How to Play the Chromatic Scale on Guitar

A chromatic scale contains 12 chromatic notes and is one of the fundamental scales in modern music. Learning to play the chromatic scale on guitar can not only expose you to this musical device but also improve your technical ability.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar

1. 

   Play four consecutive notes beginning on the fifth fret of the sixth string. Use your left index finger for the first note, middle for the second, ring for the third and pinkie for the fourth. This fingering will be used for all four note groupings on subsequent strings.

2. 

   Play four consecutive notes beginning on the four fret of the fifth string.

3. 

   Play four consecutive notes beginning on the third fret of the fourth string.

4. 

   Play four consecutive notes beginning on the seventh fret of the fourth string.

5. 

   Play four consecutive notes beginning on the sixth fret of the third string.

6. 

   Play four consecutive notes beginning on the sixth fret of the second string.

7. 

   Put all of these strings together to play a two-octave chromatic scale in the key of A. The first note of the scale, A, indicates the key of the scale.

8. Move the two-octave chromatic scale up and down the sixth string to play it in one or more different keys.

Tips & Warnings

• Because the chromatic scale contains all 12 possible notes on a guitar, the scale is fingered the same in every key.

Resources

• Energizing Your Scales