I don't know what scale I use (is it even a scale?)

axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
OK, So I'm one of those pretty useless guitar players with 1% of theory knowledge. I use one scale only and I don't even know what it is, or if it's even a proper scale?

I started off with the pentatonic scale many years ago, then went over to the blues scale, and then some kind of fudging occurred whereby I added notes and sort of ended up with the thing that I have been using ever since, either in Major or Minor. I just work out what key to use and go for it, no intelligence is used in terms of chord change etc.

Anyone know what this is, is it a scale?

This is the minor version:


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Comments

  • martmart Frets: 5205
    To me that looks like a minor scale with a flattened fifth added to give a bluesy feel. But hopefully somebody more knowledgeable will be along soon to give a more definite answer.
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  • stratman3142stratman3142 Frets: 2177
    edited September 2017
    If the root note is E, I'd call that E Aeolian mode with an added flat 5.

    If the root note is G, then it would just be G major (i.e. Ionian mode) with an added flat 3.


    It's not a competition.
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  • What they said. Bog standard minor scale (from the E perspective that you give) with a b5 added. That b5 (or b3 if viewed as in G major) is a nice bluesy note hence why you liked to add it...but outside of blooze its a note you want to use with a little care...you can't park up on that note. That would kill baby mice and probably hurt even biggerer aminals.
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  • siraxemansiraxeman Frets: 1935
    edited September 2017
    ...no actually scrub that. Do park up on that note, milk it with a nice long vibrato, wrench every bit of soul from that note for all its worth. Oh yes. And pull a proper good guitar face whilst doing it at your next gig. And do it in every solo all night. It''ll be super amazeballs. You will leave a lasting impression and everyone will find you very memorable.
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    siraxeman said:
    What they said. Bog standard minor scale (from the E perspective that you give) with a b5 added. That b5 (or b3 if viewed as in G major) is a nice bluesy note hence why you liked to add it...but outside of blooze its a note you want to use with a little care...you can't park up on that note. That would kill baby mice and probably hurt even biggerer aminals.
    I've no idea which is the b5 that you are referring to (??) but I do notice some strange things, for example, within the context of the way I play, the C on the 15th fret of the A string (on the diagram) just never sounds right, but the C on the B string 13th fret always seems to work. 
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  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    The flat 5 of E is Bb.
    It is the 'blue note'.
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    octatonic said:
    The flat 5 of E is Bb.
    It is the 'blue note'.
    Actually it makes sense now you have said it. Ta
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