Major Scale Patterns Question, from Fundamentals 2, Acoustic Genius Series

[heyjoe]

Hi All

Just a quick theory question which I hope someone can untangle and answer for me please.
I'm working on the fundamentals 2 video from the Acoustic Genius Series- Part 5, Major Scale Patterns.

Heres the question. In part 5, Neil demonstrates the G Pattern from the 3rd Fret on the 6th string, therefore using G as Note 1, this makes sense.

I've just started doing the scale patterns in C Major, my question is, should I start this on the 3rd fret of the A string, and then do 3 notes per string, or do I go from the 8th fret of the E string, or does it make any difference? I know where my patterns will go after this, its just the starting point that I'm unsure about- is it the same for all the rest of the scales to, start from the root note of the first position of the scale?

I'm hoping its the 3rd fret 5th string as it'll make my spreadsheet a lot easier!!!
(I'm working on doing a spreadsheet for all keys for the 7 patterns - I know! Luckily, a guitar neck is easy to create in Excel!)

So, which of the options is right?

Thanks

Joe

[AndyT]

I'm pretty sure its going to be 8th fret on string 6. (Fat E)
But don't quote me....

[ffsooo3]

Not having seen the Acoustic Genius Series, my 2 cents are.....

One should take a given "pattern", understand it, know it by heart, then simply move it up or down the neck to play it in any given key. I think once you understand and "see" the pattern you should be able to play it any where on the neck (starting at the same "relative" position - starting on the 6th string) - so there wouldn't/shouldn't be a need for an Excel spreadsheet.....

[NKenny]

The way I understand it is if you are using the 6Th string pattern you would have to start the C Major scale pattern on the eight fret of the sixth string.

If you started the C Major scale pattern at the third fret on the fifth string it would be a different pattern than on the sixth string.

I could be wrong

[willem]

jOE,you must know both,,when you do the C,,you must know it from the 6 string(starting on fret 8) and you must know it from the 5 string(3 fret),,for myself and of course you to its importend to know the steps in the maj scale,,,(two frets or one fret),

Maj scale ==1-1-1-1/2-1-1-1-1/2 do-re-mi-fa-so-la-si-do.....1 = two frets...1/2=one fret.

[RicksPick]

Hi Joe

Ive just been doing these patterns

There is on for the 6th string and one for the 5th, A pattern each.
So yes starting on the C ( 5th-A string, third fret) All strings have 3 notes.
Home position being the 3rd fret
three notes on 5th, 4th, At positions 1,3,5
then 3rd string 2,3,5
2nd 3,4,6
1st 3,5,6

Wow I know the answer to a theory question, that's a first.
Thanks TG

RicksPick

Just reread your post, answer is both places.

[BigBear]

Joe- All scales by definition start on their root note. But remember they repeat both up and down and back and forth across the neck. They are circular, not linear!

As far as I know, all major and minor pentatonic scale patterns have only two notes per strings. They can obviously have more but then you are playing in the next pattern, not the original one.

But full scale patterns, including the blues scales can have three notes per string. The full pattern typically spans 4 frets but several (Patterns 2, 5 & 6) span 5 frets. So your question is a good one.

Generally, if you are playing the far left or right notes in a pattern you are also playing the opposite notes of the next or previous scale patterns. Everything is interconnected.

Thinking in terms of scale patterns helps me a lot remembering which notes go where on the fret board. They have nothing to do with the scales per se as I said in my opening paragraph. The scales simply go up and down both directions. Scale patterns are just a method of visualization of the chords at any group of frets. This is also an element of the C-A-G-E-D system!

Hope I didn't confuse the issue too badly! :cheer:

[heyjoe]

Ah, its all starting to make sense now, I think :laugh:.

So, if I'm reading this right, once I know a particular pattern, I can use that in whatever key, so a 3 note pattern beginning on any fret on the 6th string can be moved up or down the frets, the pattern stays the same, its just the key that changes.

Using this logic, its the same with 5th string patterns, learn the pattern then move up and down the fretboard accordingly.

If thats right, then who needs spreadsheets :cheer:

Thanks for the help

Joe

[BigBear]

Joe- you've got it!! Yes, you can start Scale Pattern One (only) by putting the root note on any note on the low E string and then move it anywhere up and down that string.

For example, if you start Scale Pattern One with the root at the fifth fret (you must use the root note only!) you are in the key of A. And the patters are sequential so Scale Pattern Two is the next pattern up the neck and Scale Pattern 6 is the adjacent pattern down the neck (toward the nut). Remember, there is no pattern four although some websites still use this labelling system.

Therefore, the Scale Patterns are just a big loop. Start anywhere and the patterns loop back around since the entire fretboard repeats at the 12th fret.

And don't forget the relative minors of all the major scales. So when you are playing a G scale (either full or pentatonic) you are also playing the Em scale pattern at the same place on the fretbaord. C and Am the same and so on.

So if you learn 5 scale patterns and how they connect to each other, you can play any note, in any key, over the entire fretboard! And never hit a clunker! Every wonder how great lead guitarists know which notes to hit and never miss one? This is it!


This is really powerful stuff so have fun!! :cheer:

[RicksPick]

Sound like you got it Joe

I'm just dipping my toe in now, with this theory
But finding that It's an ocean not a pool,
Back to the shallow end for me (water wings)
Bears in the deep end

RicksPick