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Scales for all Positions

So we've looked at a few different scales in open and 5th position. Now let's put on our big boy shoes and learn how to play in any position. This is going to get dense quickly. Bear with it - once the concepts are understood, the entire fretboard opens up, as well as our ability to play in whatever key we want.

PreReqs

Scale Maps

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.

Tonic Notes
Major = M
Minor = m 		All Notes
for Pos. 		Major
Tonic 		Minor
Tonic 		Fingering
for Pos. 		Whole/
Half
Patterns
1 
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|

|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|

|x|-|o|-|o|
|*|-|o|-|o|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|x|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|x|-|o|-|o|

|o|-|o|-|o|
|*|-|x|-|o|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|x|
|o|-|o|-|o|

|i|-|m|-|p|
|*|-|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|

w-w
w  -(h)
h-w-(w)
h-w-(w)
w-w-(w)
w-w-(h)
2 
|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|m|
|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|M|-|-|

|o|M|-|o|
|-|o|-|m|
|o|-|o|o|
|m|-|o|M|
|o|o|-|o|
|o|M|-|o|

|o|x|-|o|
|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|
|o|-|o|x|
|o|o|-|o|
|o|x|-|o|

|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|-|x|
|o|-|o|o|
|x|-|o|o|
|o|o|-|o|
|o|o|-|o|

|i|m|-|p|
|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|m|-|p|
|i|m|-|p|

h-w
w  -(w)
w-h-(w)
w-h-(w)
h-w-(w)
h-w-(w)
3 
|m|-|-|M|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|-|

|m|-|o|M|-|
|o|o|-|o|-|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|
|m|-|o|M|-|

|o|-|o|x|-|
|o|o|-|o|-|
|x|-|o|-|*|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|
|o|-|o|x|-|

|x|-|o|o|-|
|o|o|-|o|-|
|o|-|o|-|*|
|o|-|x|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|
|x|-|o|o|-|

|i|-|r|p|-|
|i|m|-|p|-|
|i|-|r|-|*|
|i|-|r|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|-|
|i|-|r|p|-|

w-h
h-w-(w)
w  -(w)
w-w-(h)
w-h-(w)
w-h-(w)
4 
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|

|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|

|o|-|o|-|o|
|*|-|o|o|-|
|-|o|x|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|x|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|o|

|o|-|x|-|o|
|*|-|o|o|-|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|x|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|x|-|o|

|i|-|m|-|p|
|*|-|m|r|-|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|

w-w
h  -(w)
h-w-(w)
w-w-(w)
w-w-(h)
w-w-(h)
5 
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|

|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|-|m|-|o|o|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|

|o|-|o|-|o|
|x|-|o|-|o|
|-|o|-|o|*|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|x|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|o|

|o|-|o|-|x|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|-|x|-|o|*|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|x|

|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|-|i|-|r|*|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|

w-w
w-w-(h)
w  -(h)
h-w-(w)
h-w-(w)
w-w-(w)
6 
|-|-|-|-|
|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|

|o|o|-|o|
|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|
|o|-|o|o|
|m|-|o|M|
|o|o|-|o|

|o|o|-|o|
|o|x|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|
|o|-|o|o|
|o|-|o|x|
|o|o|-|o|

|o|o|-|o|
|o|o|-|o|
|o|-|x|-|
|o|-|o|o|
|x|-|o|o|
|o|o|-|o|

|i|m|-|p|
|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|-|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|m|-|p|

h-w
h-w-(w)
w  -(w)
w-h-(w)
w-h-(w)
h-w-(w)
7 
|-|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|

|o|-|o|o|-|
|m|-|o|M|-|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|

|o|-|o|o|-|
|o|-|o|x|-|
|o|-|o|-|*|
|x|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|

|o|-|o|o|-|
|x|-|o|o|-|
|o|-|o|-|*|
|o|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|x|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|

|i|-|r|p|-|
|i|-|r|p|-|
|i|-|r|-|*|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|-|

w-h
w-h-(w)
w  -(w)
w-w-(h)
w-w-(h)
w-h-(w)
* usually unplayed double notes
(w/h) whole/half step that occurs ascending to the next string

In Plain English

So that's a lot of information. Let's break it down. There are 7 notes in the common major/minor scales. Any one of those notes can be the lowest note available for whatever position you are playing in - that gives us 7 different patterns of notes if we restrict ourselves to a 5-fret "box". In any of these 7 patterns, the tonic note will occur in 1 of 7 places:

  1. 6th string, 1st note
  2. 6th string, 2nd note
  3. 6th string, 3rd note
  4. 5th string, 1st note
  5. 5th string, 2nd note
  6. 5th string, 3rd note
  7. 4th string, 1st note

For the major scale, these correspond to the patterns listed above. For the minor scale, their patterns are identical to their relative major - there are a number of quick ways to determine this, as seen below.

Notice we are basically attempting to use 3 notes per string on each string; however, the M3 tuning between 2nd and 3rd strings complicates that a bit, causing us to experience a doubled note. Thus, the 2nd or 3rd string will only have 2 notes in each pattern. Whether the 2 note string is the 2nd or 3rd string depends on the pattern and preferred fingering of the player. The *'s above are the doubled notes that I prefer to leave out.

So first we look at all the possible positions with the major and minor tonic note locations only. Then we look at all the notes for that position. The next two rows are basically the same thing but with only the major or minor tonics marked, to be more clear. The next row is the fingering to use for the pattern. Finally, we have the whole-half step pattern formed on each string by the notes.

Tonic Note Shapes

Here are the potential locations of the tonic notes for the major or minor scales, with which pattern to use when the tonic note is located in that placement. Notice for the major tonics, the location of the tonic in terms of the lowest note of the sequence determines which pattern to use. For example, when the lowest note is the tonic note, you use pattern #1. When the lowest-pitched tonic note doesn't occur until the 4th string, you use pattern #7.

Major Minor 
|1|-|2|3|-|
|5|6|-|7|-|
|3|-|4|-|5|
|7|-|1|-|2|
|4|-|5|6|-|
|1|-|2|3|-|

|3|-|4|-|5|
|7|-|1|2|-|
|-|5|6|-|7|
|2|-|3|-|4|
|6|-|7|-|1|
|3|-|4|-|5|

For open position C Major, the tonic is located at position 6 in the above pattern. So you'd use pattern 6. For 5th position C Major, the tonic is located at position 3; and we use pattern 3. For G Major, open position is pattern 3 and 5th position is pattern #7.

For minor scales, you can use the same logic, but add 2. So when the lowest note is the tonic note, you use pattern #3 (1 + 2). When the tonic note is the 7th note in the pattern, you use pattern #2 (7 + 2 [-7]).

For A Minor, open position is pattern 6 and 5th position is pattern #3. For E Minor, open position is pattern 3 and 5th position is pattern #7.

You'll notice C Major and A Minor (as well a G Major and E Minor) use the same patterns for the same positions, which only makes sense as they are relative major/minor's and contain the exact same set of notes.

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.

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Key Layouts on Fretboard

C Major Layout on Fretboard

Scale  6------   3-------- 7-------- 4-------- 1--------
Map          4-------- 1-------- 5--------   2------
#        5--------   2------   6------   3--------
      |o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|
      |o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|
      |o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|
      |o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|
      |o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|
      |o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|
Fret # 0     3   5   7   9     12    15  17  19  21    24

The scale map #'s are ordered as the number of the root note when ascending. So if you start playing the pattern ascending from the lowest note for the position, how many notes do you play to get to the tonic? For the key of C Major in open position, there tonic occurs on the 6th note (E F G A B C), so the pattern is #6.

As you ascend positions, this necessarily moves the tonic note lower by 1 note. This means the patterns actually occur in reverse order as you ascend the fretboard, as you can see in the diagram above.

G Major Layout on Fretboard

Scale  3-------- 7-------- 4-------- 1-------- 5--------
Map          1-------- 5--------   2------   6------
#          2------   6------   3-------- 7--------
      |o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|
      |o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|
      |x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|
      |o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|
      |o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|
      |o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|-|o|x|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|
Fret # 0     3   5   7   9     12    15  17  19  21    24

All we've done is moved the patterns leftward by 5 frets...or raised them by 7 frets. Going from C to G is a P4 downward and P5 upward, which correspond to -5 and +7 frets.

E Minor Layout on Fretboard

Scale  3-------- 7-------- 4-------- 1-------- 5--------
Map          1-------- 5--------   2------   6------
#          2------   6------   3-------- 7--------
      |x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|
      |o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|
      |o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|
      |o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|
      |o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|
      |x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|x|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|o|-|o|-|o|
Fret # 0     3   5   7   9     12    15  17  19  21    24

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.

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Whole-Half Patterns

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.

If you remember all the way back to the 1st String lesson, there are only 3 possible patterns for any string with 3 notes, given the scale we're playing contains only whole and half steps:

  • |o|o|-|o|-| or half-whole or h-w
  • |o|-|o|o|-| or whole-half or w-h
  • |o|-|o|-|o| or whole-whole or w-w

We also said that each sequence occurs twice in the major and minor scales, and the w-w pattern occurs an additional time (so 3x total). Let's look at a C major scale using a hypothetical 10-string guitar tuned completely to perfect 4ths: 

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

You can quickly verify that all the notes are correct by counting the half-steps from the open string note. For example, the 3rd string/3rd fret D can be verified by adding 3 half-steps (or a m3) above the open string Cb (Cb - C - Db - D). So why the hell are we talking about 10 strings alternate tunings? Well let's look at all the adjacent strings; there's really only 7 patterns:

Patterns for each 3 adjacent P4 tuned strings 
Bb |-|o|x|-|o| B-C-D
F  |o|-|o|-|o| F-G-A
C  |x|-|o|-|o| C-D-E
    0

Eb |-|o|o|-|o| E-F-G
Bb |-|o|x|-|o| B-C-D
F  |o|-|o|-|o| F-G-A
    0

Ab |o|-|o|x|-| A-B-C
Eb |o|o|-|o|-| E-F-G
Bb |o|x|-|o|-| B-C-D
    1

Db |o|-|o|o|-| D-E-F
Ab |o|-|o|x|-| A-B-C
Eb |o|o|-|o|-| E-F-G
    1

Gb |o|-|o|-|o| G-A-B
Db |o|-|o|o|-| D-E-F
Ab |o|-|o|x|-| A-B-C
    1

Cb |x|-|o|-|o| C-D-E
Gb |o|-|o|-|o| G-A-B
Db |o|-|o|o|-| D-E-F
    1

Fb |o|-|o|-|o| F-G-A
Cb |x|-|o|-|o| C-D-E
Gb |o|-|o|-|o| G-A-B
    1

A  |-|o|x|-|o| B-C-D
Fb |o|-|o|-|o| F-G-A
Cb |x|-|o|-|o| C-D-E
    1

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: 

|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|o|-|o|o|-|
|o|o|-|o|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|

Then we can derive this: 

|x|-|o|-|o| After 2 w-h strings, we have 3 w-w strings
|o|-|o|-|o| After 2 w-h strings, we have 3 w-w strings
|o|-|o|o|-| Each string must have an adjacent string with the same pattern
|o|-|o|x|-| We know the leading tone is the only note without a P4 below - the next note must be the tonic
|o|o|-|o|-|
|o|x|-|o|-| Each string must have an adjacent string with the same pattern

Now, this is assuming we are still using all strings tuned to P4's. For the actual guitar tuning, we have to move that 2nd string upwards one fret, which also moves the 1st string: 

|-|x|-|o|-|o| After 2 w-h strings, we have 3 w-w strings
|-|o|-|o|-|o| After 2 w-h strings, we have 3 w-w strings + 2nd/3rd string shift
|o|-|o|o|-|   Each string must have an adjacent string with the same pattern
|o|-|o|x|-|   We know the leading tone is the only note without a P4 below - the next note must be the tonic
|o|o|-|o|-|
|o|x|-|o|-|   Each string must have an adjacent string with the same pattern

Now, if we want to restrict ourselves to 1 position, we need to move those high fret notes to the next string: 

|*|x|-|o|-|!| 
|-|o|-|o|-|*| 
|o|-|o|o|-|   
|o|-|o|x|-|   
|o|o|-|o|-|
|o|x|-|o|-|

The * note moves up, but the ! note gets lopped off - there is no higher string to move to. The resulting shape is Pattern #2!

Where this logic fails is when we only know 2 strings but both strings use w-w patterns. Since there are 3 adjacent strings of w-w patterns, we cannnot determine which of the 2 possible sets of adjacent strings we are on relative to the pattern. We need just one more note to know where we are.

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 w-h  |o|-|o|o|-|

|o|-|o|-|-|  must be w-h  |o|-|o|x|
|-|o|-|o|-|  must be h-w  |o|o|-|o|

|o|o|  must be part of h-w  |o|o|-|o|  or w-h  |o|-|o|o|
|o|o|  must be part of h-w  |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|  or  |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-steps, we can find the root and other notes of the scale
Top

3 Notes Per String

Tonic Notes
Major = M
Minor = m 		All Notes
for Pos. 		Fingering
for Pos. 		Whole/Half
Patterns
#1 
|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|

|-|-|o|-|o|o|
|-|-|m|-|o|M|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|

|-|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|

E w-h
B w-h-(w)
G h-w-(w)
D h-w-(w)
A w-w-(w)
E w-w-(h)
#2 
|-|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|
|-|M|-|-|

|-|M|-|o|-|o|
|-|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|
|m|-|o|M|
|o|o|-|o|
|o|M|-|o|

|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|m|-|p|
|i|m|-|p|

E w-w
B w-w-(w)
G w-h-(w)
D w-h-(w)
A h-w-(w)
E h-w-(w)
#3 
|-|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|-|

|-|-|o|M|-|o|
|-|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|
|m|-|o|M|-|

|-|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|-|
|i|-|r|p|-|

E h-w
B w-w-(w)
G w-w-(h)
D w-w-(h)
A w-h-(w)
E w-h-(w)
#4 
|-|-|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|

|-|-|m|-|o|M|
|-|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|

|-|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|

E w-h
B h-w-(w)
G h-w-(w)
D w-w-(w)
A w-w-(h)
E w-w-(h)
#5 
|-|-|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|

|-|-|o|-|m|-|o|
|-|-|o|-|o|o|-|
|-|m|-|o|M|
|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|

|-|-|i|-|m|-|p|
|-|-|i|-|r|p|-|
|-|i|-|r|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|

E w-w
B w-h-(w)
G w-h-(w)
D h-w-(w)
A h-w-(w)
E w-w-(w)
#6 
|-|-|-|-|-|m|
|-|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|
|-|-|-|-|

|-|o|-|o|-|m|
|-|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|
|m|-|o|M|
|o|o|-|o|

|-|m|-|p|-|p|
|-|m|-|p|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|-|r|p|
|i|m|-|p|

E w-w
B w-w-(h)
G w-w-(h)
D w-h-(w)
A w-h-(w)
E h-w-(w)
#7 
|-|-|-|-|-|-|
|m|-|-|M|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|m|
|M|-|-|-|-|
|-|-|m|-|-|
|-|-|-|-|-|

|-|-|o|o|-|o|
|-|-|o|M|-|o|
|o|-|o|-|m|
|M|-|o|-|o|
|o|-|m|-|o|
|o|-|o|o|-|

|-|-|i|m|-|p|
|-|-|i|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|m|-|p|
|i|-|r|p|-|

E h-w
B h-w-(w)
G w-w-(w)
D w-w-(h)
A w-w-(h)
E w-h-(w)

Three note per string patterns contain the same notes as their fixed position cousins; however, they employ a positional shift between 2nd and 3rd strings so each string contains 3 unique notes. There are a few benefits to this:

  • It is easier to derive the full scale patterns for any position using the whole/half analysis above.
  • Each pattern extends one note higher than the fixed position pattern.
  • 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.
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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.

You'll start to see more and more of the relationships between notes. For instance, the leading tone (7th note) in the major scale does not have a P5 above and P4 below but a tt interval above and below, while every other note does. The 4th note of the scale is the only note that doesn't have a P4 above and P5 below.

It's easy to see whole vs. half steps on the same string. Seeing them between pairs of strings takes a little more getting used to, especially considering the 2nd and 3rd strings' different relative tuning compared to other pairs of strings. Running through these patterns really helps cement that idea in your head, especially if you sing solfege along with your playing. The major scale is Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do (Dough Ray Me Fah So Lah Tea Dough). The Minor Scale is Do Re Ma Fa So Le Ta Do (Dough Ray May Fah So Lay Tah Dough).

So We're Memorizing Shapes?

Yes, but you always have to remember the shapes are a means to an ends. To play actual melodies, we may jump around inside any particular pattern. Also, there is no guarantee a song will stay 100% inside a particular key. It may borrow notes outside the scale, altering how we play in the pattern. I prefer to look of these patterns as a "filter". We are simply blocking out the notes that are "outside" of the major or minor key we're playing in.

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.

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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

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