Major Scale Patterns

Major Scale Patterns (Three Notes Per String Major Scale Patterns)

By Todd Lefever

Vertical scale patterns, such as the 5 major scale patterns are often used by guitarists for playing melodies and leads (both composed and improvised) on the guitar.

In addition to the vertical patterns, the notes in a major scale can be played using “three notes per string” patterns.

Unlike vertical scale patterns that are played without changing position, three notes per string scales involve position shifting.  Also there are more wide stretches required. This position shifting and stretching is a bit more challenging to execute which is why most guitarists learn how to play vertical patterns first.

The advantage of three notes per string patterns is that the consistent number of notes on each string really facilitates the use of alternate picking and economy picking techniques as well as legato technique (hammer-ons and pull-offs).  This makes it easier to execute fast note passages. These patterns also work great for playing triplets (three note rhythmic groupings).

Illustrated below are all seven three notes per string major scale patterns. The numbers refer to the scale degrees:

Starting on scale degree 1:

 |—|—|-2-|—|-3-|-4-|—|
? |—|—|-6-|—|-7-|-1-|—|

? |—|-3-|-4-|—|-5-|—|—|

? |—|-7-|-1-|—|-2-|—|—|

? |-4-|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|—|

? |-1-|—|-2-|—|-3-|—|—|

Starting on scale degree 2:

 |—|—|-3-|-4-|—|-5-|—|
? |—|—|-7-|-1-|—|-2-|—|
? |-4-|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|—|
? |-1-|—|-2-|—|-3-|—|—|
? |-5-|—|-6-|—|-7-|—|—|
? |-2-|—|-3-|-4-|—|—|—|

Starting on scale degree 3:

 |—|-4-|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|
? |—|-1-|—|-2-|—|-3-|—|
? |-5-|—|-6-|—|-7-|—|—|
? |-2-|—|-3-|-4-|—|—|—|
? |-6-|—|-7-|-1-|—|—|—|
? |-3-|-4-|—|-5-|—|—|—|

Starting on scale degree 4:

 |—|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|-7-|
? |—|—|-2-|—|-3-|-4-|—|
? |—|-6-|—|-7-|-1-|—|—|
? |—|-3-|-4-|—|-5-|—|—|
? |—|-7-|-1-|—|-2-|—|—|
? |-4-|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|—|

Starting on scale degree 5:

 |—|—|-6-|—|-7-|-1-|—|
? |—|—|-3-|-4-|—|-5-|—|
? |—|-7-|-1-|—|-2-|—|—|
? |-4-|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|—|
? |-1-|—|-2-|—|-3-|—|—|
? |-5-|—|-6-|—|-7-|—|—|

Starting on scale degree 6:

 |—|—|-7-|-1-|—|-2-|—|
? |—|-4-|—|-5-|—|-6-|—|
? |-1-|—|-2-|—|-3-|—|—|
? |-5-|—|-6-|—|-7-|—|—|
? |-2-|—|-3-|-4-|—|—|—|
? |-6-|—|-7-|-1-|—|—|—|

Starting on scale degree 7:

 |—|-1-|—|-2-|—|-3-|—|
? |—|-5-|—|-6-|—|-7-|—|
? |-2-|—|-3-|-4-|—|—|—|
? |-6-|—|-7-|-1-|—|—|—|
? |-3-|-4-|—|-5-|—|—|—|
? |-7-|-1-|—|-2-|—|—|—|

Todd Lefever offers electric and acoustic guitar lessons privately at Elite Music Academy in Toronto. All guitar students could contact the main desk at 416 406 5355 ext 1 and book a free consultation. Guitar lessons are offered in jazz, rock, blues, classical, pop and contemporary music.