Introduction
Here I am with yet another article that might cause people to say "Oh my god, can't he write about anything else?" I mean, I have written articles about 3NPS-scales, stretch pentatonic scales, the "monster run", I had a huge segment about scale sequences in at least one article etc.
So what else is there to say?
Well, I'd like to collect all the little things I have said about scales, using them and learning them into one article this time. This one is also related to one of James' articles, "Moving From The Familiar to The Unfamiliar - Alternate View", which IMO didn't get quite the attention it deserved.
James talked about learning and exploring scales along one string, or on the keyboard, instead of just memorizing a bunch of patterns.
Which is the MUSICAL approach. You know, there are a lot of players who know an amazing amount of patterns etc. They can play weird scales all over the neck. But for some reason, it sounds just like that. It seems as if it doesn't matter which scale they're playing. They're not "playing OUT" the scale, not "USING IT" as a scale. Does this make sense at all?
Maybe another example will help:
We have articles about modes at iBreathe. And actually, quite a lot of the questions I get at workshops or when I teach revolve around modes. A lot of people somehow figure out that those modes are of some importance, and then they wanna learn them... all of them.
So they memorize them all, play them up and down, all over the neck. Not only is this only a lob-sided view, because just playing those patterns up and down is not what using modes is about.
The background, the chords you play them over is equally important. But even if you know that and keep it in mind, it takes some time to get into modes, to explore them and learn how to apply them.
Because if you don't, if you just memorize some patterns, you'll most likely be able to play the modes all over the neck without even thinking. Unfortunately, there's a good chance that it'll also sound as if you play them without listening.
Let's get back to one of my favorite analogies… comparing learning how to play to learning how to speak. When you're learning how to speak, you don't go "OK, now I wanna learn these standard phrases or proverbs all at once". You don't go and memorize those all at once. If you WOULD do that, you'd pretty much sound like a tape-recorder playing back a "Learn English in 21 easy lessons" tapes.
Take a typical phrase, like this one (I heard it being used down south a lot)... "Whatever floats yer boat".
It usually means something like "Well, you're doing something weird there, but if it makes you happy, or if you think it's necessary, then go ahead".
Well, if you are being told that that is a common phrase, and you memorize it without learning what it means, you might find yourself using it in the wrong context, or saying it without being in a situation where it's appropriate. Which is pretty... well, silly.
So what you need to do is figure out what the phrase means, and maybe also pay attention to how to say it… you can change the meaning of it quite a bit by saying it in different ways, emphasizing it differently, using facial expressions etc.
Is that a weird comparison? Is this way-too-long an introduction? Well, I guess you shouldn't be surprised, not if you have checked out some of my other articles. Sorry =)
Step By Step
Anyway, when I started getting into scales I learned ONE pattern. My teacher back then taught it to me. Only that one pattern. And for months I didn't use any other pattern but that one. Whenever I improvised, whenever I tried to figure out a melody I had heard somewhere etc… I only used that one pattern.
As a result of this, I really UNDERSTOOD and explored it. I knew which notes of that pattern worked well over what chord of the underlying progression. I knew where certain notes (root, third etc.) were. I made up a bunch of licks, sequences and repeating patterns from that pattern.
THEN I started learning another one. And fortunately (well, I think it was a fortunate thing) I continued learning scales n'patterns that way.
You could say I went step by step. And this method seems to be working for some of my students as well. I recently jammed with one of them... she is really interested in improvisation, and so I wanted to see what kind of scales and patterns she uses, what approach she'd take.
Well, she basically stuck to, like, two or three patterns, and spent her time coming up with melodies and themes instead of paying too much attention to playing through as many patterns as possible.
If you do it that way, you'll actually "improvise" without getting stuck too often. I mean, you don't have to limit yourself. If you wanna learn more patterns and scales, go ahead. But keep the music in mind, and each time you learn a new scale or pattern, use it in your playing.
Another thing that comes to mind is that a lot of younger players seem to think that you need to know as many scales as possible in order to play well. I thought so too. I listened to my favorite players, read interviews with them, and read that they were talking about scales like "the enigmatic scale", lydian dominant, symmetrical scales etc.
And I sat there and thought "Oh great, that's why my playing sucks. I only know major and minor, plus the pentatonics. If I knew these scales, I could play better for sure". Well, of course I was wrong. Cuz the reason why my playing sucked or at least didn't sound as good as those guys I listened to was a lack of tone, a lack of experience when it comes to improvisation etc. And later I noticed how many of those guys actually use "simple" scales like the pentatonic and make them sound amazing.
So, most likely you need more time using those "basic scales" instead of memorizing all kinds of oriental ones.
So... let's get to the music. This article is supposed to be some kind of a scale workout. I want to show you how to memorize some scales, understand them, apply them to your playing, and come up with some different ideas.
Playing on one string
A lot of people seem to think that playing along one string is something that only beginners do. Like "Oh, that's only for people who don't know patterns and can only play on one string".
Wrong. Playing along one string is a tool just like playing through a pattern, staying in one position. Listen to guys like Steve Morse, Steve Vai or Joe Satriani… they do it a lot. (Check out Morse's solo in "The Oz", or Satch's runs in "Summer Song")
And there actually is no better way to "see" a scale on the fretboard than playing it along one string. Let's start with the E-major scale (WWHWWWH). Here it is , played on the high e-string, starting on E.
As you can see, you can see the intervals as a physical distance. It's almost like a one string-pattern.
If you'd play the same "pattern", the same intervals on the B-string, you'd get the B major scale...
..and of course, you can, and should do this on all strings. Play the B major scale on each string, starting on the lowest note possible (open string, if possible).
Workout Exercise 1:
Play all modes on the high e-string, always starting on E. So you start with the E maj scale, then you play E Dorian, E Phrygian, E Lydian, E Mixolydian, E Aeolian and E Locrian.
Workout Exercise 2:
To keep some variety and try different scale, I recommend the "Cycle Of Fifths method"... Remember the "Cycle of 4ths / 5ths"?
So, play the C major scale on the high e-string, then move along that cycle… the next one would be G Major. So, play the G Major scale on that string now… next, D major, A maj, E maj, B maj, F# maj
Then, move back to C, and "play through" the cycle of fourths: F major, Bb major etc.
Workout Exercise 3:
Same thing but with minor scales. Of course you have actually played those in the previous exercises, since a minor scale is a major scale starting at the 6th degree.
But the point here is to get used to scales, seeing them along the string.
More one string-exercises
Those exercises should take you quite a while, depending on the speed you play those scales at. Also, it's up to you whether you only wanna play them ascending or descending, too. (Why not?!?)
If you feel comfortable with those exercises, take 'em up a notch, by playing them ascending and / or descending in sequences. Check out this example, based on the G major scale:
Workout Exercise 4 (Level 2):
Apply sequences
Workout Exercise 5 (Level 2):
Do the above exercises on all 6 strings
As you can see, there are many different things you can do on one string only. Some of you might go "Man, that takes hours, why do that many exercises?"
Well, as I said before, it's up to you how much you wanna go this route. And you don't have to do all those exercises every day. Maybe throw 'em in every other day or so. After a while it will get quite easy to "see" those scales along the string. That's the goal. Also, playing them that much will help you to memorize their sound etc.
And regarding the musical side... as mentioned before, a lot of great players play licks, runs and melodies along a string and get great sounds that way. And to be able to do that while improvising regardless of what key your in, to me, is something that's worth the effort.
Adding Another String
OK, let's see... there are two different things you can do now to take the next step... either try to work on six-string patterns, or add only one string.
This works both ways: If you have memorized some patterns, it shouldn't be too difficult to play through them (along the neck) on two strings.
If you "build" the patterns yourself without learning them from a diagram or book (by learning the scale on one string as explained above, then adding more strings), you'll be able to play along those scales on two strings as well.
You COULD consider approach no.1 rather "mechanical", but it's faster (there's nothing wrong with thinking in patterns if you always remember to play MUSIC instead of playing up and down through these patterns). And you COULD consider approach no.1 the "musical one", although it takes more time.
Adding another string
Let's start by adding another string. Say, you wanna play a c major scale on the b- and high e-string only, three notes per string, starting on C (1st fret, B-string). So you start on C, and play the next two notes on the B-string also (D and E, 3rd and 5th fret), then you skip to the e-string, play the next note of the scale (F), and play the next two notes (G and A) as well (3rd and 5th fret). Go back to the B-string, start on the next note (the first one you started on was C, so now it's D), and go on like that.
If you play through this a few times, I think you'll start to notice seeing some "patterns" in there... patterns that keep repeating. Let's check that out by moving along the cycle of fifths, which gets us to G major next.
So let's play the G major scale on those two strings next, again starting on C…
Do you see the re-occuring patterns? We start on the C, then we have two wholetone-steps next. Next, we're playing the F# (up another whole tone step) on the e-string, then we have a half tone step etc. So, this is the same "pattern" that occurred in the previous example once we reached the F on the B-string… F-G-A (2 WTS) on the B-string, then B-C-D (1 HTS, 1 WTS) on the e-string…
You should be able to play a run like that in each key, either by actually thinking about the notes, or by thinking in those patterns. Actually, the latter method might be a bit faster.
Exercise: Play this kinda sequence or run up and down the neck in at least three different keys
What's next?
How about NOT adding one string, but instead, skipping one?!?
Key of G Major, starting on G, utilizing the G and high e-String:
Note that you could also have played the E as the first note on the high E-string, instead of F# (2nd fret). I just liked it better that way. Try different combinations.
Also, I hope you have figured out that you're supposed to play along the whole neck. My examples stop after two measures, but that is just because the main purpose is to show you the pattern or general idea. It's up to you to move this along the whole neck.
Now, let's add the B-string again… so we're combining exercises 6 and 7…
Exercise: Do this exercise in at least 3 different keys
Now please remember that you're not supposed to go through this in one day. Or expect to be able to play all notes of any key all over the neck after doing these exercises for a few hours. It takes time to figure this out, memorize it etc.
So take your time, and let these scale-exercises be only one part of your daily practicing schedule.
Patterns
You could also focus on memorizing the patterns. Let's skip pentatonic patterns (which I have talked about in the workout-series) and major patterns for now, and let's get to the good ol' Three-Note-Per-String-Patterns (3NPS). I have written an article about it before, which you might wanna check out HERE
Here are the 7 patterns once again:
I think I explained already how to link those together. So, let's go ahead and play through those 7 patterns, key of E min, starting on the lowest note (it's Pattern VI from the 3NPS-article, starting on the sixth degree of the major scale… or the root of the relative minor scale)
Here's pattern VII, starting on the 2nd degree of the minor scale (or 7th degree of the major scale)
Here's pattern I, starting on the 3rd degree of the minor scale (or root of the major scale)
Here's pattern II, starting on the 4th degree of the minor scale (or second degree of the major scale)
More patterns and farewell
Here's pattern III, starting on the 5th degree of the minor scale (or 3rd degree of the major scale)
Here's pattern IV, starting on the 6th degree of the minor scale (or fourth degree of the major scale)
Here's pattern V, starting on the 7th degree of the minor scale (or fifth degree of the major scale)
And, finally, we have reached the octave of our first note... E. So again, we have pattern VI, one octave higher this time:
Exercise: Do this in at least three different keys, i.e. E maj, B maj, C maj
Exercise: Do this in the key of F major, using a sequence such as:
See ya next time...
So this is the second approach to memorizing and playing scales all over the fretboard. And with this, I wanna leave you for now. Next time, I wanna talk about a different way of applying and practicing the 3NPS patterns, and I wanna get into APPLYING your scale knowledge to actual music... so stay tuned!
You can download the powertab-file for this article by using THIS LINK. And HERE is a pdf-version of the ptb-file