Clifford D

In my opinion the best place to start the topic of theory is with the major scale.
It's a sound that most everyone has heard in their life in background music, the musical wallpaper of our lives.

Here is the C major scale

DO RE MI FA SOL LA TI DO
C...D...E...F...G.....A..B...C

On the guitar the best way to learn this scale is as it goes up and down only one string, here is the scale on the 2nd string

C major scale
|--------------------------------|
|---1---3---5-6---8---10---12-13-|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|
|--------------------------------|

The next thing would be to learn the location of the C note on all 6 strings

|---8------------|
|-----1----------|
|-------5--------|
|---------10-----|
|------------3---|
|--------------8-|

then play the C major scale up and down each string

restriction; learn to not play past the 12th fret, complete the scale from underneath

two different ways to play,
...using 12th fret... using open string
|---------------------|------------------|
|---------------------|------------------|
|---5-7-9-10-12-2-4-5-|-5-7-9-10-0-2-4-5-|
|---------------------|------------------|
|---------------------|------------------|
|---------------------|------------------|


What is your most important starting point. It's all good
maybe give a lesson.

have fun

zog

I have two starting points if you will. One like you is the major scale and how to play it first on one string then across the neck and then in different positions up and down the whole neck.

The other is intervals and this is a biggie in my book, because it is the relationship that the notes have between each other that will let you hear how music is made and understand how everything is connected.

Clifford D

Yes, but one has to ask what came first, the interval or the scale? And I have to say the interval did come first, basically the 5ths and the 3rds with their compounds and reciprocals, that creates every tone there is including all microtones, right out of nature. I am not in any way qualified to talk about it from a scientific position, simply put it does start with inervals, good call Zog.

However there is a problem starting the learning of music with the interval imo, I think the student needs a point of reference and references for intervals are vague. ie; an ascending
4th sounds like "Here comes the Bride" not to hard eh? But how about the 5th going up to the 3rd and then down to the root. (NBC)

Ok, the 5th going up to the 3rd is an interval of a major 6th, and the 3rd going down to the root is a decending major 3rd. That's the language of intervals, that's looking at it with a microscope. Too much for a newb, big can o worms.
I choose the major scale as the starting point because most all students know
"do re mi fa sol la ti do" and it's a broader more gentle way to move into the discussion of intervals.

Then there is the discussion of the Blues. Blues IS NOT based on this major scale. It comes from a different origin. Of course there is a blending, but blues is not do re mi,
two worlds
diatonic - Blues - and the "fusions" of everything in between.

So how is blues taught? I start with the minor pent later some micro bends on the b3 and 4th
I don't even attemt to bring theory math into it. Just work with the minor scale template for a while, their interest will guide you.

Budda

I usually teach some ideas of Phrasing first, when teaching Blues stuff. Usually a simple 3 to 5 Note Pattern, with various ideas on Phrasing those Notes.

But, this Thread is more Diatonic based, no?
And I also like to start with the Major Scale Pattern.

If someone already knows another, Non-String Instrument, I try to explain the idea of how a String Instrument works on both a Horizontal AND a Vertical plane. Not just Linearly along One String.
And usually, I talk about Unison Notes and Note Locations. Also similar to what you posted above, with the various C Note Locations.

traviskaufman

Cliff you ever read that article by Satriani about finding the note? Satch says you take a metronome and then pick a note, and play in time that note on every string in every position. You can't miss a beat though; if you do you have to start over. Great exercise.

Also, I've found that most beginning students find it easier when I use E Major/Em as reference scales rather than C, just because they've already got that scale in their head so much.

EDIT: When I teach blues, I show students the pent/blues scales all over the fretboard, then I ask them what blues guitarists they want to sound like, and I tell them to transcribe their favorite solos by ear then we go over them and break down all the licks, because Blues is not about what scales you play or what chord progressions there are; Yngwie Malmsteen shredding a blues scale over a I-IV-V7 progression is NOT blues. Blues is a feeling you get from your guitar. I tell my students to listen to Jack White, Mississippi John Hurt, and Ry Cooder if they want to get a feel for some ridiculous blues.

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Cobalt

I agree with the major scale as being the starting point for music theory. I think most people learn the pentatonic scale first because it's easier to work with. I don't know how valid this is but I have heard that some guys in bar bands have made a living on one pentatonic scale shape. I know the 5 shapes of the pentatonic and major scales forward and back but sometimes I really don't see where it gets me? I think the best thing that has ever helped me was C A G E D. In my mind those 5 shapes are the starting points for every possible chord. No matter where you are on a fretboard playing whatever piece of music at any given time, you will find one of those shapes in or around what you are playing? Correct? Am I way offbase here?

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