“I practice all the scales. Everyone should know lots of scales. Actually, I feel there are only scales. What is a chord, if not the notes of a scale hooked together? There are several reasons for learning scales: one, the knowledge will unlock the neck for you -- you'll learn the instrument; second, if I say I want you to improvise ofer Gmaj7+5, then go to Eaug9-5, then to bmaj7-5 --well, if you don't know, what those chords are in scale terms, you're lost. It's not all that difficult, but you have to be ready to apply yourself…”

—  John McLaughlin

[Denyer, Ralph, The Guitar Handbook, 2002, 114, 0-679-74275-1]

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John McLaughlin 7
guitarist, founder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra 1942

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