Knowing the scale positions for a scale is an important step in playing melodies on the fretboard.
For improvisation, you also need to be comfortable with quickly switching between different scales and positions as you follow the changes in the music.
ChordWizard can run scale practice sessions of several steps, where the scale, position, rhythm or note pattern can change between each step. You can make practice sessions as simple or challenging as you like.
Let's try a session where we practice all of the scale positions for the C Major scale.
Step-By-Step
Step 1
First of all, you need to be in Scales View. Check the bottom of the workspace and make sure that the Scales tab is selected. If it isn't, click on it.
Step 2
Now, select the scale you are using in the light red Scale Matrix. This is usually placed in the lower right of the workspace.
Each cell in the matrix represents the scale based on the scale type in the row heading and the root note in the column heading. The numbers in each cell tell you how many scale positions are possible for each scale.
So, we need to select the cell in the C column and the Major row, as shown.
Step 3
Once you have selected the scale, we are ready to start the practice session. We can do this with the following command:
| Button | Key | Menu |
| F10 | Scales-Cycle Practice |
This opens the Cycle Practice window, which allows you to choose several ways of varying each step of the practice session.
Step 4
For our example, we want to vary the scale position, but nothing else. So, make sure that there is a tick in the Position checkbox, but not in any of the others.
You can choose how the position will be varied with the Position dropdown list. Move Up Fretboard will be selected for you, but you can also choose Move Down Fretboard or Random as alternatives.
Step 5
Now we are ready to start, so pick up your instrument and press the OK button.
The practice session starts with an animated demonstration of the first scale position, using green finger blocks and strings as shown. Each note is played as it is demonstrated.
Then it repeats silently, so you can practice following on your own instrument.
Step 6
After this, the next scale position up the fretboard is automatically selected and animated in the same way. This process continues all the way up the fretboard until all of the scale positions have been animated. It then starts again with the first scale position.
You can finish the practice session, when you have had enough, with the following command:
| Button | Key | Menu |
| F11 | Scales-Stop |
Step 7
There are several options for how Cycle Practice sessions are performed. For details, see Practice Grid and Practice Options.
See Also
