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Practice Scales


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Something really important to keep in mind, if you plan to learn scales, which I suspect many guys out there actually don't use: you only need to learn the patterns on the E, A, and D strings, and there's only seven patterns on these three strings that all seven modes of major scale share (sadly, the seventh mode, Locrian, for some reason is not in Rocksmith for some reason).

 

If, for example, you play a scale in A, so starting fifth fret, low E string, you go up the scale to seventh fret, D string, and you can repeat the exact same pattern starting on that fret if you raise it a half-step (a fret) up on B, because B is dumb like that.

 

Or let's say you play again, A - let's say A major. Now, if you're trying to remember what to play if you move up to low E, seventh fret (so second note of the scale), it'll just be the 'default' Dorian pattern (5-7-8, 5-7, 4-5-7) - if you started with Dorian and started on the second note, the pattern would look exactly like Phrygian, and so on - the modes actually go in the same order as they are listed in Rocksmith.

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  • 1 month later...

I had thought about this as a game because for me Scale Racer sux. It speeds up quickly too fast and each time you crash you must start over.

 

You choose the scale you want to practice for example, I thought maybe the game might start out on a pentatonic scale at position 1. Then move to position 2, to 3, etc... After you make it through the entire set of patterns it moves up in speed and then runs back through the 5 positions. Or you could choose to run just the one pattern and have it step up in speed each time you make it through correctly. If you miss, it makes you run through the pattern again at that same speed.

You choose the starting speed and whether or not it speeds up or stays the same throughout the practice run.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I had thought about this as a game because for me Scale Racer sux. It speeds up quickly too fast and each time you crash you must start over. You choose the scale you want to practice for example, I thought maybe the game might start out on a pentatonic scale at position 1. Then move to position 2, to 3, etc... After you make it through the entire set of patterns it moves up in speed and then runs back through the 5 positions. Or you could choose to run just the one pattern and have it step up in speed each time you make it through correctly. If you miss, it makes you run through the pattern again at that same speed.You choose the starting speed and whether or not it speeds up or stays the same throughout the practice run.

Yeah scale racer is useless!! I hope someone does scales like in Bandfuse.

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Haven't been too well so am putting my scales cDLC on hold for the moment. Nothing too serious, will be back to things soon hopefully.

 

One VERY important thing you need to do when practicing scales is to sing them as you play them. It'll improve your ear and will be invaluable when learning new licks or creating your own licks.

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I'm not convinced that training scales  in a DLC will improve your ability.

 

I'm not equally fast on all parts of a scale,

I'm much faster going down then moving up.

A DLC can only give you different, but constant speeds.

 

First you need to find a way to discipline the technique : Here's a good "Teacher" Pebber Brown 

 

After technique, what really improves your ability is being stoppwatched. I use an abandoned piece of shareware called "Stoppwatch 8.15.7" which can be configured to trigger on the direct input from the RS cable.

 

Saves interim times in Excel and try to beat the record, its the best way to get fast. (This software is incompatible to win8.1 on which it only works sandboxed.)

 

On a scale, my shortest interim between played notes is 0.190 ms, the worst are 0.500 ms with an average of 0,320ms.

I found out that respecting technique gives best average results, not the fastest, but much less bad ones.

 

Staying cool also gives better results.

And that's why I doubt the DLC scales : At one time they stress you.

You lose technique, coordination, finger push and release muscles co-activate, and speed gain is limited.

It's like Usain Bolt vs Powell, the coolest wins.

 

I also found out that my times in picking open chords are not much better.

I need to improve the technique of my right picking hand, (alternating up & down) to unlock further progression.  

 

That gives me points of reference and motivation to improve. Yes learning outside of RS may seem dull.

But using the Tone designer, you can fiddle around with Amps, in between exercises, and use them on the next go.

 

Anyway, it would be a good idea to program a stoppwatched scale runner, should some student programmer reading this.

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I have BF also but I like RS so much better.

I have BF also and I like how the strings/notes come at you better. Also, BF has better scale practice than RS. RS has better songs though.

 

Agreed on the scales practice for BF. I have played the C minor pentatonic several times at level 4 and love it.

I was able to get 164 note streak.

Pitch Accuracy was 95%

Timing Accuracy was 93%

Highest Multiplier was 99

My score wound up being 733,858

5 stars and 95%

 

The way this is done in BF makes me want to practice scales in game. Scale Racer makes me hate the thought of trying to practice using the game. Scale Warriors is somewhat better.

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I prefer using Session Mode for learning scales.  You get the graphical representation of each scale on your screen, plus you're free to play whatever you want.  You don't need to constantly watch the screen to play along with an arcade game style of "lesson".  You can also switch scales and move up and down the fretboard whenever you like.

 

I know a lot of people dislike Session Mode because it can sound bad when you first start, but once you get into a good groove the "band" plays along with you really well and you can feed off of each other.  Plus you can express yourself musically and work on your own fingering techniques instead of what the arcade games tell you to do.

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  • 4 months later...

Hi all, I pretty new here and to the cDLC available but I think that setting up scales would be highly useful to new players. Technique is what is most important for sure but if you don't have your own discipline to "Practice" well sucking isn't your only problem. I haven't made cDLC and not sure how hard it is to do; but from the work ive DL'd myself from here there are some talented people that can take full scale patterns lay them out in slower time/tempo then break them up into smaller 3 or 4 string sub patterns that include basic slides, tremolo and bends. repeat 3-4 bars (bang) move to next section. that is easily followed up by a full pattern run and outro that repeats the smaller sub patterns. IDK just my opinion. Couldn't that be laid under a simple 3 chord pattern. That in itself is just simple song construction. IE. Most country & 80's rock pop music.

 

What you really are looking for is a visual with backing tracks, but for those that need a bit of a visual guide on "Where" to go next. that helps greatly with developing both an "ear" and technique for soloing and improvisation.

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Well, since it got necro'd... the most practical and essentially foolproof way is to simply fire up session mode with only a metronome as backing, with Jam for no chord changes and whichever BPM you think you can handle and stick to the pulse. If you get bored, do beat divisions - two notes per beat, triplets, etc. etc. You might want to turn it down, since if you're doing 2 n.p.b. you are essentially playing at 2x the speed.

 

If you are lazy, you don't even need to change the scale, since if you move the starting position up or down a scale note, you get the next/previous scale (well, presuming a diatonic scale - Harmonic Minor has its own set of scales from its transpositions, but you want to learn diatonics first).

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