Scales, Arpeggios &

Exercises for Guitar

Martin Cartwright
Introduction......................................................... 3
Warm up routines................................................5
Scale diagrams .....................................................6
Up arpeggio - down scale exercise ..................... 13
One octave ascending/descending major &
minor arpeggio exercise .....................................14
Two octave arpeggios .........................................17
Three octave arpeggios ......................................18
Continuous major, melodic minor and natural
minor scale exercise ...........................................19
Pentatonic sequences ........................................20
Melodic patterns ................................................21
Legato exercise .................................................. 22
Scale formulas ...................................................23
Interval mapping charts ....................................26
Introduction
This book is designed to help guitarists improve their overall technique. By following a
practice routine that covers a range of scales, arpeggios and technical exercises you will
not only develop a better all round understanding of the guitar but build dexterity and
facility on the instrument and ultimately develop the skills to play in any style. This book
does not cover chords or chord progressions as such however you should ensure you
devote an equal amount of practice time to ensure you are fluent in all areas.

Getting Started

Approach this method in a systematic manner. Allocate as much time as you can to
practice and work out a routine which allows for patient study of these exercises. The
temptation for all guitarists is to skim through areas we feel we know or that maybe seem
less important. We also tend to play as fast as possible - this is fine but remember to get
things right first otherwise you will be practicing mistakes and storing up problems for the
future! Get used to using a metronome for all of the exercises covered here and for any
other practice you do. Timing is everything and bad timing will show you up. The
following practice routine should be refined and modified as you tick off each of the basic
elements (scales, arpeggios etc). You should endeavour to maintain all of these, however
to ensure fluidity and to maximise your overall technique you should also map the various
exercises to scales not covered in this book i.e., Half Whole Diminished, Whole Half
Diminished, Augmented etc

Recommended basic practice routine (double times if possible):

20 mins - warm ups:

Do some physical warm ups - stretch your fingers gently by holding your hand out flat
and pulling each finger back for a few seconds.

Work through the suggested 4 finger exercises both vertically and horizontally across
the fretboard. Vary this routine so you cover all of the exercises over a period of a few
weeks.

Work through all the scales in 5 positions until they are fluent

20 - 30 mins - work through each chapter of this book systematically:

Play each exercise ensuring you use correct and consistent fingerings

Once you can play the written elements fluently work through each elements following
the circle of fifths

15 - 20 mins - work on chords and chord progressions

Cover the basic open chords and then move onto 7th chords, drop 2 voicings etc .
10 - 20 mins - sight reading, ear training and fretboard knowledge & free play

Use the interval charts at the back of this book to map the 12 basic intervals around each
note. Make sure you know the positions of all octaves, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 7ths first then
move on to b9ths, #9ths, #11ths & b13ths etc. As you work on mapping these on the
fretboard make sure you also learn the sound of each interval.

learn and play songs, pieces, etudes and use backing tracks to work on improvisation.
Warm up routines
4 notes per string combinations

1234, 1243, 1324, 1342, 1423, 1432, 2134 2143, 2314, 2341, 2413, 2431, 3124, 3142 3214,
3241, 3412, 3421, 4123, 4132, 4213 4231, 4312, 4321

Ex.1

Use this method to work through all permutations of these exercises - do two a day.

Left hand: use one finger per fret throughout.

Left hand: Keep your fingertips as close to the strings as possible while playing the
exercise.

Left hand: Start slow and make sure each note sounds perfectly clear before you
increase your speed.

Right hand: Use alternate picking. (down stroke, up stroke, down stroke, up stroke, etc.)
Scale diagrams

A Blues Scale - 5 Positions

II 1 1 V1 1 1 1 1 1 VII 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1

2 3 3 3 3

3 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 3
V VIII X
4 4

1 1 1 1 1 1
XII
1 1 1 1 1 2 1
X
2 2 3 3

3 3 3 4 3 4 4 3 4
XII XV
4 4 4
 1 Octave A Blues Scale In 5 Positions

II 1 V 1 1 1 VII 1 1

1 1 2 1

2 VII 3 3 3

4 3 3 4 4 4 3
V X

1 XII 1 1 1

X 1 1 2

3 3
XIV
3 3 4 4
XII

4
 A Major Pentatonic Scale 5 Positions

II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
V VII
3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 4
VII 3
V IX
4

1 1 1 1 1 1 1
IX
1 1 1 1 1
XII
3 3

4 4 3 4 3 3 4 4 3 3
XII XIV
 AMajor Pentatonic 2 Octaves 3 Positions

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
II
2 2 2
V
3 3 3 3

4 4 4 VII 4 4 4 4
V

1
V

3 1 1
VII

3 3 3 1
IX
2

3 3
XI
 The A Major Scale 5 Positions

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1
II V VII
2 3 3

3 3 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 3
VII IX
4 4 4 4 4 4 4
V

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
IX
2 2 2 1 2 2 1 1
XII
3 3 3 3

4 4 4 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 3
XII XIV
4
Modal 3 note per string fingerings
Up arpeggio - down scale exercise
Modify this fingering template for all 5 positions and in all 12 keys - it will work with all
scale types toofollow the basic concept of playing up each consecutive 7th chord
arpeggio and then descend the scale to the root of the next arpeggio. Always play these
exercises around the circle of 5ths.
One octave ascending/descending major &
minor arpeggio exercise

Use the following fingering patterns to play these exercises around the circle of 5ths
(C & G are given) - use this idea in all positions and all keys and modify it to fit
other scale types.
Two octave arpeggios
Three octave arpeggios
Continuous major, melodic minor and
natural minor scale exercise
This scale pattern starts with the major scale ascending and descending. It then moves
through the ascending relative melodic minor scale and then descends down the natural
minor scale. Move this exercise through the circle of 5ths - you may need to alter some
fingerings in some positions.
Pentatonic sequences
Melodic patterns
Breaking scales down into sequences is a great way to start developing melodic ideas - try
modifying the above sequence to fit other scales. Move it onto different string sets and try
working out your own sequences using different formulas e.g., 1231, 2342, 3453, 4564,
5675. 6786, 7897 etc also try using intervals e.g., 3rds, 4th, 5ths etc
Legato exercise

G Major Legato lines

#
&

2
Electric Guitar 2 4 5 4
2 3 5
2 5 2 3 5 5 3 5

2

#
&

5 7 8 10 12 12
5 7 8 7 7 8 10
4 7 4 5 7 7 5 7 9
E. Gtr. 5

5
7

#
&

7
7 9 10 8
4 5 9 5 7 9 9 7 9 11
E. Gtr. 4 5 7 5 7
3 5 7
3 7 3 5 7 7 5 7 9

7
#
&

8 10 12 14 14
8 10 12
E. Gtr.

9
#
&

8
8 10 12 10
5 7 11 7 9 11 11 9 11 12
E. Gtr. 5 7 9 7 9
5 7 8
5 9 5 7 9 9 7 9 10
Scale formulas

Major Scale Modes

I. MAJOR SCALE - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 extensions (9, 11, 13)

Major 7 Chord
II.
DORIANSCALE-1,2,b3,4,5,6,b7extensions(9,11,13)Minor7Ch
ord!

III. PHRYGIAN SCALE - 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 extensions

(b9, 11, b13) Minor 7 Chord
IV. LYDIAN SCALE - 1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, 7 extensions (9, #11,
13) Major 7 Chord
V. MIXOLYDIAN SCALE - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, b7 extensions (9,
11, 13) Dominant 7 Chord
VI. AEOLIAN SCALE - 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7 extensions (9,
11, b13) Minor 7 Chord
VII.LOCRIAN SCALE - 1, b2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7 extensions
(b9, 11, b13) Minor 7b5 Chord
Melodic Minor Modes

I. MELODIC MINOR SCALE - 1, 2, b3, 4, 5, 6, 7

extensions (9, 11, 13)

min/Maj7 Chord

II. DORIAN b2 SCALE - 1, b2, b3, 4, 5, 6, b7 extensions

(b9, 11, 13)
Dominant 7sus4b9 Chord
The Dorian b2 scale is used to create a resolving dominant chord - in this case a 7sus4b9 or
13sus4b9 chord. Even though the scale contains a b3 interval we still call the chord a
dominant and replace the b3rd with the 4th, thus creating a dominant chord with a
suspended 4th. The resulting chord is always used as a resolving dominant or V chord with
a b9 extension - hence the name Dominant 7sus4b9. An example progression might be
G7sus4b9 to Cmaj7, instead of the normal, basic G7 to Cmaj7.!

III. LYDIAN #5 SCALE - 1, 2, 3, #4, #5, 6, 7 extensions (9,

#11,13) Major 7#5 Chord
Also called Lydian Augmented Scale

IV. LYDIAN b7 SCALE - 1, 2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7 extensions (9,

#11, 13) Dominant 7#11 Chord
Also called Lydian Dominant Scale

V. MIXOLYDIAN b6 SCALE - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, b6, b7

extensions (9, 11, b13) Dominant 7 Chord - very rarely used
VI. LOCRIAN nat9 SCALE - 1, 2, b3, 4, b5, b6, b7
extensions (9, 11, b13) Minor 7b5 Chord
VII. ALTERED SCALE - 1, b2, b3, b4, b5, b6, b7
extensions (b9, #9, b5, #5)
Altered Dominant 7 Chord
The altered dominant scale, also known as the Superlocrian scale is rewritten as 1, b9, #9,
3, b5, #5, b7 to describe a Dominant 7th chord (1, 3, b7) with four altered tension notes
( b9, #9, b5, #5).

b2 becomes b9 b3 becomes #9 b5 becomes #11

#5 becomes b13
The most commonly used melodic minor modes are mode I - melodic
minor, mode III - lydian augmented, mode IV - lydian dominant and
mode VII - super locrian (altered scale). The others are used but far less
often in standard harmonic repertoire.

Diminished Scale
HALF WHOLE DIMINSHED SCALE - 1, b2, b3, 3, b5, 5,
6, 7 extensions (b9, #9, b5/#11 and 13)
Dominant 7th chord with a b9, #9, b5/#11 and 13
b2 becomes b9

b3 becomes #9

Whole Tone Scale

WHOLE TONE SCALE - 1, 2, 3, #4/b5/#11, #5/b6/b13,
b7 extensions (9, #11/b5/b13)
Dominant 7th chord with a 9, #11/b5 and #5
Interval mapping charts