How to Play the G Minor Scale for Slide Guitar

The G minor scale is used very frequently in blues and heavy metal music when played with an electric guitar. The minor scales have a sad or melancholy sound and add emotional depth to a piece. A guitar scale has 6 unique notes that are played from lowest to highest and then back down again, for a total of 12 notes for the whole scale.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Pick up your electric guitar and complete your warm up exercises. Tune your guitar to an electric tuner or tuning fork. This ensures that you get the right sound for each note.

2. Use just the high E string and place your finger on the 3rd position for G. Use 5th position for A, 6th position for B flat, 8th position for C, 10th position for D, 11th position for E flat, 13th position for F and finally 15th position for G. You have now played the entire G minor scale on one string.

3. Practice another method, to play the G Minor scale, using E, A and D strings. Hold down the E string at the 3, 5 and 6th positions for G, A and B flat. Next move to the A string and hold down this string at the 3rd, 5th and 6th positions for C, D and E flat. Finally, hold down the 3rd, 5th and 6th positions on the D string for F, G and F. You have now played the G Minor scale using three strings.

4. Repeat the G Minor scale twice a day as part of your warm up exercises. Ensure that the strings are tuned correctly each time. This helps you become familiar with the sound for each note from your guitar, and reinforce the correct techniques so that they become second nature.