Scales and Modes in the Beginning

Lucky for the reader, all the new modes and minors were based off the C scale. Everything started with C, so I had a good time transcibing the patterns for each new mode and minor scale into digestable patterns that I could play up and down the neck. I usually start off with the first note on my fret board on the top string - usually F or F#. Then I start a pattern. From there, I create a new pattern - usually three or four frets down from F. I usually end off with four patterns that can be looped around and can be played up and down the neck. This book helped me see all my Harmonic minors and melodic minors from the C scale postion. C became I interval, D became II, E became III, F becmae IV . . . and so on. Then, if a sharp or a flat came up - say in the melodic minor scale - there's only one flat on the III or 3rd. So all I did was apply the flat 3rd interval to all my scales. On the guitar, all you need is a pattern and you're set. You move the pattern up and down the fret board depending on what scale you'd like to play. So, this book has more to it than just modes and scales. They give you arpeggios and blues patterns. Good stuff. Was it worth the money? Yes. The Grimoire was pretty good, but I bought this book instead, and applied my own patterns. It's up to you. I'm starting a jazz guitar book collection, so this book is the start of something good. 4 Stars!!!!!

On the first day of the first lesson, my instructor gave me a photocopied page with the "CAGED" system on it. When I asked where this came from, he showed me this book. I went out and bought it and never looked back. It isn't a book for absolute beginners BUT the CAGED system is by far - in my not-so-humble opinon - the BEST way to learn scales and modes as they focus on the way the guitar is laid out as well as giving you a complete set of fingering patterns. I started playing in 1988 and all of the books at that time were like Mel Bay oriented which required you to read notation. This was more tablature oriented with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of patterns. My instructor would say, "Learn the pattern and you've learned all of the scales". Because all you do is start at the root not and play the pattern to the next root note and you're there. I was able to fly solo (with about 4 hours of practice each day) within about six months and played with my first band. There are other books I bought after this such as The Heavy Guitar Bible, Be Dangerous On Rock Guitar, some fake books, a couple of tablature magazines, and even a Mel Bay Jazz Scales book (the latter I didn't need since I had picked up on all of the scale patterns from this book) and that all helped to round out my education. Years later when I took lessons again, I discovered from my new teacher (in another state) that he too had an affection for this book and loved the CAGED system. If you want a simple, easy way to solo, learn the patterns in this book. You'll learn about Arpeggios and after you've mastered the Major scale patterns, the Whole Tone, Dimished, Augmented, Pentatonic, BeBop, etc., is simple - less notes and a minor variation of the pattern. What's more, you can learn a simple, quick, and easy way to play the Modes with using just one pattern as an example. You're just starting on a different note. Why sit and bash your skull against a wall trying memorize W-W-H-W-W-W-H (and it's variations)??? You can learn all of the scales & modes you want by simply learning some patterns. After that, to go into a new key, just shift the pattern either upwards or downwards on the neck of the guitar! Yeah it' THAT simple!

There are countless numbers of scale books out there, and some are much more informative than others. For example, a scale book might boast "Learn 36 scales" on the front cover, but when you open it, it's just the same major, minor or pentatonic scale pattern transcribed to each of the 12 keys! That's really only THREE scales, not 36. Ron Middlebrook's book, however, does in fact show you the patterns for many, many different scales. Additionally, it has sections on arpeggios and studying the fretboard. The book was written for guitar players, but as a bass player I still found it very informative. Three features I especially love, and which seem to set this book apart from the rest, are 1) the list of 12-bar blues progressions, listed in increasing complexity. These are excellent for improvised jamming, soloing, creating walking bass lines, or just coming up with better progression ideas 2) A handy table showing every type of chord, the chord's symbol, how it's constructed, and which scales "fit" 3) a listing of "Foreign and Exotic Scales" from all different cultures. I am not giving it a full 5 stars because some of the layout is just plain strange. There are a number of typos, fragmented sentences, randomly placed advice quotes, and poorly worded descriptions. I find it ridiculous that these were never corrected after so many editions. Never the less, scales are such a fundamental part of music theory and learning how to jam along with others. I'm a total scale enthusiast, and this is the most complete book of its kind that I've ever found.