These 6 C major scales are essential to learn for for exploring and discovering patterns on the fretboard in the major key. The scales are good for general practice and they will help you to know where to go in a guitar solo or for melody composition.
Tag: major scales
5 Movable 1 Octave Scale shapes in 5 keys – 25 Scales – PDF
Free PDF:
5 Moveable 1 Octave Guitar Scales in 5 different keys
Free Guitar Pro 7 File:
5 Moveable 1 Octave Guitar Scales in 5 different keys
All scales in 5 keys: G, A, B, C, D
5 Major scales
5 Major Pentatonic scales
5 Minor Pentatonic scales
5 Blues scales
5 Natural minor scales
2 Octave Major and Minor Scales in G
It’s another rainy day in the UK and for some reason I’ve woken up early and I have some time before work to post this. Blueberry porridge with honey, a cup of tea, rain, politics ruining another Christmas, yet we plod on with uncertainty debating on whether it’s too soon for Chirtmas songs. Neighbours are nailing up decs to their facia boards and wrecking them – it’s all very much go.
This half term I’ve been giving this sheet out to some of my beginners that have been doing easy scales and chords, and I’m aiming to get them into harder scales (some of these are from Grade 3) using one finger per fret (and therefore using all fingers for most scales) and eventually alternate picking (down, up, down, up) when they have got used to the scales. Along side any potential Chistmas songs and other things, I’m setting this as homework 1 or 2 times per week, and we’ll also go through some or all of them in the lessons.
Free Downloads
Here is a free printable PDF download of this scales sheet.
Here is a free Guitar Pro 7 download if you have that program – you can play the scales along at any speed.
12 Beginners Major and Minor Guitar Scales (1 Octave)
Beginners should practice these scales regularly. Make sure to repeat each scale (at least 2x) when you get faster.
The symbols on the first bar are down, up, down, up etc (this continuous pattern is called Alternate Picking), to be played with a guitar pick if you are using one. See below key for which one is which. Make sure to do this for every scale. At first though, you can just do all down picks to make it easier if you prefer.

2 Melody Exercises in C major for beginners
Make use of your C major scales with these two melody exercises.
The exercise sheet starts off with 2 C major scales. You should practice these to get used to the note patterns.
The melodies use a mixture of half, 8th and quarter notes. Make sure to brush up on your note values if you are unsure on the rhythms.