Hexatonic Scales
Even though scales constructed from 7 and 5 notes are the most common, scales can be constructed from any number of notes. Hexatonic, or six-note scales, are probably the next most frequently played.
The Country Scale
The country scale is any major pentatonic modal scale with an added m3 interval.
For example, the C major pentatonic scale is
C-D-E-G-A.
The country scale is
C-D-Eb-E-G-A.
The Eb is usually played as a passing tone, meaning it's quickly played as a transition between its neighboring tones.
Here are the two C Country Scale patterns:
The Green Position requires the use of [v] pedal as a combination of [av], though it may be possible to use [h] which is my notation for the [a] pedal pushed halfway down. You may also use a bar slide in this case.
The Yellow Position requires the [g] lever. If you don't have that lever, use a bar slide to get the required Eb.
- You can find the notation legend here:
LEGEND
- You can find the full explanation of my notation system here:
PSG NOTATION
- You can find out how to read sheet music here:
READING MUSIC
- You can find the tuning arrangement of the pedals here:
COPEDENT
The Blues Scale
If we take the minor pentatonic and add a minor fifth harmony in the scale, we get the blues scale. So take the A minor pentatonic (A-C-D-E-G-A) and add an Eb in the scale and you have the A blues scale. The m5 note is also played as a passing tone in this scale.
The minor pentatonic is also called the Blues scale, since it is used so much in that genre, but it's used extensively in rock, country and other genres as well.
Like the minor pentatonic and major pentatonic, the blues scale is a mode of country scale. In other words, the notes of the blues and country scale are the same, but they start and finish on different notes. Here are those two scales compared:
- You can find the notation legend here:
LEGEND
- You can find the full explanation of my notation system here:
PSG NOTATION
- You can find out how to read sheet music here:
READING MUSIC
- You can find the tuning arrangement of the pedals here:
COPEDENT
There are literally dozens of other hexatonic scales, as well as pentatonic and heptatonic. Upon mastering the basic scales contained in these pages, you will find a many more interesting scales out there, some of which have never been tried with the steel guitar.
HISTORY
CONSTRUCTION
TUNING
COPEDENTS
LEGEND
NOTATION
BEGINNERS
SCALES
DYADS
CHORDS
COMPOSITION
IMPROV
TECHNIQUES
EXERCISES
CLASSICS
TIMELINE