Whole Tone Scale

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Backing Tracks

Tab

Guitar pro tab (?)

Members practicing this lesson:
Jens H

In today's lesson we'll study the whole tone scale. This scale can be used to create interesting tensed leads. It can be used in many different contexts to bring a very unique and different feel to a song.

Make sure to memorize the position of the scale and play a little bit with it to get used to its fingering. The examples combine several techniques, start slowly on the slowest backing track and work your speed very progressively.

Enjoy this scale and I hope it will inspire you to create cool different licks. Have fun!

Lesson Questions, Feedback & Comments

Kristofer Dahl	1st November 2007
GMC Founder & Rocker	Oh my - this sounds so cool and OUT!! I got to practice this scale!!

seanM1	1st November 2007
Member	WOW, that sounds Awesome!! Great lesson David!

boy_sets_fire7	1st November 2007
Member	ha! awesome ^^

Juan M. Valero	1st November 2007
Instructor	sounds cool and weird at the same time !! hehehe, good lesson, David

Gabriel Leopardi	2nd November 2007
GMC Coordinator & Instructor	That sound amazing! Great scale lesson David! gabriel.-

Marcus Lavendell	1st November 2007
Instructor	man, is so cool! Awesome lesson Dave! I'll definitely practice this one!

Robin	1st November 2007
Member	Damn! Sounds freaky!

Andrew Cockburn	2nd November 2007
Theory Instructor & Moderator	That is one cool sounding scale - thanks Dave!

Maximus	2nd November 2007
Member	Nice!

jammer91	2nd November 2007
Member	This scale sounds amazing for metal imo. You guyd sgree?

Farbror Kudde	1st November 2007
Member	hahahahah this is so cool!

The Uncreator	2nd November 2007
Fire Up The Blades, Moderator	Wow this sounds great!!

Muris Varajic	1st November 2007
Instructor	Brilliant job and great scale choice David!!!!!

Spiderusalem	2nd November 2007
Member	It sounds like a bad trip. I like it!

krudtaa	3rd November 2007
Member	I dig your scale lessons.thank you.

mattacuk	3rd November 2007
Lets go fishing!	This is just what ive been after david. Its got a very dark almost "buckety" feel to it!! Good job

Freebird	8th November 2007
Member	Whole Tone scale is so cool!!!! Michael Romeo uses it a lot... Great stuff David!!! Although I think it's outside my technique range

Freebird	8th November 2007
Member	And I think the backing track is extreeemely cool also :-) Great job!

The-Levy	19th November 2007
Member	Interesting, what type of music and what would be some examples I can look for on this scale?

David Wallimann	17th January 2008
Instructor	I heard this scale a lot in Jazz.. In a ii V I progression, it is often used on the V to give it a nice out feel.. But as you can see here, it can be useful in many different styles including metal. :-)

Ben Howell	17th January 2008
Jazz/Fusion Instructor	Just to expand in what Davids said, this scale (and other 'altered' scales) are used generally on RESOLVING dominant chords i.e. Dominant chords resolving to the Tonic of a key i.e. G7-Cmaj7. Its easier to use tension when there is a release followed, so the resolving effect of a V-I progression makes it much easier to apply. -Ben

Carlos Carrillo	21st February 2008
Instructor	thanks David!! good job... i want more!

Melodicintenions	4th April 2008
Member	Craziness Brother!

fused	12th April 2008
Member	One thing that I like about the whole tone scale is that it sounds like I'm doing a lot more work...than I actually am. Hitting all the altered notes without really thinking much about it...if that makes sense? Great playing David... I'm rather new to this site and have extremely enjoyed your lessons... You do have a lot of them...all good stuff... Thanks again for sharing your vast talents and knowledge with us