![]() Most of the letters of the musical alphabet are separated by two semitones. These tones are made up of 2 smaller semitones (often referred to as ‘half-steps’). And the same is true for the notes of C and D. There is a tone between the notes of A and B for example. Most of the notes of the musical alphabet are separated by what are known as tones (which are often also referred to as ‘whole steps’). For although the letters noted above sit next to each other in the actual alphabet, they do not sit directly next to each other in a musical context. Sharps and flats are notes that exist in between many of the notes listed above. Flats are denoted in music with the following symbol: b. Sharps are denoted in music with the following symbol: #. The remaining 5 notes are accounted for by what are called sharps and flats. Yet as you may have noticed, the letters A – G account for only 7, rather than 12 notes. This is because Western music contains 12 notes and not 7. ![]() Having said that, there are some additional notes you need to consider. You will however find the notes of A, B and C etc. In other words, the musical alphabet does not contain the notes of H, I or J etc.Īs a result, you will not find the notes of H, I or J on your guitar fretboard. So once you reach the letter or note of G, the alphabet resets and you end up back at A. G represents the end of the musical alphabet. But unlike the alphabet that we use to construct words, within the musical alphabet, there are only 7 letters. So with that in mind, let’s get into it! Here is everything you need to know about the chromatic scale, and why it is important:īefore we look at the chromatic scale in greater detail, it is first worth understanding the concept of the musical alphabet.Īll of the notes that you encounter in Western music are represented by a letter from the alphabet. It will also help you to develop a solid understanding of some of the fundamentals of music theory as it applies to the guitar. Solo all over your fretboard, and create your own patterns, without having to rely on the same old licks and phrasesĪs such, if you feel stuck in a rut with your playing, or frustrated that you are stuck in certain patterns, learning the material outlined here will help you to move up to the next level.Play chords in different areas of your guitar fretboard, to create different feels and chord voicings.Move confidently around the neck of your guitar when improvising and soloing.Play in all 12 musical keys without fear of hitting the wrong notes or playing out of key.Learning the chromatic scale will help you to: If you feel you are in this position, then learning the chromatic scale is a great first step to helping you ‘unlock’ your fretboard. They don’t feel comfortable to move around, and so they end up playing the same patterns and licks. This can cause frustration over time, as players end up ‘trapped’ in certain areas of their neck. A lot of players don’t even attempt it, and for some guitarists, just thinking about how and where to start with learning the logic of the guitar fretboard causes them to feel overwhelmed. In my experience, it is one of the biggest challenges that most guitarists face. ![]() It is not easy to to navigate around your guitar fretboard. However despite this, it is an immensely useful scale to understand. In fact the purpose that it serves is largely theoretical, rather than practical. The chromatic scale is not one that you are likely to use in your playing with any regularity. If you want to broaden your understanding of the guitar and develop a greater sense of freedom when moving around the fretboard, I would recommend learning the chromatic scale.
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