[solidwalnut]

I realize that I have a limited world-view when it comes to playing the guitar. I've been playing for many years, and I'd say my main focus has always been rhythm.

But then I began learning how to play what I hear, and playing notes. It's been said many times that melody is king. Since most of us are primarily concerned with playing folk/rock/blues/jazz types of music, one needs to realize that the basis for these types of music is the major scale (when I say that, I say that with the idea that even though the blues uses a minor scale as it's archtype, the idea of the minor is that it is related to, has it's roots in, is a portion of, the major scale).

It's not the major scale as a scale to play, it's the major scale in a study of the intervals thereof. One can find all of the modes mentioned above in Fong's post as from the major scale intervals. The different modes just have a different starting point within the interval scheme.

So, is the major scale enough?? What a loaded question. How about this one--do you know the major scale and it's intervals? If you don't, you may as well forget about the rest. As Kirk said earlier, the major scale is a template for all the rest. We define the differences we hear in the other scales and modes to the major one.

Is the major scale enough as far as playing runs and scales? I have to tell you that the majority of lead lines I play come from the major scale and it's intervals. Basic major. Basic minor. Basic blues. Master the basics.

Steve