Scale Explorer: Learn Guitar Scales The Right Way
Most guitarists learn scales as isolated fretboard shapes. Scale Explorer teaches you to understand the connections between scales, chords, and music theory - starting with the major scale as your foundation.
What is Scale Explorer?
Scale Explorer is a free, interactive tool that helps you understand guitar scales through visual learning and music theory connections. Instead of memorizing dozens of isolated fretboard patterns, you learn one universal reference - the major scale - and see how everything else relates to it.
The tool uses color-coded intervals to show you the relationships between notes, making it easy to understand why certain scales and chords work together. This visual approach helps you move beyond pattern memorization to actual musical understanding.
How Scale Explorer Helps You
Learn Connections, Not Just Shapes
See how the natural minor scale is just the major scale with three notes lowered (♭3, ♭6, ♭7). Understand why a C major chord and an A minor chord work together - they're from the same scale family.
Build on One Foundation
Master the major scale across the fretboard and you've learned the foundation for understanding all other scales. Every mode, every chord progression, every key signature makes sense when you have this reference point.
Visual Learning
Each interval has its own color, making patterns instantly recognizable. See how scales relate to each other and understand chord construction through visual connections rather than memorization.
Interactive Exploration
Change keys, compare scales side by side, and hear how each scale sounds. The interactive fretboard lets you explore patterns and discover connections at your own pace.
Understanding Intervals Through Color
Scale Explorer uses a consistent color system to help you recognize intervals instantly. Each scale degree has its own color, making it easy to see patterns and relationships across different scales.
Major Scale Intervals (1-7)
Example: C Major Scale
Once you know these colors, you can instantly recognize this pattern in any key and see how other scales modify it.
Key Features
🎸 Interactive Fretboard
See scales displayed on a real guitar fretboard. Toggle between 12 and 24 frets, show note names or intervals, and compare different scales side by side.
🎵 Chord Integration
See which chords belong to each scale. Understand why certain chord progressions work and discover new harmonic possibilities.
🔊 Audio Playback
Hear how each scale sounds. Listen to scales and chords to develop your ear and understand their musical character.
📚 Comprehensive Library
Access major scales, modes, harmonic minor, melodic minor, pentatonic scales, blues scales, and more - all organized and connected.
🔗 Scale Relationships
See how scales relate to each other. Understand modes as different starting points of the same scale family.
⚖️ Scale Comparison
Overlay different scales to see their similarities and differences. Perfect for understanding how to transition between scales in improvisation.
Why Start with the Major Scale?
The major scale isn't just another scale to learn - it's the foundation of Western music theory. When you truly understand the major scale, you have a reference point for understanding everything else:
- Natural Minor = Major scale with ♭3, ♭6, ♭7
- Dorian Mode = Major scale starting from the 2nd degree
- Mixolydian Mode = Major scale with ♭7
- Major Pentatonic = Major scale without the 4th and 7th
Scale Explorer makes these connections visual and interactive, so you can see and hear how everything relates to your major scale foundation.
Ready to Start Learning?
Stop memorizing isolated shapes. Start understanding the connections that make music work.
Mike Nelson teaches guitar lessons in Pukerua Bay, Plimmerton, Cambourne, Mana, Paremata, Papakowhai, and Whitby.