Scale
From GuitarWiki
A series of notes differing in pitch according to a specific scheme (usually within an Octave). Scales are often thought of as a recipe for creating certain tonalities in music. In Western music the entire musical scale is comprised of 12 tones (A - B - C - D - E - F - G with their respective accidentals). The 12 tone scale from A to G#/Ab is called the chromatic scale. (Note: in a lot of non-Western or progressive classical and jazz music, many more than 12 tones are used. Those are typically refered to as microtones or microtonality.)
The most common scale in Western music is the 7 tone "major (or diatonic) scale". It's arranged in a series of whole and half steps, vis. W-W-H-W-W-W-H. This sequence of notes creates the "major" tonality. From this scale a large majority of tonal Western music has been created.
There are as many scales as there are unique combinations of the 12 tones of the chromatic scale. Most scales are at least 5 tones, however, like the pentatonic scales. And more often than not, scales are comprised of 7 tones, like the major scale, minor scale, melodic minor scale, harmonic minor scale, and the ecclesiastical modes of the major scale.
For Example a Pentatonic minor scale in the key of A e-----------------------5-8 B-------------------5-8---- G---------------5-7-------- D----------5-7------------- A------5-7----------------- E-5-8----------------------
"Scale" can also mean the length of any guitar's fingerboard. There are two prevailing scales of 6 string electric guitars:
1) The Fender Scale, which measures 25.5" from the nut of the guitar to the saddles on the bridge. This scale was introduced on the Telecaster and the Stratocaster. This scale makes for a slightly twangier sound than shorter scale guitars.
2) The Gibson scale (aka short scale), which measures 24.75" over the same amount of space. This scale was featured on many of the early Gibson guitars, including the Les Paul.
Some luthiers are experimenting with 27" scale guitars, and Paul Reed Smith guitars are often a solid 25" scale. Bass guitars have a much longer scale, as do baritone guitars.
