If you're having problems understanding guitar scales, find it difficult to get scale patterns memorized, or you are getting lost on the fretboard then read on.
We've partnered with The Musician Training Center. I've personally trained with their software courses when I was readying myself to start my own guitar teaching business 15 years ago. I recently started practicing again with MTC and thought that our readers could benefit from these effective training tools just as I did.
Many guitarists will play the same "safe" scale pattern for every solo while improvising. They don't want to venture out of that familiar scale box for fear of playing the wrong notes.
They play random notes by ear and discover what sounds good by trial and error. Unfortunately, this can be a limiting factor and slow down your progress.
I've been there. For years I performed and recorded guitar solos relying mainly on my four favorite scale patterns. Although I could confidently play guitar solos with them, I didn't understand how those patterns related to the music I was improvising to because I was playing by ear.
This all changed in 2007. I wanted to start my own guitar teaching business. However, I knew that playing by ear would not be enough to build upon if I wanted to make a living teaching guitar. 
What I love about Guitar Scales Method is that it shortens the learning curve by teaching you micro-skills. You're never trying to absorb too much at once, and the result is a solid foundation for each successive skill that you learn.
In addition to the multiple training tools included in GSM, there is an Ebook section with plenty of reading content and examples. The course teaches you how to practice effectively so you get the most out of your time invested.
The most significant benefit I got from the course was understanding modes. I never realized that what I learned from studying various scale books showing dot patterns left me in the fog.
Let me explain. If you've seen a scale poster or a scale reference book that only used black dots to show you the patterns, you're not getting all the info you need to get the most out of those scale patterns. However, once you replace those dots with numbers representing the scale degrees, your eyes start to open wide. This information is the key to effectively using scales and choosing the strongest notes instead of playing random notes.
After learning the scale degrees and how they relate to chord families, my playing took a fresh new direction. With the knowledge of purposeful notes engrained into my mind and muscle memory, my guitar playing skills and creativity leaped forward.
It all started with the fragment drill pictured below.
After learning the modes, GSM trains you to memorize the arpeggio for each mode or scale degree. At that point you have already learned the strongest scales to play over any chord progression, but now you are about to learn the strongest notes of each mode.
With all this newfound knowledge embedded into your fingertips, your playing transforms from cliché guitar licks and random notes to creative musical phrases with powerful and meaningful notes.
And good news for slow hands, you need not have fast fingers to benefit from this course. Because this course is not about playing fast, it's about playing the best notes so that your guitar solos sound killer. But, if your interests include playing fast, the pattern trainers can be adjusted to a quick tempo to help you reach your goals.
I truly think this course will work for anyone willing to put in the time consistently. I've trained with it for months, and it took my playing to a new level. I believe that you could also see and hear a difference in your playing in about three months of training with GSM. After six months of training, you should notice quite an improvement in how you approach improvising. Everything you've practiced starts to feel second nature at that point.
If all this sounds like something you would like to learn, download the free trial version of Guitars Scales Method here. This link will redirect you to the Musician Training Center website and you'll find links for Windows and Mac downloads at the bottom of their webpage.
There is no risk on your part should you buy the full version. You can get a full refund if you are not 100% satisfied with the course. We wish you success and would love to hear about your results after a few months of training.
Happy practicing!
~Robert Putt
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