What scales to practice?

[fiatcoupe432]

Hi everyone , want to learn improvise , have an understanding what scales to use when.....
Where shall I start?
Thanks in advance

[Hobbayne]

A major and minor Pentatonic. I use these scales all the time. The building blocks of improvisation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enWrSrIGcY4

[The Jaywalker]

[quote name='fiatcoupe432' timestamp='1475009209' post='3142335']
Hi everyone , want to learn improvise , have an understanding what scales to use when.....
Where shall I start?
Thanks in advance
[/quote]
What style of music?
The answer to your post could be simple or complex depending on the music you want to play.

[SubsonicSimpleton]

Learn your chord tones - IMHO in much teaching based on chord scale theory the emphasis is wrongly placed on scales and modes and learning a multitude of fingering patterns.

Chords are context sensitive, so the "correct" scale will change depending on the harmonic function of the chord (e.g. a basic C major chord functions differently in the keys of C major, F major and G major and would require a different scale choice in each case), but the chord tones always remain the same (in the case of our C major chord, the notes C,E and G), so having a solid grasp of the chord tones gives you a basic foundation which will always make musical sense regardless of the context in which that chord is being used, without the need to tie yourself in knots trying to analyse the music - the chord tones are "home" and you can freely explore other note choices as long as you can return "home" at will to resolve any tension you create by choosing more interesting notes.

Also worth remembering that rhythm and phrasing are super important, and by restricting your note choice to the chord tones, you can put more focus on these aspects.

[timmo]

Personally, I prefer to play two octave minor and major scales, and try to play them all over the fretboard. I find it takes you away from pattern play a bit more. It really gets you thinking when you play 2 octave arpeggio`s.

[Hector]

Good advice all around!

I would suggest learning your major scale inside out. There are traditionally 5 hand positions, which repeat after the octave. Do diatonic triads and arpeggios, and make up your own major scale melodies. Stay in a single position at first, then try to work on transferring between positions, and arpeggiating chords over multiple octaves by moving between positions.

Chord tone soloing would be the next step - try to solo over chord progressions in a key, and stay in a given hand position for that key. If the tune changes key, try to move your hand as little as possible to get to the next key's position.

If you're into jazz, I would recommend doing this over a jazz blues progression. You can then also start to mix in using major and minor blues pentatonic scales, again in the 5 hand positions. This is a good/fun book that gets you improvising fairly quickly: http://www.shermusic.com/new/1883217385.shtml

Do every key.

[MacDaddy]

The major scale, but learn it all over the neck. Once you know that, you've got all the modes.

For example if you learn the C major scale, use the same fingering pattern, but start and finish on D, hey presto you're playing a Dorian mode.

Same fingering pattern but start (and finish) on A, hey presto you're playing an Aeolian mode - or natural minor scale.

Lots of fun to had discovering the others...

[ambient]

Two octave major and minor, all over the neck, ascending and descending. Harmonise them too, again ascending and descending, go up on the one, then down on the next etc. So start and ascend on a major arpeggio, descend on the minor. All good practice, try and get away from playing patterns.