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m
E w-w B w -(h) G h-w-(w) D h-w-(w) A w-w-(w) E w-w-(h)
E h-w B w -(w) G w-h-(w) D w-h-(w) A h-w-(w) E h-w-(w)
E w-h B h-w-(w) G w -(w) D w-w-(h) A w-h-(w) E w-h-(w)
E w-w B h -(w) G h-w-(w) D w-w-(w) A w-w-(h) E w-w-(h)
E w-w B w-w-(h) G w -(h) D h-w-(w) A h-w-(w) E w-w-(w)
E h-w B h-w-(w) G w -(w) D w-h-(w) A w-h-(w) E h-w-(w)
E w-h B w-h-(w) G w -(w) D w-w-(h) A w-w-(h) E w-h-(w)
! C, F, Bb !! F, Bb, E !! Bb, Eb, Ab !! Eb, Ab, Db
|-
! Ab, Db, Gb !! Db, Gb, Cb !! Gb, Cb, Fb !! Cb, Fb, A
| Tonic Notes<br>Major = M<br>Minor = m! #1
<pre> E h-w|-|-|-| B w-|w-|m|(w)|-|M|-|-| G w-|w-|(h)|-|-|m| D w-|w-|(h)|-|-| A w-|h-|(w)|m| E w-|h-|M|(w)|-|-|-|-|</pre>! #4
|m|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-
| All Notes<br>for Pos.
|-|-|o|-|o|o|
<pre> E w-h| B h-|w-|o|M|-|o|(w)| G h-|o|w-|o|-|m|(w)|M| D w-|o|w-|o|(w)|o| A w-|m|w-|o|(h)|o| E w-|o|o|w-|(h)|m|-|o|M|-|</pre>! #5
|-|-|o|o|-|o||-|-|o|M|-|o||o|-|o|-|m||M|-|o|-|o||o|-|m|-|o||o|-|o|o|-|</pre>|-| Fingering<br>for Pos.|<pre>|-|-|i|-|r|p||-|-|i|-|r|p||-|i|m|-|p||-|i|m|-|p||i|-|m|-|p|
</pre>
|
<pre>
|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|m|-|p|
<pre> E w-w| B w-|w-|i|m|-|p|(h)| G w-|i|w-|m|-|p|(h)|i| D w-|m|h-|p|(w)|i| A w-|m|h-|p|(w)|i| E h-|r|p|w-|(w)|i|-|r|p|-|</pre>! #7
|-
| Whole/Half<br>Patterns
# w-h# w-h# h-w# h-w# w-w# w-w|# w-w# w-w# w-h# w-h# h-w# h-w|# h-w# w-w# w-w# w-w# w-h# w-h|# w-h# E h-w# B h-w# w-(w)# G w-w# w-(w)|# D w-w# w-(h)# w-h# h-w# h-w# w-w|# w-w# A w-w# w-w# w-(h)# E w-h# h-w|# h-(w# h-w# w-w# w-w# w-w# w-h)
<div class="item-wrap">{{top}}<div class="trail blue"><span class="text">[[B Diminished|B dim]]</span><span class="text">[[Other Open String Chords{{Intermediate Lesson Crumbs|Open Chords]]</span><span class="text">[[Music Theory - Minor Keys|Minor Keys]]</span><span class="text">[[Harmonic Minor and Augmented Chords|Harmonic Min]]</span><span class="text">[[Barre Chords|Barre Chords]]</span><span class="text">[[Suspended Chords|Sus Chords]]</span><span class="text">[[Applying Rhythm to Chords|Rhythm]]</span><span class="text">[[Circle of Fifths|Circle of 5ths]]</span><span class="text">[[G Major and E Minor|G Maj and E Min]]</span><span class="text">[[5th Position|5th Pos]]</span><span class="text current">[[Scales for all Positions|All Pos]]</span><span class="text">[[CAGED]]</span><span class="text">[[7th Chords]]</span></div></div>11}}
no edit summary
{{Top-Level Crumbs|1}}
{{Lesson Crumbs|2}}
{{Intermediate Lesson Crumbs|11}}
== Scale Maps ==
{{Crumbs|blue|1
|Scales for all Positions#Scale Maps|Scale Maps
|Scales for all Positions#Key Layouts on Fretboard|Key Layouts
|Scales for all Positions#Whole-Half Patterns|Whole-Half Patterns
|Scales for all Positions#3 Notes Per String|3 nps
|Scales for all Positions#Ultimate Goals|Ultimate Goals
}}
The Major and Natural Minor Scales can easily be reduced to '''7 different finger patterns''', that correspond to the player's position on the fretboard. The 7 positions are based on the ''position of the tonic note''.
{|class="wikitable"
! !! Tonic Notes<br>Major = M<br>Minor = m !! All Notes<br>for Pos. !! Major <br>Tonic !! Minor <br>Tonic !! Fingering<br>for Pos. !! Whole/<br>Half<br>Patterns
|-
! #1
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<pre>
</pre>
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|-
! #2
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<pre>
</pre>
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|-
! #3
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<pre>
</pre>
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|-
! #4
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<pre>
</pre>
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|-
! #5
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<pre>
</pre>
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|-
! #6
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<pre>
</pre>
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|-
! #7
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<pre>
</pre>
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:::<small>''* usually unplayed double notes''</small>
:::<small>''(w/h) whole/half step that occurs ascending to the next string''</small>
=== In Plain English ===
The tonic note patterns above are 2 of the actual scale patterns, but you shouldn't think of them like that. They are simply constructed by mapping all the root notes from the prior pattern. So what if our tonic note occurs in one of the unmarked fret locations above? For example, what if the tonic note was located on 6th string, 4th fret (relative to the shape, not absolute to the fretboard), between the "4" and "5" above? That simply means you are basically in no man's land, between two possible positions that will make sense. If you try to use pattern #5, there are two notes below the tonic, each separated by whole steps. This means the 6th string has a w-w pattern, requiring 5 frets to cover all 3 notes. If you position your tonic as the 4th fret in your pattern box instead of the 5th fret, you cannot reach the note 2 notes below the tonic without shifting position 1 fret. Similarly, if you used pattern 4, you'd notice you can't play the note above the tonic on the 6th string without getting outside the pattern box.
{{top}}
== Key Layouts on Fretboard ==
{{Crumbs|blue|2
|Scales for all Positions#Scale Maps|Scale Maps
|Scales for all Positions#Key Layouts on Fretboard|Key Layouts
|Scales for all Positions#Whole-Half Patterns|Whole-Half Patterns
|Scales for all Positions#3 Notes Per String|3 nps
|Scales for all Positions#Ultimate Goals|Ultimate Goals
}}
=== C Major Layout on Fretboard ===
The only change here from G Major to E Minor is to reposition the roots. All the notes are the same. Notice with the minor roots, our method of determining which pattern is a bit different. Before we looked at the location of the tonic note in reference to the lowest notes for the position. We can do the same thing here, but we have to add 2 to get the major root. For example, in open position, the low E is the lowest or first note of the pattern. Add 2 to get the #3 pattern, which corresponds to the major root, G, as the 3rd lowest note in the pattern.
{{top}}
== Whole-Half Patterns ==
{{Crumbs|blue|3
|Scales for all Positions#Scale Maps|Scale Maps
|Scales for all Positions#Key Layouts on Fretboard|Key Layouts
|Scales for all Positions#Whole-Half Patterns|Whole-Half Patterns
|Scales for all Positions#3 Notes Per String|3 nps
|Scales for all Positions#Ultimate Goals|Ultimate Goals
}}
In the initial table, the last row contained the whole-half patterns for each string for each position. I listed this because there are a few interesting occurrences here that can help us develop some shortcuts to remember the patterns.
A---------------------------------------------------------2-3-5- h-w
Fb--------------------------------------------------1-3-5------- w-w-(w) Cb--------------------------------------------1-3-5------------- w-w-(h) Gb--------------------------------------1-3-5------------------- w-w-(h) Db--------------------------------1-3-4------------------------- w-h-(w) Ab--------------------------1-3-4------------------------------- w-h-(w) Eb--------------------1-2-4------------------------------------- h-w-(w) Bb--------------1-2-4------------------------------------------- h-w-(w) F---------0-2-4------------------------------------------------- w-w-(w) C---0-2-4------------------------------------------------------- w-w-(h)
C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D
{|
|+ Patterns for each 3 adjacent P4 tuned strings
|-
|
<pre>
Bb |-|o|x|-|o|B-C-DF |o|-|o|-|o|F-G-AC |x|-|o|-|o|C-D-E 0
</pre>
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<pre>
Eb |-|o|o|-|o|E-F-GBb |-|o|x|-|o|B-C-DF |o|-|o|-|o|F-G-A 0
</pre>
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<pre>
Ab |o|-|o|x|-|A-B-CEb |o|o|-|o|-|E-F-GBb |o|x|-|o|-|B-C-D 1
</pre>
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<pre>
Db |o|-|o|o|-|D-E-FAb |o|-|o|x|-|A-B-CEb |o|o|-|o|-|E-F-G 1
</pre>
|-
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<pre>
Gb |o|-|o|-|o|G-A-BDb |o|-|o|o|-|D-E-FAb |o|-|o|x|-|A-B-C 1
</pre>
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<pre>
Cb |x|-|o|-|o|C-D-EGb |o|-|o|-|o|G-A-BDb |o|-|o|o|-|D-E-F 1
</pre>
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<pre>
Fb |o|-|o|-|o|F-G-ACb |x|-|o|-|o|C-D-EGb |o|-|o|-|o|G-A-B 1
</pre>
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<pre>
A |-|o|x|-|o|B-C-DFb |o|-|o|-|o|F-G-ACb |x|-|o|-|o|C-D-E 1
</pre>
|}
Notice we end at the same exact shape we started with, and lo and behold the notes are exactly the same - although the strings are lower than the original 3 by one half step, we are playing 1 fret position higher now. From here, if we continue the scale, we will simply repeat the same set of patterns.
This is powerful stuff. Each w-h pattern occurs in at least pairs of adjacent strings. If we know the 3 notes in our key on a single string, we know the string either above or below will have the same pattern. '''Ascending, we know that the w-h patterns go in this order: 3 w-w, 2 h-w, 2 w-h, then repeat.''' When we change from w-w to h-w, we shift our index finger placement upwards 1 fret.
If we know the patterns for 2 adjacent strings, in all but 2 cases, we can derive all the patterns. For example, if we know this:
Notice that 2 strings gives us 6/7 notes in the scale. But we can derive the entire scale from even less. Consider some 4 note patterns:
|o|-|o|-|o| w-w |o|-|o|-|o| |-|-|-|o|-| must be either a w-w or w-h to be "under" a w |o|-w; given note indicates must be w|o|o|-h|
|o|-|o|-|-| could must be w-h |o|-|o|x| |-|o|-|o|-| must be h-w or w |o|o|-|o| |o|o| must be part of h; w-w would require w |o|o|-w |o| or w-h underneath but string is |o|-|o|o| |o|o| must be part of h-w; so must be |o|x|-|o| or w-h |o|-|o|x| We can take this further, with 3 note patterns: |o|-|o| |o|-|o|x| |o|-|o|-|o| |-|o|-| implies |o|o|-|o| or |o|-|o|o|-| |o|o| |o|o|-|o| |o|-|o|o| |o|-| implies |o|x|-|o| must be hor |o|-|o|x| '''This breaks down to the following rules.'''* Anytime a note lacks a P4 above it, we know the A4 above it is the leading tone.* Anytime we see 3 consecutive whole steps, we know the last of those notes is the leading tone.* Anytime a note has a P4 and d5 above it, we know that note is the leading tone.* Anytime we have 2 different half-wsteps, we can find the root and other notes of the scale {{top}}
== 3 Notes Per String ==
{{Crumbs|blue|4
|Scales for all Positions#Scale Maps|Scale Maps
|Scales for all Positions#Key Layouts on Fretboard|Key Layouts
|Scales for all Positions#Whole-Half Patterns|Whole-Half Patterns
|Scales for all Positions#3 Notes Per String|3 nps
|Scales for all Positions#Ultimate Goals|Ultimate Goals
}}
{|class="wikitable"
! !! 1 Tonic Notes<br>Major = M<br>Minor = m !! 2 All Notes<br>for Pos. !! 3 Fingering<br>for Pos. !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7Whole/Half<br>Patterns
|-
|
<pre>
|M|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|o|-|o|o|
|-|-|m|-|o|M|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
</pre>
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E w-h
B w-h-(w)
G h-w-(w)
D h-w-(w)
A w-w-(w)
E w-w-(h)
|-
! #2
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<pre>
|-|M|-|-|
</pre>
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|-|M|-|o|-|o|
|-|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|
|m|-|o|M|
|o|o|-|o|
|o|M|-|o|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|m|-|p|
|i|m|-|p|
</pre>
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E w-w
B w-w-(w)
G w-h-(w)
D w-h-(w)
A h-w-(w)
E h-w-(w)
|-
! #3
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<pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|mo|-M|-|Mo||-|-o|-|-o|-|-m||-M|-|Mo|-|-o||-o|-|-m|-|mo||Mo|-|-o|-o|-||-m|-|mo|-M|-|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|-|-i|m|-|-p||-|-i|-|-m|-|-p|-|i|-|m|-|-|Mp||-i|-|-m|-|-p||-i|-|Mr|-p|-||i|-|-r|-p|-|m|
</pre>
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|-|-|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|m|-|o|M|
|-|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|M|-|oi|-|or|p||-|o-|-i|m|-|op||o-|i|m|-|op|o|i|-|m|-|o|Mp||oi|o-|m|-|op||oi|-|Mm|-|op|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|-|-|m|-|o-|M|-|-|-|o-|o-|-|o-||-|om|M-|-|oM||o-|-|o-|-|m-||M-|-|oM|-|o-||o-|-|m-|-|om|
</pre>
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|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|-|-|i|-|r|p|-|
|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
</pre>
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E w-w
B w-h-(w)
G w-h-(w)
D h-w-(w)
A h-w-(w)
E w-w-(w)
|-
! #6
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<pre>
|-|-|-|-|-|m|
|-|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|
</pre>
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<pre>
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|m|-|p|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|i-|-|r-|p-||m|-|-|iM|m-|-|p||-|i-|m-|-|pm||iM|-|m-|-|p-||i-|-|m|-|p-||i-|-|m-|-|p-|
</pre>
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<pre>
|-|-|io|-|mo|-|po||-|-|i|-|r|p|-||-|i|-|r|p||-|i|m|-|p||-|io|mM|-|po||io|-|m|-|p|</pre>|<pre>o|-|m|-|p|-|p||-|mM|-|po|-|po||io|-|m|-|p||i|-|r|po||io|-|r|p||io|mo|-|p|
</pre>
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|i|-|r|p|-|
</pre>
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|}
* The picking pattern is consistent ascending or descending through all the strings. One string is (d u d), the next is (u d u), and this repeats for the next 4 strings.
* The left-hand knows each string has ''w-w'', ''w-h'', or ''h-w'' patterns, not any of the 2 note ''w'' or ''h'' patterns which can be more confusing.
{{top}}
== Ultimate Goals ==
{{Crumbs|blue|5
|Scales for all Positions#Scale Maps|Scale Maps
|Scales for all Positions#Key Layouts on Fretboard|Key Layouts
|Scales for all Positions#Whole-Half Patterns|Whole-Half Patterns
|Scales for all Positions#3 Notes Per String|3 nps
|Scales for all Positions#Ultimate Goals|Ultimate Goals
}}
Play each pattern until it becomes like 2nd nature. Remember that the major scale is built off the w-w-h-w-w-w-h pattern, and the natural minor uses the same pattern but with a different starting note (w-h-w-w-h-w-w). As you play each pattern, you'll really start to feel the whole and half steps as well as hear where the tonic note is. You'll be able to tell if you confused something and threw in an extra note, or shifted a note a half-step in either direction. You'll get a feel for the "gravity" of the tonic note.
=== Supreme Ultimate Goal ===
Complete ability to play the guitar in any key in any position required or desired at a moment's notice. Ability to play melodies, improvise, play chords, arpeggios, licks, scales, and intervals in any position or on any set of strings in any available octave.
{{top}}
== Homework ==
* Learn the 7 different scale patterns for fixed position.
* Learn the 7 different scale patterns for 3 notes per string.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of C Major.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of A Minor.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of G Major.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of E Minor.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of F Major. We have not studied this key - you will have to use the knowledge in this lesson to determine which scale patterns to use in which positions.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of D Minor. We have not studied this key - you will have to use the knowledge in this lesson to determine which scale patterns to use in which positions.
* Play each scale pattern for the key of E Major. This key is far away from the keys of F, C, and G on the circle of fifths. Be sure to say the name of each note you play while doing this - it will really help you learn the fretboard.
* Become familiar with the whole-half patterns for each string, and how they progress in order for any position. Reach that A-Ha! moment when given a few notes anywhere on the guitar allows you to quickly figure out the rest of the notes or the scale pattern for the position and which key you are playing in.
== Q & A ==
== Related Lessons ==
* [[Solo'ing]]
[[Category:Guitar]]