What makes a great Scales book...?

[poodlesrule]

Shopping for a scales book:

Are there some better than others, and why..?

Recommendations welcome!

I am just getting back to my guitar "works", as I was working on acquiring a slightly neglected, but not abused house, in a place dear to my wife, near the shore.

I would like to play some loud, good music in there, to rebuild the natural karma level... Suggestions?
Right I am thinking of a blend of well-crafted acoustic folk (?), Roy Orbison (would fit in house vintage), and something else more punchy...

[BluesHowler]

I don't know of any scales books but I've learned a lot of scales from this web site: http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php

[just strum]

Blues You Can Use

[ted s]

Blues You Can Use

:AOK:

Geez Mark, this is getting weird.. I'm working on that book as well.

[Robert]

Scales book? If you want scales, how about http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Scale-Guru-Guide-Success/dp/1569221863 (5 scales) and/or http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Scale-Book-Troy-Stetina/dp/0793597889?

[wingsdad]

Shopping for a scales book:

Are there some better than others, and why..?

...
There's a mind-boggling myriad of scales books, websites, flash card decks, etc. out there. But those that demonstrate a scale in context, such as the recommended Blues You Can Use, and illustrate them in both notation and guitar Tab, and better yet, with a CD samples of the contextual use are your best bet to provide meaningful exercise to grow your skills with.

I stumbled on 2 such books by the same author that aren't 'scales books' per se, and wound up with both of them arriving under our Christmas Tree:
No cd with this one:
How To Write Songs On Guitar (http://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Songs-Guitar-Guitar-Playing/dp/0879306114/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229567493&sr=1-1)
and this one with a 90-tack cd:
Melody (http://www.amazon.com/Melody-How-Write-Great-Tunes/dp/0879308192/ref=pd_sim_b_5)

IMHO, you can practice scales in a silo til your fingers bleed and not really understand why they mean anything. Like being chauffered to a strange place in a limo with dark windows, instead of driving there yourself armed with good directions (or, I s'pose, a good GPS). I've never really practiced 'scales';I've practiced making music and why it's magical.

[Andy]

I have the previously mentioned 'Ultimate Scale Book' by Stetina.

It provides the scales in a logical order , doesn't go too deep into theory yet explains things well enough.
pretty much a meat and potatoes book. simple and effective.

well worth $5.00

[marnold]

Make sure you learn a little theory before you start memorizing a zillion scales. All of the modes are related to each other so when you memorize one you basically memorize them all. I remember learning every mode in A on my bass. Once I learned a little theory I found out what a profound waste of time that was.

[Katastrophe]

Make sure you learn a little theory before you start memorizing a zillion scales. All of the modes are related to each other so when you memorize one you basically memorize them all. I remember learning every mode in A on my bass. Once I learned a little theory I found out what a profound waste of time that was.

Boy, you got that right. My old guitar teacher used to say, over and over again, "One of these days, it's all gonna make sense. Until then, just keep practicing."

Then one day, it did. After hours and hours of wasted effort.