Hi all, I'm finding myself getting stuck in a rut while playing lead and have decided to learn a new scale. Im liking things i'm hearing of eastern scales, can anyone reccomend nice sounding eastern scales? or any nice sounding scales for that matter.

Thanks heaps,
Ray

Have you learned all of the modes of the major scale? The Phrygian and Locrian modes have a bit of an eastern feel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode_(music)#Modern

Recently I've been playing about with the harmonic major scale, which is the same as a normal major scale but with a flattened sixth, so in C it would go C D E F G Ab B C. It can be a bit awkward to find a good way to play it on the guitar, but it sounds quite interesting.

There's also the Hindu Scale, which is fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsiNpZobqU8

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Rated "M" for meaty.

Shift a scale that you're accustomed to up or down a step but keep the root the same. (Basically changing modes.) For example if your playing dorian mode in A then keep the A note as the root but shift the scale pattern a step. Guaranteed to take you down new avenues.

I never understood modes until someone hit me in the head with a rolled up magazine and showed me that on a fretboard it is nothing but a shift of the pattern. Memorize one mode and you know them all.

Cheers,

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.

Great post,

I am looking for the same thing. Ritchie Blackmore uses something that sounds quite eastern at times. I don't know what it is. He goes in and out of it on this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfEWIEsbIX4&feature=g-vrec

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I remember when we were free!

Hi Ray: I've posted this before but it bears repetition. Lots of fun with modes and scales to be had here. How to play 'em; easy to understand:

http://www.mearstech.com/ModeMaster_com/default.htm

Cheers - C

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Thanks for the link. You'll see that it's all one pattern that gets moved around.

For example the Ionian mode (major scale) is the same as the Dorian mode shifted up one whole step.

Or stated another way, the Ionian mode in D is the exact same notes as the Dorian mode in E.

Try this experiment. Have someone strum E and D chords back and forth about 4 bars each (time signature can be whatever). Let this rhythm start in E and play lead in Dorian mode in E.

When the rhythm changes to the D chord keep playing the same scale pattern without shifting (In other words keep playing the exact same notes). You'll be in Ionian mode in D. Be aware that the root changes and you should notice a very different feel to the melody.

When I do this on guitar the Ionian mode sounds exotic because I'm so used to playing minor pentatonic (which is "related" to dorian) and the dorian sounds familiar. But when I do a similar thing on a keyboard the ionian sounds almost bland and the Dorian sounds exotic.

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In my opinion Leo Fender had essentially perfected the guitar amplifier by 1964.