Scale of the Day

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About the App

Want to improve as a guitarist but not sure what to practice? Spend 15 minutes per day learning scales in all positions of the neck, all keys, 29 different scales.

Each time the page loads or the "New Suggestion" button is clicked, a random combination is generated from:

• 29 different scales
• 12 different keys
• 20 different fretboard positions

This selection is weighted towards more frequently used musical elements, meaning common selections appear more often than rare ones. For example, Major modes are selected more often than Melodic Minor modes, the keys of E and A are selected more often than B♭ or G♭, and fretboard positions V and VII appear more frequently than position XIX.

The Fingering System

The idea is to be able to play any scale in any key at any position on the fretboard. Here is the method, spelled out:

• The Grounding Factor (The Position): A "position" on the neck is defined by the fret where your index finger naturally rests. For example, in 5th position, your index finger is responsible for the 5th fret.
• The "Lanes": Each finger is assigned strictly to one fret. In 5th position, your index gets the 5th fret, your middle finger gets the 6th, your ring finger gets the 7th, and your pinky gets the 8th. The middle and ring fingers never leave their assigned lanes.
• The Stretches: To play notes outside of this immediate 4-fret block without shifting your entire hand, the outer fingers do the reaching.
  • Index Stretch: The index finger can stretch down one fret (to the 4th fret in our example).
  • Pinky Stretch: The pinky can stretch up one fret (to the 9th fret).

By utilizing these two stretches, your hand is effectively "grounded" in one spot but can cover a span of six frets, allowing you to play complex scales and arpeggios efficiently.