Do I have to learn scales for classical guitar?
If so,what if the guitar is tuned in a different tuning?Do I have to learn MORE scales?
Scordatura tuning aside, the importance and usefulness of learning scales on the guitar fingerboard has mainly to do with finger phrasing technique. To develop fluidity on melodic progressions, scales are the pathway because so many melodies use scale fragments. The notation is not the important feature but rather fingering facility. Smoothness on the guitar fingerboard depends largely upon melodic-progression skills and scales are a part of that skill.
If you have been playing the guitar for some time, you will already know the geometry of the fingerboard. So that a scale in D-major for instance at the 7th fret is no different to finger than the scale of A-major at the 2nd fret, or the Bb-major scale at the 3rd fret. The fingering (though not the notes) is exactly the same for each scale. Regularly playing these scale patterns up and down the fingerboard will help you learn the fingerboard notes as well as gain facility with smooth progressions.
In the open position, notice the similarities of the E-major and A-major scales. The G-major scale in open position is the model (template) for 4-string upper-fret scales. Barring of course is required on the upper positions, so barring strengths (such as finger independence) are developed as well. All in all, some faithful scale practice as a warm-up exercise will pay big dividends. The importance is primarily pattern recognition not just notes.
For dropped-D tuning, only the 6th string is re-pitched and can be accommodated easily in most chords. A lot of scordatura scale practice is not needed.
I wish you well in this worthy pursuit.
Cliff E.Classic guitarist)
Some people only play chords or pick out melodies. It depends on what type of playing you want to do. I don’t do very many scales on guitar.
If the tuning is different, then you won’t play the scales the same way; you would need to know how much different each string is.
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If you mean "to play a classical guitar", no, of course not. You can just strum chords if that’s what you’re after; a pianist can do the same thing on a piano. If, on the other hand, you want to play the "classical" kind of music that was written for your particular style of guitar, then you’re going to be playing scales anyway. You’ll just call them "pieces" instead of "scales". In that case, practising them is probably a good idea.
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well i would like to answer your question, if you are really into playing classical guitar playing scales should not be a burden, if you are serious learning ALL the scales is probably an arduous task but it will increase your technique, speed, clarity, and more importantly your musical ear. about the tuning, the classical guitar has standard tuning, drop d tuning, and some strings are tuned up or down depending on the piece you are trying to learn. i personally learned and memorized all of mine in about a year, if you can read music fast and you have working fingers you’ll do fine!!!
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Classical Guitarist, Violist, Violinist, Pianist
Scordatura tuning aside, the importance and usefulness of learning scales on the guitar fingerboard has mainly to do with finger phrasing technique. To develop fluidity on melodic progressions, scales are the pathway because so many melodies use scale fragments. The notation is not the important feature but rather fingering facility. Smoothness on the guitar fingerboard depends largely upon melodic-progression skills and scales are a part of that skill.
If you have been playing the guitar for some time, you will already know the geometry of the fingerboard. So that a scale in D-major for instance at the 7th fret is no different to finger than the scale of A-major at the 2nd fret, or the Bb-major scale at the 3rd fret. The fingering (though not the notes) is exactly the same for each scale. Regularly playing these scale patterns up and down the fingerboard will help you learn the fingerboard notes as well as gain facility with smooth progressions.
In the open position, notice the similarities of the E-major and A-major scales. The G-major scale in open position is the model (template) for 4-string upper-fret scales. Barring of course is required on the upper positions, so barring strengths (such as finger independence) are developed as well. All in all, some faithful scale practice as a warm-up exercise will pay big dividends. The importance is primarily pattern recognition not just notes.
For dropped-D tuning, only the 6th string is re-pitched and can be accommodated easily in most chords. A lot of scordatura scale practice is not needed.
I wish you well in this worthy pursuit.
Cliff E.Classic guitarist)
References :