The Chromatic Scale

Lesson 4/130 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Rhythm Guitar Method

The Chromatic Scale

A scale can be defined as a series of notes in alphabetical order, going from any one note to its octave. Each scale is based upon a set pattern. In Lesson Ten you were introduced to the notes of the musical alphabet set out as such:

In this scale, B to C and E to F were said to be a semitone apart, with all other notes being a tone apart. In the chromatic scale, however, all notes are separated by a semitone, giving the following pattern:

The new notes that the chromatic scale introduces are called sharps and flats.

indicates a sharp, which raises the pitch of a note by one semitone. (see fretboard diagram)

indicates a flat, which lowers the pitch of a note by one semitone.

Thus it is possible for the same notes to have two different names. (e.g., F sharp has the same position on the fretboard as G flat). Here is a representation of the chromatic scale on the fretboard.

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Gary Turner and Brenton White

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1- INTRODUCTION 2- Chord Diagrams 3- Musical Terms 4- E Chord 5- Chords G And C 6- Turnaround Progression No.1 7- F Chord 8- Chords A7, D7 and E7* 9- Continuous Right Hand Movement 10- Alternating Chord 11- Blues in E 12- Note Summary: Open Position 13- The Time Signature 14- Chords A Minor and D Minor 15- Chords C Major 7 and F Major 7 16- Chords, A Major 7, D Major 7 and G Major 7 17- Chromatic Note Summary: First Position 18- B Minor Chord 19- Chords E6 and A6 20- Rock Chords 21- Suspended Chords: A Sus, D Sus and E Sus 22- The Hammer on 23- The Bar Chord 24- Progression in F 25- Bar Chord Progression 26- Root 6 Minor Bar 27- Two Bar Percussive Rhythm 28- Dominant 7th Bar Chord (Root 6) 29- Right Hand Deadening Technique 30- Staccato Strumming 31- Root 5 Bar Chord 32- Basic Patterns 33- Dampening Technique 34- Rock Chords 35- Root 5 Minor Bar Chord 36- Basic Turnaround Patterns 37- Right Hand Rhythm Technique 38- Left and Right Hand Rhythm 39- Dominant 7th Bar Chord - Root 5 40- Arpeggio Picking 41- Arpeggio Picking With Bass Note Runs 42- Minor 7th Chords 43- Major 6th Chords 44- Rock Rhythm 45- Time Signatures - Simple and Compound Time 46- Bar Chord Formations 47- Suspended Chords 48- Major Seventh Chords 49- Off Beat Rhythms 50- Ninth Chords 51- Augmented Chords 52- Diminished Chords 53- Root 6 Sixth Chords - Alternative Form 54- Dominant 7th Chord - Alternative 55- Sixteenth Note Rhythm 56- Tuning 57- Song List 58- Transposing 59- Groups 60- Minor Keys 61- GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL TERMS 62- Solid Body Electric 63- Right Arm Position 64- Trouble-Shooting 65- 12 Bar Blues 66- Tablature 67- Turnaround Progression No. 2 68- Alternative Chord Forms 69- Note And Rest Values 70- Bass Note Picking ( <span class="symbolA">^</span> Time ) 71- Bass Note Runs 72- Sixteenth Note Rhythm 73- Major 7 Progression 74- Progression in A 75- Triplet Rhythm 76- Blues in E 77- 12 Bar in A 78- G Major Scale 79- Hammer on Examples 80- The Percussive Strum (Bar Chords) 81- Key Signatures 82- Minor Bar Chord Progressions 83- Summary of Scales and Key Signatures 84- Rests in Music 85- Eighth Note Rests 86- 12 Bar in G 87- Chord Construction - Major 88- Reggae Rhythms 89- Arpeggio Variation 90- Chord Construction - Minor 91- Chord Construction Dominant 7th and Minor 7th Chords 92- Seventh Chords - Rock Form 93- Examples in Six Eight Time 94- Suspended Example 95- Chord Substitution 96- Root 6 Minor 6th 97- 12 Bar in D 98- Sixteenth Note Rhythm Variations 99- Tuning Hints 100- Sheet Music 101- The Capo 102- Chord Formula Chart 103- Other Books in The Progressive Series 104- Steel String Acoustic 105- Chord Progression 106- New Rhythm Patterns 107- Two Bar Rhythms 108- Bass Note Picking 109- The Chromatic Scale 110- Experiments in Bass Note Picking 111- Turnaround No. 1 in D 112- The Major Scale 113- Rock Chord Variation 114- The Pull Off 115- The Percussive Strum (Open Chords) 116- Section Two Summary 117- Jazz Blues in G 118- Section Three Summary 119- Electronic Tuner 120- Altered Chords 121- Seating 122- Pivot Finger 123- Rhythm Variations 124- Section One Summary 125- Extra Progressions 126- Extra Progressions 127- Scale Tone Chord 128- The Pick 129- Extra Progressions 130- Scale Tone Chord Extensions

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The Chromatic Scale