ULTIMATE

SCALE
LIBRARY
your guitaracademy
your guitaracademy

WELCOME!
Over the course of your guitar learning journey you will come across a lot of different
scales. You’ll come across different scale theories and different scale shapes. There are a
lot of scales, so let me tell you what this guide is all about, by starting with what it is
definitely not about!

"It is NOT about learning every

shape in this book. No no no,
that would be painful!"

It is however the best scale reference book you will ever see. So, when you learn a new
scale with your tutor or via our courses and need to reference them regularly, you will
find them here.

reading the diagrams...

the dots show the notes for the scale. The numbers
G Minor Pentatonic Box 1
R b 3
inside the dots are the intervals for the scale.
5 b 7

b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5

R b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

The vertical lines are frets, and the

horizontal lines are the strings.
your guitaracademy

Every single scale shape will be drawn out as shown above, in a nice easy to read
fashion. We do not cover any theory or application of scales in this book. We just keep
it simple and show the scale shapes. How to apply and use them is shown in our online
courses or lessons with your YGA Tutor.

moving shapes.
R b 3
In this ebook we will learn all scales in a single
key. For example, if we were learning the Minor 5 b 7
Pentatonic scale, we would learn it in G minor.
All shapes that we learn are, of course, b 3 4
moveable. Just to be sure you understand this,
here are the basics. b 7 R

The red note is the root of the 4 5

scale. To change the key, R b 3

simply move that root note to
another fret.
Of course, that is simplified, but is a great starting point!

yga club
We'd like to say a massive thank you to the wonderful mentors in our yga
club for helping us put this workbook together.

If you're interested in the best guitar

learning experience you've ever
seen, you can sign up for our Club
right here!

check it out
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

06
PENTATONIC SCALES
We want to start with our 5
note scales, in both major
and minor keys.

10
DIATONIC SCALES
Here we learn your major and
minor full scales, covering all
7 notes (a step up from 5).

14
THE BLUES SCALE
We now take the pentatonic
scale notes and add the b5th
to create our blues shapes.

17
3 NOTE PER STRING
We return to the diatonic
scales, but this time start to
look at them modally!
CONT...

23
OTHER SCALES
We'll tackle a few scales that
are more advanced, to dip
your toe in the water!
 CHAPTER 1

PENTATONIC
SCALES
THE ONLY PLACE TO START
your guitaracademy

PENTATONIC SCALES

minor pentatonic
root, b3rd, 4th, 5th, b7 th
Here are the 5 shapes of the G minor pentatonic. Remember that we will only be learning
the scales in this key, so just focus on the shapes. The theory can come in your lessons!

G Minor Pentatonic Box 1

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5

R b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Pentatonic Box 2

b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Pentatonic Box 3

4 5

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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G Minor Pentatonic Box 4
5 b 7

b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5

R b 3

5 b 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Pentatonic Box 5

b 7 R

4 5

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4

b 7 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

major pentatonic
root, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th
Here are the 5 shapes of the G major pentatonic. The really good news is that these are
the same 5 shapes, you just start them in different places, as shown below!

G Major Pentatonic Box 2

R 2

5 6

2 3

6 R

3 5

R 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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G Major Pentatonic Box 3
2 3

6 R

3 5

R 2

5 6

2 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Pentatonic Box 4

3 5

R 2

5 6

2 3

6 R

3 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Pentatonic Box 5

5 6

2 3

6 R

3 5

R 2

5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Pentatonic Box 1

6 R

3 5

R 2

5 6

2 3

6 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

There we have it! The pentatonic scales have 5 shapes, and you move the root notes
around depending on whether it is major or minor! Try to get these shapes memorised
in the key of G major and G Minor first!
 CHAPTER 2

DIATONIC
SCALES
THE SCALE THAT HOLDS THE KEY!
your guitaracademy

DIATONIC SCALES

major scale
root, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7 th
Here are the 5 shapes of the G major scale across the neck. These are very much based
on the 5 major pentatonic shapes, but we now have the full 7 notes of the major scale
(rather than 5 notes of the pentatonic scale).

G Major Box 2
7 R 2

5 6

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

R 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Box 3
2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

5 6

2 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Box 4
3 4 5

7 R 2

5 6

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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G Major Box 5
5 6

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Box 1
6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

5 6

2 3 4

6 7 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

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minor scale
root, 2nd, b3rd, 4th, 5th, b6th, b7 th
Here are the 5 shapes of the G minor scale. Once again, these are very much based on
the 5 pentatonic shapes but include 2 extra notes to create the full, natural minor scale.

G Minor Box 1
R 2 b 3

5 b 6 b 7

2 b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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G Minor Box 2
2 b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 b 7

2 b 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Box 3

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 b 7

2 b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5 b 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Box 4

5 b 6 b 7

2 b 3 4

b 7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 b 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Box 5
b 7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 b 7

2 b 3 4

b 7 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
 CHAPTER 3

THE BLUES
SCALE
A TWIST ON THE MINOR PENTATONIC
your guitaracademy

BLUES SCALES

the blues scale

root, b3rd, 4th, b5th, 5th, b7 th
The blues scale is quite simply the minor pentatonic scale with an added note. This note
is referred to as the ‘blues’ note and is, theoretically, called the flat 5th.

G Minor Blues Box 1

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4 b 5

b 7 R

4 b 5 5

R b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Blues Box 2

b 3 4 b 5

b 7 R

4 b 5 5

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4 b 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Blues Box 3

4 b 5 5

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4 b 5

b 7 R

4 b 5 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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G Minor Blues Box 4
5 b 7

b 3 4 b 5

b 7 R

4 b 5 5

R b 3

5 b 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Minor Blues Box 5

b 7 R

4 b 5 5

R b 3

5 b 7

b 3 4 b 5

b 7 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
 CHAPTER 4

3 NOTE PER
STRING
GREAT FOR MODES & SHRED!
your guitaracademy

3 NOTE PER STIRNG

diatonic 7 shapes
root, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6ht, 7 th
3 note per string shapes can apply to any scales, but are typically used with the major /
minor scales to help learn the modal scales. We will focus on learning the shapes, then
add the modal theory in the next chapter.

G Major Shape 1
2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Shape 2
3 4 5

7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 3

5 6 7

2 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Shape 3
4 5 6

R 2 3

5 6 7

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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G Major Shape 4
5 6 7

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Shape 5
6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 3

5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Shape 6
7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 3

5 6 7

2 3 4

6 7 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Major Shape 7
R 2 3

5 6 7

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

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your guitaracademy

why these scale shapes?

So why would you use these scale shapes instead of the basic 5 positions for major and
minor? There are a number of reasons, but the main being that each of the scales starts
on one of the seven degrees of the scale.

This allows us to easily play modal scales

without knowing very much theory!
To show you this in more depth, here are the same 7 scale shapes, but rather than just all
be thought of as G major, here they are named as the mode.

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summary
Plus, get access to our pro tutors
Your first task is simply to listen. Be sure to
play the track as many times round as you can
until you can start to sing the solo back! This
via our community to pick their
theory brains!
style of solo has a really focused phrasing style,
which means you'll get little chunks with clear
spaces between them, making them very easy
to sing. Alongside this, to prepare you for the
breakdown of each lick, we can recap our 5
pentatonic shapes. If you know these very well
already, jump straight into the next lesson!

progress tracking fretboards

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G Ionian (3 Note Per String)

2 3 4

6 7 R

3 4 5

7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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A Dorian (3 Note Per String)

2 b 3 4

6 b 7 R

b 3 4 5

b 7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

B Phrygian (3 Note Per String)

b 2 b 3 4

b 6 b 7 R

b 3 4 5

b 7 R b 2

4 5 b 6

R b 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

C Lydian (3 Note Per String)

2 3 # 4

6 7 R

3 4
# 5

7 R 2

# 4 5 6

R 2 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

D Mixolydian (3 Note Per String)

2 3 4

6 b 7 R

3 4 5

b 7 R 2

4 5 6

R 2 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
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E Aeolian (3 Note Per String)

2 b 3 4

b 6 b 7 R

b 3 4 5

b 7 R 2

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

F# Locrian (3 Note per String)

b 2 b 3 4

b 6 b 7 R

b 3 4 5
b

b 7 R b 2

4 b 5 b 6

R b 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

next level...
Learning one scale shape per mode is a good starting block, but not the long
term goal. So, consider these scales more useful for theory and awesome
shapes for shredding! If you want to really understand modal scales in-
depth, please check out the website www.yourguitaracademy.com or hit-
up the yga club.

"Learning the modal scales is an exciting

journey and a challenging one. It is a
little beyond the purpose of this guide!
Get these seven shapes mastered and
the rest of the scales in this book. Then, in
due course, we'll hit the modes!
 CHAPTER 5

MORE
SCALES
NON-ESSENTIAL, BUT SUPER FUN!
your guitaracademy

MORE SCALES

harmonic minor shapes

root, 2nd, b3rd, 4th, 5th, b6th, 7 th
The harmonic minor is essentially the minor scale with a raised 7th. This simply means
that you sharpen the last note of the scale. It gives a more resolved sound when you play
to the root note. Here are the shapes in G.

G Harmonic Minor Box 1

7 R 2 b 3

5 b 6

2 b 3 4

7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Harmonic Minor Box 2

2 b 3 4

7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 7

2 b 3 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Harmonic Minor Box 3

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 7

2 b 3 4

7 R

4 5 b 6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
your guitaracademy
G Harmonic Minor Box 4
5 b 6 7

2 b 3 4

7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

G Harmonic Minor Box 5

7 R

4 5 b 6

R 2 b 3

5 b 6 7

2 b 3 4

7 R

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

"Harmonic minor is a great scale to use

alongside the natural minor! Every now
and again, throw in the raised 7th in a
minor track before moving back to your
natural minor scales!"
your guitaracademy

chromatic scale
root, b2nd, 2nd, b3rd, 3rd, 4th, b5th, 5th, b6th, 6th, b7th, 7th
The chromatic scale is simply all 12 notes. It gives you the freedom to be able to play any
note you wish, but actually applying this will take some practice. However, this ebook is
not about application, just scale shapes!

A Chromatic Scale
b 6 6 b 7 7 R

3 4 b 5 5

R b 2 2 b 3

b 6 6 b 7 7

3 4 b 5 5

R b 2 2 b 3

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

any more?
So, we’ve come to the end of this e-book, and in theory, we now know
hundreds of scales! Of course, there are more scales... but we have some
pretty important advice for you at this stage.

"It's not the number of scales you know,

it's what you do with the scales that
counts! "
your guitaracademy

So, even if you just end up learning the 5 pentatonic scales, it can sound
amazing if you learn how to apply these properly and improvise well with
them.

Just look at players like Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Albert King, BB King,
and Stevie Ray Vaughan... The list goes on and on.

yga club
We'd like to say a massive thank you to the wonderful mentors in our yga
club for helping us put this workbook together.

If you're interested in the best guitar

learning experience you've ever
seen, you can sign up for our Club
right here!

check it out

We very much hope you've enjoyed this book, and will be using it for many
years to come! All the best, and keep picking up that guitar!