Rob-dos
An interesting concept I found posted on a site I do video lessons on, always good to have something that assists letting your mind go and your fingers free
havent tried it myself yet gonna have a look now.. the original author is unquoted but im sure this is old news anyway
---------
A system of moving through the whole fretboard going three notes at a time
You have to know three patterns; A, B, and C
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-| = A pattern
|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = B pattern
|-0-|----|-0-|-0-|----| = C pattern
So what does this mean? If you want to play an A pattern on the e string (in G!!) you play third fret, fifth fret, seventh fret. B pattern would be third, fourth, and sixth fret. C pattern would be third, fifth, and sixth fret.
In A major it would be (A = 5th, 7th, 9th frets; B = 5th, 6th, 8th; C= 5th, 7th, 8th) If this doesn't make sense, pick up your guitar and pay attention to where your fingers are when you play the three patterns.
You have to remember three things;
1 The pattern is AAABBCC
2 when you play the first B pattern you have to add one fret
3 When you reach the B string you have to add one fret
There is one more letter in the pattern (7 - AAABBCC) than the number of strings (6) so one is always missing (see example below.) For example; if you start at the beginning you have AAABBC, the last C isn't there because you have run out of strings (look at the example.)
(Note that pattern C is missing because there are only 6 strings, but the pattern has 7 parts - AAABBCC)
Mixolydian pattern:
----------------------------(missing C pattern)
|----|----|-0-|----|-0-|-0-| = pattern C
|----|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-| = pattern B (+1 fret because you have got to B string)
|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern B ( +1 fret because it's the first B pattern)
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
So, having learned these three rules, and patterns you can now play scales. For example AABBCC is the major scale (Ionian.) Play pattern A on the first string, Pattern A on the second, move up one fret and play pattern B on the third and fourth strings, move up another fret and play pattern C on the the fifth and sixth strings.
Ionian pattern:
-------------------------(missing A pattern)
|----|----|-0-|----|-0-|-0-| = pattern C
|----|----|-0-|----|-0-|-0-| = pattern C (+1 fret because you have got ot B string)
|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern B
|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern B ( +1 fret because it's the first B pattern)
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
So if you have got all of what was mentioned before you can now play all the modes in three notes per string fashion.
ABBCCA is Lydian
AABBCC is Ionain
AAABBC is Mixolydian
CAAABB is Dorian
CCAAAB is Aolian
BCCAAA is phrygian
BBCCAA is locrian
Don’t forget to add 2 frets when you get to the first B pattern in dorian, one for the first B pattern, and one for the B string.
Another way to look at the pattern is as follows;
A = mixolydian
A = Ionian
A = Lydian
B = Locrian
B = Phrygian
C = Aolian
C = Dorian
So Mixolydian is AAABBC. Lydian is (starting where it says Lydian, and counting downwards; ABBCCA – leaving one pattern out (the first A))
OK last thing, and this is cool. If you get this you know the whole fret board in 3 notes per string method. You have to remember the order of the modes which is;
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aolian
Locrian
If you play Ionian pattern (AABBCC), and then start on the second note of that pattern, and play Dorian pattern, you are actually playing the same scale. Another way to say it; you are playing the second position of the G Ionian scale. If you play G Ionian, or A Dorian that is actually the same scale (see Dux’s lessons if you’re lost here.) So G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D mixolydian, E Aolian, and #F Locrian are all the same scale, or positions of G Ionian, if you like.
I know this sounds complicated, but it's really not. It's actually the simplest sytem I've ever seen. Once you know it, you know that the pattern is ALWAYS AAABBCC. Take a minute and learn it, it's worth it.
PeachyDragon
I remember discovering this phenomenon when I was doodling guitar diagrams in the back of my art history book at age 17 in class instead of listening to the lecturer. If you use the old fashioned scale shapes you also have 3 shapes. But then the seuqnce is only BBCC and then half of A and back to B etc.
Take the different tuning relation of the B and G string into consideration when shifting. People ask why those strings arent tuned to C and F instead of B and E... well, for acoustic palying the standard tuning has more resonance and easier big chord fingerings... but if ur a metal guitars, lead guitarist, or someone who uses smaller voicings it might make sense to tune it all in the same relation. I.E. E,A,D,G,C,F...
Stanley Jordan and a few others do this.
As to the approach in general. Very nice, except that advanced guys are beyond this... They paly the same key for som long that they just jump anywhere on the neck and instantly know where the shapes are... or they just play by thinking of the actual note names in the key. Also sounds hard but makes sense.
evolucian
It is a system... yeah... but it is a lazy system (and I am so friggin lazy its not even funny). But if it helps someone memorise their neck then I'm all for it.
But yeah peachy, advanced guys aren't really past using shapes. The whole fretboard is filled with patterns... those patterns being the one Rob mentions, along with the pattern of intervals... when you start incorporating intervals into your licks, you create the magic stuff.
Of course, knowing the note names is easier too... so one could always start off with the system Rob mentions... but do bear in mind that it helps to know the note names too. At a much later stage you can bother about learning the note functions and things...
Anyway, nice one Rob
