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The Ultimate Scale Book cover — Troy Stetina (Hal Leonard)

The Ultimate Scale Book

A Crash Course on Fingerings, Applications, and Theory for Guitar

By Troy Stetina

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Troy Stetina's complete guitar-scale reference: pentatonic, blues, major, natural minor, the modes, harmonic and jazz minor, plus symmetrical and exotic scales — each shown in easy-to-read fretboard diagrams across the whole neck.

Topics

Table of contents

Getting Started

Scale Fundamentals

  1. What are Scales?Scales are the collections of notes behind every key and solo — here's what they are and why understanding them transforms your playing.
  2. How to Learn ScalesHow to approach this book and practice scales effectively, so each pattern truly sinks in.
  3. Reading Fretboard DiagramsHow to read the fretboard diagrams used throughout the book — dots, open strings, root notes and fret numbers explained.
  4. A Word About FingeringsWhy the suggested fingerings aren't set in stone, and how to pick the ones that fit your hand and the passage.
  5. Construction BasicsHow every scale is built from the major scale by altering its steps — the foundation for all the patterns ahead.

Part I

Part I: Pentatonic and Blues Scales

  1. Minor PentatonicThe five-tone minor pentatonic scale in all five box patterns, diagonal shapes and full-neck fingerings for guitar.
  2. BluesThe six-note blues scale — minor pentatonic plus the flatted fifth — shown in all five boxes and across the neck.
  3. Major PentatonicThe bright, country- and rock-friendly major pentatonic scale in five boxes, diagonals and full-neck patterns.
  4. Minor BluesThe eight-tone minor blues scale mapped across the fretboard in five interconnected box patterns.
  5. Major BluesThe nine-tone major blues scale in all five boxes and full-neck fingerings for guitar.

Part II

Part II: The Major Scale, Natural Minor, and Modes

  1. Natural MinorThe natural minor (Aeolian) scale in five positions and three-notes-per-string patterns across the whole neck.
  2. MajorThe major scale in five positional patterns and three-notes-per-string forms, with full-neck fingerings.
  3. Creating ModesHow the seven modes are created from a parent scale — and how to see and hear each as a scale in its own right.
  4. DorianThe Dorian mode — a minor scale with a bright raised sixth — in five positions and three-notes-per-string patterns.
  5. PhrygianThe dark Phrygian mode with its flatted second, mapped across the fretboard in positions and full-neck patterns.
  6. LydianThe airy Lydian mode with its raised fourth, shown in five positions and three-notes-per-string forms.
  7. MixolydianThe dominant, bluesy Mixolydian mode with its flatted seventh, in positions and full-neck fingerings.
  8. LocrianThe unstable Locrian mode with flatted second and fifth, mapped in positions and three-notes-per-string patterns.

Part III

Part III: Harmonic Minor and Jazz Scales

  1. Harmonic MinorThe exotic harmonic minor scale and its distinctive raised seventh, in five positions and full-neck patterns.
  2. Phrygian-DominantThe Phrygian-dominant scale — the fifth mode of harmonic minor — with its Spanish/flamenco color, across the neck.
  3. Jazz Melodic MinorThe jazz (melodic) minor scale, a natural minor with raised sixth and seventh, in positions and full-neck forms.
  4. Modes of Jazz MinorThe seven modes of the jazz minor scale — Lydian ♭7, Super Locrian and more — shown as full-neck patterns.

Part IV

Part IV: Symmetrical and Exotic Scales

  1. ChromaticThe twelve-tone chromatic scale in positional and single-string fingerings for building speed and dexterity.
  2. Whole ToneThe dreamy six-note whole tone scale and its symmetrical shapes, in positions and three-notes-per-string patterns.
  3. DiminishedThe symmetrical eight-note diminished scale (whole-half and half-whole) in positional and diagonal fretboard forms.
  4. Other Exotic and Ethnic ScalesEnigmatic, Hungarian minor, Persian, Arabian, Japanese and more — exotic and ethnic scales with fretboard patterns.

Appendix

Appendix: Scale Reference

  1. Scale Construction TableA quick-reference table of every scale in this book — its tones and step structure at a glance.
  2. Note Names on the NeckA full fretboard chart of every note name, so you can move any scale pattern to any key.

Begin with: What are Scales?

Scales are the collections of notes behind every key and solo — here's what they are and why understanding them transforms your playing.

Read the first chapter →