The Major Scale - Three Notes Per String

Playing three notes per string provides additional speed

Looking for a way to boost the speed of your guitar playing? Learning scales with a uniform number of notes on each string makes it easier to hone your technique.

Most guitarists, at one time or another, have learned to play a major scale (if you're not familiar with the major scale, see this lesson). Now, we'll look at a different way to finger the major scale, which will allow us to play the scale more quickly and smoothly.

The Benefits of This Pattern

When playing a major scale pattern that uses three notes per string, you spend an equal amount of time on each string, allowing your picking hand to move smoothly and evenly from one string to the next. Also, when alternate picking, each string uses one of only two different picking patterns... either down up down, or up down up. In contrast, when playing a "standard" first-position two-octave major scale, you spend varying amounts of time playing each string, and there are four separate picking patterns used.

Playing the major scale using this pattern should also help you get comfortable "playing vertically" on the instrument, as you reach the top of the scale a full six frets higher on the fretboard than where you started.

Playing the Major Scale Pattern

The key to mastering this scale pattern is to learn to shift positions in your fretting hand. Follow these instructions for your fretting hand:

• on the sixth string, use your first, third, and fourth fingers. Pick down, up, down.
• on the fifth string, use your first, third, and fourth fingers. Pick up, down, up.
• shift on the fourth string. Use your first, second, and fourth fingers. Pick down, up, down
• on the third string, use your first, third, and fourth fingers. Pick up, down, up.
• shift on the second string. Use your first, third, and fourth fingers. Pick down, up, down.
• on the first string, use your first, third, and fourth fingers. Pick up, down, up.

Once you've reached the top note of the scale, repeat the top note (to preserve the integrity of the "three notes per string" pattern) and play the same pattern in the descending version. Take care when playing this descending pattern - use your fourth (pinky) finger to switch positions on the third string (on the second string, use fingers four, three, and one, then shift down, and use fingers four, two and one on the third string). The remainder of the pattern should be self-explanatory.

Pay careful attention to your technique. Fretting fingers should be nicely curled, and picking should be accurate and clean. Alternate picking should be used.

Things to Try

• play the "traditional" ascending/descending version of the major scale, then follow it immediately with this new scale pattern.
• try playing "scale fragments" within this new pattern. For example, instead of playing the notes of the scale in order (1 2 3 4 5 etc.), try playing organized fragments of the scale (123 234 345 456 etc.) Often, these types of fragments can be the basis of some great "shredder riffs".
• figure out how to play different types of scales with this "three notes per string" concept.