Is it necessary to learn scales on guitar?

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Ive heard scales are just as necessary as chords, how true is this? What exactly are scales and whats the use for them?

Scales are absolutely essential. Chords are built from scales. The very structure of a song is derived from a scale. If someone wanted me to improvise over something they were playing in the key of D minor I’d have to know the D minor scale to be able to do that. Start with learning all of the positions of C major. Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t need scales. You’d be a shoddy guitarist without them. Take some lessons and learn some music theory.

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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

michael March 31, 2010 at 12:48 am

no i have a tun of guitars and i only know the tabs
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Boddah March 31, 2010 at 1:17 am

I don’t think they are necessary, but it wouldn’t hurt to learn them.
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Been playing for 5+ years, never really tried learning them.

-.- March 31, 2010 at 1:29 am

Scales are absolutely essential. Chords are built from scales. The very structure of a song is derived from a scale. If someone wanted me to improvise over something they were playing in the key of D minor I’d have to know the D minor scale to be able to do that. Start with learning all of the positions of C major. Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t need scales. You’d be a shoddy guitarist without them. Take some lessons and learn some music theory.
References :

Em March 31, 2010 at 1:45 am

I’ve learnt guitar for 4 years. I’ve done classical and like normal, and in classical I had to learn scales. It didn’t help me to learn chords AT ALL, but I kinda think it was a good basis for notes and stuff.

But no, I dont think you should put an emphasis on scales, you dont need them at all. Concentrate on chords, bar chords and power chords.
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David March 31, 2010 at 2:11 am

They are fairly important. Especially for solos.
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Jethro March 31, 2010 at 2:29 am

It depends how serious you are and how you look at music.

I improvise about 75% of what I play and if that’s your thing learning scales and the ‘proper’ way to play may only detract from what your trying to do.

There are no rules if it sounds good.
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daaaave March 31, 2010 at 2:38 am

They are helpful but you definitely do not need to know them. I have never learned any myself. If you have a good ear you can improvise in any chord by just figuring out what sounds good. Truly good guitar players don’t say “are you playing that in A, let me play a scale in A with it and see how it sounds” They just start playing what sounds right.
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