Learning Scales, Chords and Arpeggios quickly

[Mushroo]

I recommend learning a second instrument (piano is a classic, but it could be trombone or whatever--anything except guitar!) which will help you actually learn the scales as musical entities that can be performed on any instrument, as opposed to patterns on the fretboard.

Also I believe singing is essential. Try singing scales against a pedal or drone note and you will really start to hear the degrees of the scale, like the way 7 wants to resolve to 8.

 

[mambo4]

Memorize the underlying the scale construction.
The major scale is built by Tones and Semitones: TTSTTTS.
Memorize this pattern and practice applying it to all 12 root notes.

Memorize the 12 intervals.

Don't memorize each new flavor of scale independantly, View them as alterations of the major scale.
Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Minor 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
Mixolydoian 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7
and so forth.

To really master the major scale,read the sticky thread on Pac Man's sure fire scale practice method.

 

[boristhespider9]

This is very helpful for fast learning and clear explanations:

http://www.cyberfretbass.com/theory/index.php

http://www.cyberfretbass.com/arpeggios/index.php

http://www.cyberfretbass.com/scales/index.php