UPDATED
Apr 3, 2020
Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele
Six essential scale that can get through a wide variety of traditional and contemporary music.
PUBLISHED: Jan 2, 2005 UPDATED: Apr 3, 2020 • VIEWS: 570 • LESSON CODE: UL04 •
Instruments: ukulele Subjects: scales • intermediate • advanced • jazz • beginner • quickstart • modes • core
All 6 sample page(s) are viewable on-line.
To view the pages at a larger size you can resize the browser window smaller to a tablet or phone size and the pages will magically grow larger. If you are a registered member and have the correct permissions.
This Download is NOT part of your LearningUkulele.com membership level. Sign-up for a Site Access or Upgrade your current access level to download this PDF or your can purchase a copy for download.
Each PDF file is a formatted high resolution file that prints out great. You'll need Adobe Reader or a PDF viewing application to view your PDF file.
Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele
The six essential scales are: Blues, Major Pentatonic, Mixolydian, Dorian, Aeolian, and Ionian. From the six essential scales, you can get through a wide variety of traditional and contemporary music.
Most music starts with a scale. The melody, chords, licks and riffs all can be related back to a particular scale or scales.
Here are the six essential scales, in open position, the key of C. Check out this lessons Videos to see the Ionian and Aeolian scales played on ukulele.
C Blues (Minor Pentatonic) C Eb F G Bb C`
User the audio to compare the sounds of the individual scales.
C Pentatonic (Major) C D E F G A B C`
User the audio to compare the sounds of the individual scales.
C Dorian (Minor) C D Eb F G A Bb C`
User the audio to compare the sounds of the individual scales.
C Mixolydian C D E F G A Bb C`
User the audio to compare the sounds of the individual scales.
C Aeolian (Natural Minor) C D Eb F G Ab Bb C`
User the audio to compare the sounds of the individual scales.
C Ionian (Major) C D E F G A B C`
User the audio to compare the sounds of the individual scales.
What IS a Scale?
A scale is simply a collection of pitches or notes, not really a "this is a Jazz scale", "this is a Blues" or "this is a Rock scale". It's how a scale is used that really matters not its name.
Most music starts with a scale. The melody, chords, licks and riffs all can be related back to a particular scale or scales.
The Six Essential scales ( in no particulate order ):
- Blues (Minor Pentatonic)
- Pentatonic (Major Pentatonic)
- Dorian (Minor)
- Mixolydian (Dominant)
- Aeolian (Natural Minor)
- Ionian (Major)
There are two scales that can be the memorized and other essential scales referenced from these two. These two scales are the Major and Natural Minor scales. The Major and Natural Minor scales are traditional scales and common scales in all forms of contemporary music.
This lesson explores the Major and Natural Minor scales and their derivations.
QuickStart Scale and Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele
This lesson uses the same page format as the QuickStart Scale Fingering series of books.
QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele 3 volumes.
C, G, and D tuning.
(QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele)
The QuickStart Scale Fingerings Vol 1 covers the Blues, Pentatonic, Dorian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Ionian scales.
Traditional names for these scales are: Minor Pentatonic, Major Pentatonic, Minor, Dominant, Natural Minor and Major.
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!
Download the lesson's PDF file for the latest, complete and most up-to-date version of the lesson. As well as additional information not presented on-line.
Members and Active Students need to sign-in
to download the premium lesson PDFs for the complete lesson.
Related Lessons
Related Lessons for Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
The Harmonized Major and Minor Scale Charts • Updated: Sep 5, 2011
The "Major Scale" or Ionian scale is a diatonic scale, made up of seven distinct notes, plus an eighth which duplicates the first one octave higher. In solfege these notes correspond to the syllables Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti/Si, (Do), the Do in the parenthesis at the end being the octave of the root.
Learning The Blues Scale on `Ukulele • Updated: Feb 12, 2019
Learn the Blues ( Minor Pentatonic ) and Pentatonic ( Major Pentatonic ) scales on ukulele. A practical approach to learning theses two essential scales using the Blues. These five note scales, the Major Pentatonic and the Blues or Minor Pentatonic scales are two of the most common scales used in contemporary music. This lesson focuses on the Blues Scale in the common key of D.
What is the different between a Scale and a Mode? • Updated: Apr 6, 2020
The term scale and mode are used interchangeably, and in a strict theory sense, there is a big difference between a scale and a mode or modal scale. They are NOT the same, even if they are the same notes. A scale and mode can contain the same notes.
A Practical Approach to Exploring Scales • Updated: Dec 21, 2019
On ukulele there aren't many positions where you can play a one octave scale from the root to octave. An instrument like the guitar with the additional lower strings five and six allows one to play a one octave scale in multiple positions in the basic 4-fret, 4-finger position. On ukulele there might be one or two depending on the scale and the key - and whether your using a low string four tuning.
This lesson offers a practical approach to practicing your scales on ukulele.
Related Books
Related Books for Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
Related Songs
Related Songs for Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
Related Lesson Series
Related Lessons Series for Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
QuickStart Scale and Arpeggio Fingering Series
Updated: Jan 1, 2003
QuickStart Scale and Arpeggio Fingering Series are a concise, well-organized series of books and lessons ideal for any ukulele, guitar or fretted string player beginning to explore scales and arpeggios. Unlike so many other instruction books on the market, QuickStart Scale and Arpeggio Fingering Series keeps a sharp focus on the six critical scales, their fingerings and their related chords. All material is covered in every key.
Related Lesson Files, Resources and Assets
Related Assets for Six Essential Scales for `Ukulele at this time.
Site Access Plans for LearningUkulele.com
Forever Access - With Forever Premium Access, you get Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources, related assets, and ALL books by Curt as FREE downloads. Pretty much everything on the site and NEVER worry about a subscription or surprise payment again. And jump the queue for responding to any questions.
If your anything like me (Curt) and getting Subscription overload with everything on-line wanting money from you once a month — I'm with you. For like-minded individuals, this forever plan is a pay once and your done.
The price for Unlimited Forever access is right around the cost of a few months of private lessons. I can guarantee that is more material on-line to keep you busy for a long, long time. And, you get all of my books for FREE. That along is more than the cost of this plan.
Basic Access - A limited selection of basic lessons — ( currently over 140 ) and 100+ songs for ukulele as well as basic general music reference material — Completely FREE — Simply Register/Signup. HOWEVER - I've been doing ukulele and LearningUkulele.com since 2003 and probably have given too much away already - as reflected in my income from the site in relationship to the time spent on the site. So help support this site and its continued development by signing up for one of the below Premium Access Plans or buy a few of my books. - Thanks, Curt
NOTE: Each higher access level includes ALL the benefits of the lower levels. Private Lessons include all the benefits of a Premium Access Plans as long as you remain a student on the schedule.
Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books! — Peter Rhee
Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the best — Glen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys
Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too. — Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg
I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent. — fatveg — Portland
Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!
Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II.
34 years ago.
“Built for myself (Curt), and sharing with the `Ukulele community!”
LearningUkulele.com has one of the largest collections of lessons, songs, and TABS, luthiers, ukulele builders, ukulele festival and club information, and, ukulele links on the web. I’ve been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!
Content is added and updated almost daily - so check back often.