scale??? help, anyone?

rokai scales are based on intervals  and the formula is 111 1/2 111 1/2 steps for a major scale in the key of C there are no sharps or flats and the notes are  C D E F G A B C  in D there are 2 sharps F# and C# the reason for this is the above formula and this works for any major key,the sharp in order are G D A E B F G  its easy to figure out which interval is sharp by applying the formula G has 1 sharp D has 2 A has 3 ect.. lets take the G scale the intervals or steps,notes have to follow like this G  A  B  C  D  E  F#  G just use this formula for a major scale
                                                   1  1  1  1/2 1 1   1   1/2

rokai, what Russell posted is absoultly correct. If I can, without confusing anything, provide some help here, I will.

The 1  1  1  1/2  1  1  1  1/2 - is:

Step - Step - Step - half step - Step - Step - Step - half step - is"

    Key- 2 frets - 2 frets - 1 fret - 2 frets - 2 frets - 2 frets - 1 fret - is:
      C       D           E          F         G           A          B          C

Learning how to "step" the notes will help you with scales but also in transposing a song from one key to another.

nela

Yes, but not at the very start. When you first pick up a guitar (I'm not referring to classical training)  you want to learn chords. (To accompany a song). It really doesn't matter how they relate to the scales initially. I said "if you are just starting out". The scales can come later.
I also said that the scales relate to melody while the chords relate to harmony. Clearly the two exist together.
There isn't much to disagree with really. If you want to learn the theory, you need to understand both. There are many guitarists (and other musicians) who have no idea how the theory (of harmony and melody) works. And don't need to. In my experience, most technical talk of scales and chords simply serves to confuse and discourage the beginner. And, after all, that is what this thread is about. A beginner who has been confused by premature and probably unnecessary talk of scales at this stage.

With bass guitar I could see jeromes' point here, but in learning and teaching guitar, the core foundation as basis that music is played around, are CHORDS. One building a house doesn't assemble the roof before the foundation is poured and the walls are up. I teach chords before scales with every student I've ever taught ( and there have been many) The professors and guitar instructors that I've studied under, ALL teach CHORDS before scales. It's basic common sense, ya gotta crawl before ya can dance like MC HAMMER.

A typical lesson progression plan will go something like this;
1)Guitar Introduction- what the parts are and what they do
2)How to hold the Guitar
3)How to change strings, how to tune the guitar
4)Chords, basic major and minor
5) Intermediate Chords, 7ths, major7ths, minor 7ths, barre chords, power chord
6) Avanced Chords, diminshed, augmented, 9ths, 13ths, etc....
7)Scales apllied in the order of chords learned( basic, intermediate/advanced)

The real truth is this; to be a solid lead player one must first be a solid rythym player. As always, as in the arena of art, there are a few exceptions to the rule( errrr. BB KING) but my statement applies to "in most cases" scenarios.

CHORDS
then
SCALES
then
RHYTHYM & LEAD ready..................