianlonjak9424]

Agreed! this guys content is awesome!

[@DarClaude]

Love your content Sir. Thanks for creating it and posting it. I am that player (for 30 years) who thought I could get away without learning the theory and would just pick it up by learning songs, I've learned 1000s of songs and have now realised I need the theory to evolve and really be able to ENJOY playing fully. You speak in a language I can understand and it's much appreciated, thank you 🙏

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

So glad you're finding the videos helpful. :)

[@sjyhope]

Thank you so much! You're my fav channel when it comes to guitar playing ❤ i'm a beginner in playing and i find it hard to understand concepts like this >< thank you for your hardwork to exolaining them really well ♡

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad I can help!!

[@botters9078]

Thanks Andrew, great tutorial. I've only been playing for two years, just Tab work, but this has given me a new direction to practice with.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Awesome! Thanks for watching :)

[@iseladiaz-ferrer2272]

Hey Andrew, Thank you so much for taking time to share your knowledge to help me & so many people. You are an awesome, amazing, instructor! 👌 👏

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

My pleasure!

[@LiveLaughLoveWomp]

May i ask a question? Can i use the shape of e major scale for every note on the third string? I saw u did C, D, E with the same shape so I was just wondering if it works for other notes too. Would be great if u answer :D

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

You can do it for literally every major scale. All the notes! It's pretty handy to be able to play all 12 major scales with one shape :)

[@moojeni]

Thank you so much for the lesson. You deserve a million subscribers! Best teacher I've found on KZbin so far!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thank you! 😃

[@bandelaroloverman3368]

With out a doubt.

[@PranaavReddy-o9k]

thankyou very much sir i was struggling a lot with the scales thankyouu!!!!!

[@sammorris2681]

Godbless You! Thank U! It's like finding someone in a foreign land who I finally understand.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's great to hear!

[@eugenekeyser139]

Wow A ,thank you so much for only spending 8 min,and opening a treasure trove....just got my light bolt moment....

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's great! Glad it worked for you :)

[@jeffkay5375]

I don't know how to thank you my brother..I had lost interest in guitar learning and I had spent one and a half month without touching it but when I saw your first video it referred me to this and it's all making sense now

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad I could help!

[@sevengranted3538]

alright man, day 1. watching a video every day and practicing as well. i’ll lyk how it goes.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Good luck! You've got this 💪

[@heQi-t4d]

Finally clear my mind about those hard concept! excellent teaching!

[@digitaldonnybrook]

Dude the phone number thing, it literally made it click. I dont even have to think about it anymore.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Amazing! Isn't it such a great way of remembering it!?

[@helpsabadell5685]

Great work Andrew. I understand everything you explain, you are a great teacher with neat ideas. I have subscribed!

[@Musicloverofficial23]

Great job bro,now I have a great online teacher....I love your lessons

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad to hear that! ☺

[@edcrutchfield3447]

The light 💡 bulb came on when you talked about 221-221 Thank you .

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That’s great! 😁

[@edzachery54]

This may be weird question but I see the 3-string formula as 221-2121

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That wouldn't give you a major scale. You would end up with notes that don't exist diatonically if you used that formula.

[@doughmandm8118]

Sorry im really confused...i memorized g major scale, but i dont understand how that information is used to make actual music. What video do i need? I feel like im just missing a piece of the puzzle and cant put it together..

[@aleksandarkozar1574]

Soo if I understand this correctly,Cmajor is the Same as the A minor i mean it's the same scale and shape ,only starting point or Tone define is it major or minor ?

[@Sapsy]

your lessons have been transformational for me. thank you

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

You're very welcome!

[@smallbonesrs]

idk how you did it but i finally understood a music lesson

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's awesome!

[@manuelpena54]

And again!!!! GRACIAS!!!! PRETTY AMAZING!! AND FUN!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@unbeardedveteran]

Dude you knowledge is incredible. Thank you

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

It's my pleasure! :)

[@bandelaroloverman3368]

Andy, first and foremost you have a new subscriber and also i would like to say.. your teaching is proper. Fantastic work keep it up.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thank you so much! Welcome aboard :)

[@bandelaroloverman3368]

@@andrewclarkeguitar Your most welcome and thank you. Being a young reggae man and just started to learn the guitar I feel i can learn so much from you , I personally find your teachings invaluable.. Thanks 🙏 again for sharing your knowledge. GOD BLESS.

[@johndavids4780]

My favorite "teacher" on KZbin is Steve Stine and he has a manner that just makes sense and encourages me. You have become my close 2nd, primarily because I just discovered your channel. I am a strange case. I played as a drummer in my youth and made a career of it for a couple of decades but the lifestyle was too difficult on my family and that comes first so I became an engineer for steady scheduling consistent income. My children are grown and I have retired. I am 75 and just decided to take up guitar. Don't know why. I just did. I had an old Strat I brought in the early 70s from a friend so why not. So a beginner at 75!!?? It is hard learning new things at this age and my fingers don't work as we;; as a 20 year old guy's do. But at 6 months in you and Steve have made it fun for me. I thank you and him for that. Forgive the long posy.

[@mojojeff]

The phone number hack is golden. Thank you!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

It's a good trick, for sure!

[@rodneyrolle3938]

Im older beginner...love your teaching..

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad you like the videos!

[@waynesimms211]

Dude you are a musical saint, I have a ton of respect for what you are doing here. This genuinely is master teaching skills. Thank you for what you do!

[@BobbyHollifield-p5i]

Thanks friend you are a wonderful teacher

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

It's my pleasure!

[@Bergarita]

Beginner here, but I'm saving this in my "General Guitar" folder for when I'm ready to study this. Right now I have a hard time fretting the C and D chords.

[@1970Richiez]

I know this is a old video and I have watched a lot of yours... I am going back from the start to watch all of these.. I have played/learning lead guitar for 6 years now and I just want to say out of all of the videos I have watched and paid for, your style of teaching is phenomenal and I want to thank you for sharing such a great amount of knowledge to us aspiring guitar players. I hope you never stop making videos.. Thanks Rich

[@goldenglowladore3842]

Finally figured out how to use your diagram with the numbered circles. And the diagram's orientation. Aha, circles; number of the finger to use. Looking first at diagram, I thought, "fretted?" Nope. My ADHD- mind thought of multiple purposes while watching the demo. I'll keep watching video now. 😊

[@C.ara_mel]

Stumbled across your channel and I just love how you make it easy to understand🤍 Would you like maybe come up with a beginner series and also an intermediate series....lots of love 🇰🇪🤍

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Great suggestion! Glad you’re liking the videos ☺️

[@nate6511]

Mind... absolutely BLOWN.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's what I like to hear :)

[@mirkoobradovic3426]

Nice! Short and simple!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad you liked it!

[@tomplaner1488]

Thank you for the scale analogy to the phone number. 60+ years I have been playing. 84. None, of my instructors, in that time period used your description. Who says you can't teach and old picker new techniques. Thank you. Tom

[@GentCenty]

Appreciated 🫡

[@urazyekeler1085]

Teşekkürler.

[@steveklinck526]

Great information and very clearly stated. I’ve been working on your suggestion for how to determine the key of a song and this video on the Major scale is extremely helpful playing scales to help quickly determine the key. Thanks very much. 👍👍

[@thecriminal87]

every time i hear la TI do, i lose a day of my life. it's SI (like sy in sydney), not TI, pls stop it everybody

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

In English, it's always taught as "Ti".

[@lucabarchiesi5321]

As an Italian I felt bad too... Great video tho!

[@UmberegatoSpaduWay]

The way you explain things is great! This helped massively. Thank you so much, I've just subbed!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Glad it helped!

[@dumbtrout]

Got you recommended randomly now that I picked up my guitar again and I must say your videos are awesome, the quality is incredible and you make everything so easy to understand, thank you for that :)

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Wow. I really appreciate that. Thank you for watching 🙏🏻

[@TavandtheTadpole]

You're one of the best teachers on KZbin bud

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Appreciate that man!

[@91z07]

Andrew, thank you so much for uploading these videos. I fumbled through guitar when I was young and now my son is learning. These videos make guitar so much easier to comprehend for both of us. I really appreciate it, keep up the good work!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

I’m so glad you find them helpful. Cheers :)

[@eddiemattison7792]

Man, that was good. Opened my eyes more to scales. I'd like to see scales in the CAGED theory, Also the keys and root in the scale and Each scale as it sits closest to the nut of the fretboard, please. You did a great job, thank you, of showing how they relate to each other. I'll want to watch this video a few more times! lol :-)

[@vichyadamia2229]

please help me understand, when you play a scale on 3 strings to me the formula looks like 221-2121.

[@rogerwalker9191]

I'm here cuz your link , said your videos were in order, so we could learn from the beginning & advance...?

[@hemantvb2]

Found the perfect video as a beginner on guitar but experienced on a keyboard. I intuitively play chords, or any song in the C# key (being an Indian) on a keyboard and wanted to correlate the concept on a guitar. Fascinating how a guitar is designed..!

[@johnmcminn9455]

I like combining Whole Half Diminished with the major scale to get major and minor pentatonic blues over a V7

[@jeffjournigan2154]

Great explanation. Subbed!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Awesome, thank you!

[@chesterburnett3466]

Thank you. Nice explanation

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks, Chester!

[@CrossfeetGaming]

TIL the solo riff in A Horse With No Name is just a reversed D major scale

[@Ronron1327]

The way you describe diatonic and only needing the major scale and all the other chords existing in the scale really cleared up with the names of scales and which key your in. I guess as long as you start and end on the root of the key your in, I should be able to maintain the sound of the key of the song I’m improvising.

[@jonramboat9680]

There’s a reason why most teachers start with the C major scale. I think that would be important to cover.

[@paraflightjoe1053]

Theory' Learn as much as u can... MEL BAY books are awesome...

[@harithtv6926]

Bro, your lessons are spot on! Keep it up man and thanks for sharing. Means a lot!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks man!

[@pccreep9624]

This is the best explenation I've ever heard, god bless you

[@niiii4134]

0:57 that was like the guitar is actually speaking or something and is Alive wow

[@jwilkinson341]

I have watched similar video but it never clicked until now, thanks

[@Superbrit42]

What about the low E and A strings? I want to know how to incorporate those into a major scale riff. I was a little surprised you didn’t show that in this video.

[@mattbell8426]

An easy way to do this is to work backwards from the scale he played on the high strings. C is a good example. If you did that scale backwards, you'd finish on the 5th fret of the G string (C), so let's extend this backwards to include more notes in C. Play 4th on G; then play 7th, 5th on D; then play 8th, 7th, 5th on A; then play 8th, 7th, 5th on bottom E. That's one way you could extend the scale he plays, and if you started what I've typed out here from the bottom E, you're still playing in C but because it starts on an A and not C (the root note) you're effectively playing an A minor scale (relative minor). Does that help at all?

[@mattbell8426]

If you wanted to play a major scale starting from low E and using all 6 strings, there are many ways to do this. I'll use C scale as an example. E: 8, 10 A: 7, 8, 10 D: 7, 9, 10 G: 7, 9, 10 B: 8, 10 E: 7, 8 Notice how the start of the scale is the same as the scale he was playing on the high strings, just shifted slightly because of the B string not being present.

[@tonyfdesign]

The phone number: super genius.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

😀

[@shubhammehra5527]

Best teacher in the world ❤

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

🙏❤

[@MrKkramme]

Good foundation video!🎉

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thank you!!

[@staceypacquette]

Gold, Thanks Andrew

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks for watching!

[@KenHuntington-uy2sz]

I have watched 2 of your videos today. Very helpful!! I have been playing guitar for over 50 years and could never grasp the major scale. But you very clearly explained it to me in 8 minutes. I will be subscribing. Like deltafour1212's comment below, you should have a GAZILLION subscribers!!!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

I really appreciate that 🙏

[@lanabateman1523]

It seems like sometimes the third note is a fret down from the pattern shown here. Is there a rule for when this applies?

[@arnoldshanmugam4155]

Thank you so much for this 🙏

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Most welcome 😊

[@EdgxrVxlle]

Great lesson, thanks

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks for watching!

[@V1ctorius]

I started to play the guitar barely a year ago. I have literally seen 100s of videos in the subject. Even by the big aces of the internet, like Justin. I watched 2 of Andrew's lesson, this being one of them. If I had to name the 3 most influential, big 'aha' moment videos of these 100s I have seen, 2 of the 3 would be Andrew's.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Wow! Reading this makes me so grateful. I'm glad you've found the videos helpful. 😀

[@BlueCJ]

I've been playing the guitar for about half a year now, but this is my first time actually watching these types of videos. Thanks for this, it's easy to understand!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Happy to help!

[@isai.gabriel]

Amazing video, I always had other people explain but I never understood it until now🔥please keep making more tutorial videos that teach us useful things, that way one day I’ll be on the worship team for my church🙌

[@isai.gabriel]

Im a self taught guitarist but I never really learned theory so it has limited me to a certain extent but your videos make it so easy to learn!!!Im going to just rely on your videos to learn what I can on music theory. If you could one day make a video on like chords used in worship music that would be great!! You just earned a subscriber by the way👍✌️

[@moshirazi]

Great lesson. You should create a phone number version of all the scales.

[@johnandrews6725]

Hi Andrew this the most amazing lesson ever i like the way you explain the lesson im 75 but im learning thank you God bless you for giving ❤

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video 😀

[@cay_beats]

bro i like ur shit keep it up

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks man!

[@robertsparks7244]

Thanks the application is what I want to learn more about.