7 Shapes of the C Major Scale

fretlessman71

fretlessman71

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#1
I have come up with 7 unique shapes of the C Major Scale that I teach to students.

None use open strings (different "shape" category, and there are several of those as well).

Four employ at least one shift.

Most require a 5-fret spread at some point.

Does the number of 7 seem high or low to you? Working on a document to share.
 
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#2
IMHO, the most important thing is to learn how to finger a one-octave major scale (with minimal shifting) in 3 different ways: starting with the index finger, the middle finger, and the pinky respectively. Then there are all kinds of ways to combine these patterns over two octaves.

I'm not a teacher, but I think I'd be inclined to teach students these three patterns, and then leave it to them to figure out the other possibilities.
 
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#3
Lobster11 said:
IMHO, the most important thing is to learn how to finger a one-octave major scale (with minimal shifting) in 3 different ways: starting with the index finger, the middle finger, and the pinky respectively. Then there are all kinds of ways to combine these patterns over two octaves.

I'm not a teacher, but I think I'd be inclined to teach students these three patterns, and then leave it to them to figure out the other possibilities.
Click to expand...
True, but I have relatively advanced students who have for some reason failed to connect all the dots.
 
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#4
Or you could reduce the patterns down to just 2 instead of 7 and cover the C major scale without redundancy and no open strings. This is for a 20 fret bass in E standard tuning using 3nps for first half of fretboard and CAGED based patterns ( 3nps+2nps) for 12th fret and above

Pattern 4

E string notes: F1 G1 A1
A string notes: B1 C2 D2
D string notes: E2 F2 G2
G string notes: A2 B2 C3

Pattern 7

E string notes: B1 C2 D2
A string notes: E2 F2 G2
D string notes: A2 B2 C3
G string notes: D3 E3 F3

12th fret and up

C Pattern
E String notes: E2 F2 G2
A string notes: A2 B2 C3
D string notes: D3 E3 F3
G string notes: G3 A3

G Pattern

E string notes: A2 B2 C3
A string notes: D3 E3 F3
D string notes: G3 A3

G string notes: B3 C4 D4

Be interested to see your 7 patterns.

The ultimate goal regardless of the means to achieve it is to see all the notes of a scale 'light up' without reference to a pattern per se I spose. Although our brains love patterns
 
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#5
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1726268339078.png

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#6
The 2nps pattern is one I use a lot, where you physically go down the neck but, ascend the scale. Think of it as 2 notes played off each note in the 7th chord of each degree in the scale ie you can play it how you have it layed out for Cmaj7th or you could just as well start on D and play 2 notes off each note in the ii chord Dm7 and so on.
I use the 2 string shift a lot too. A tetrachord on 1 string, followed by a tetrachord off the 5th on the next string over, as you have it. Busts you out of vertical
 
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#7
For context, I use one finger per fret on BG.

Pretty sure I was taught to avoid successive shifts, so I have a hard time imagining a reason to use these two:
1726276768982.png


The 5-Fret Spread violates the rule with 2,3,4. If I started with that pattern, I would probably finish with:
1726277633444.png

Why use 3 shifts when it can be done in 2?

The 4-String Hybrid Cross violates the rule with 6,7,8. If I started with that pattern, I would probably finish with your regular 4-String Cross or:
1726278310730.png

Why use 2 shifts when it can be done in 1?

You can do the Two-String Shift with only one shift:
1726279272464.png

However, I might choose your version with 2 shifts.
 
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#8
Lobster11 said:
IMHO, the most important thing is to learn how to finger a one-octave major scale (with minimal shifting) in 3 different ways: starting with the index finger, the middle finger, and the pinky respectively. Then there are all kinds of ways to combine these patterns over two octaves.

I'm not a teacher, but I think I'd be inclined to teach students these three patterns, and then leave it to them to figure out the other possibilities.
Click to expand...
I agree. Encouraging the beginner to explore is a big part of the deal. Serving everything up to them without their own effort is counterproductive.
 
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#10
Wasnex said:
For context, I use one finger per fret on BG.

Pretty sure I was taught to avoid successive shifts, so I have a hard time imagining a reason to use these two:
View attachment 7029400

The 5-Fret Spread violates the rule with 2,3,4. If I started with that pattern, I would probably finish with:
View attachment 7029408
Why use 3 shifts when it can be done in 2?

The 4-String Hybrid Cross violates the rule with 6,7,8. If I started with that pattern, I would probably finish with your regular 4-String Cross or:
View attachment 7029412
Why use 2 shifts when it can be done in 1?

You can do the Two-String Shift with only one shift:
View attachment 7029420
However, I might choose your version with 2 shifts.
Click to expand...
I use a 5 fret spread when it makes sense. 1-1-2-3-4, where the index stretches out one extra fret occasionally.

So the "5-fret spread" scale is fingered 124 124 12.

The "4 string cross" is 4 134 14 12.

The "2 string shift" is 1134 1134.
 
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#11
fretlessman71 said:
I use a 5 fret spread when it makes sense. 1-1-2-3-4, where the index stretches out one extra fret occasionally.

So the "5-fret spread" scale is fingered 124 124 12.
Click to expand...
Maybe this pattern would make sense if my hand was bigger. The 4 to 1 shift across 5 frets is rarely a preferred choice for me. 3 to 1 across 4 fret is fine, but not 4 to 1 across 5 frets; especially in conjunction with a string crossing.

fretlessman71 said:
The "4 string cross" is 4 134 14 12.
Click to expand...
My concern was with the 4-String Hybrid Cross. I would play the regular 4 String Cross 4 134 13 12

fretlessman71 said:
The "2 string shift" is 1134 1134.
Click to expand...
I think this is a useful fretbox and there are multiple fingering options. 1 134 1 134 is a good one IMHO.
1726292002934.png

My default pattern would be 13 34 13 34

1726292190950.png

The 1-shift pattern I had in mind for this is: 13 124 134
 
#13
fretlessman71 said:
True, but I have relatively advanced students who have for some reason failed to connect all the dots.
Click to expand...
I'll suggest changing the scale to E major and start on the 12th fret to get the patterns under their fingers. The reasoning being it is less of a physical demand on the hand so that the brain can map out the patterns without physicality getting in the way. If they have a guitar that could work as well. I've found shrinking the fret distance has helped me out with seeing patterns A LOT.
 
#14
Personally I would play a C Major scale like this:

----------------------------------------------2---4---[5]---7---
---------------------------------2---3---5----------------------
------------------0---[3]---5------------------------------------
----0---1---3---------------------------------------------------

And

------------------------------------------------------------------7---9---10---12----
--------------------------------------------7---9---[10]---12-------------------------
------------------------(5)---7---8---10----------------------------------------------
---5---6----[8]---10------------------------------------------------------------------


Then copy that pattern above 12th fret; that is:

----------------------------------------------------------14---16---[17]---19---
-----------------------------------------14---15---17---------------------------
----------------------12---[15]---17---------------------------------------------
----12---13----15---------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------19---21---22---24---
----------------------------------------------------19---21---[22]---24--------------------------
----------------------------(17)---19---20---22--------------------------------------------------
---17---18----[19]---21--------------------------------------------------------------------------


That is based on your first 4 fret spread pattern (1 finger per fret, with minimal shifts), pattern recognition (the way our brain actually works), and then simply mirroring octaves.
 
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#17
Ritter667 said:
Personally I would play a C Major scale like this:

----------------------------------------------2---4---[5]---7---
---------------------------------2---3---5----------------------
------------------0---[3]---5------------------------------------
----0---1---3---------------------------------------------------

And

------------------------------------------------------------------7---9---10---12----
--------------------------------------------7---9---[10]---12-------------------------
------------------------(5)---7---8---10----------------------------------------------
---5---6----[8]---10------------------------------------------------------------------


Then copy that pattern above 12th fret; that is:

----------------------------------------------------------14---16---[17]---19---
-----------------------------------------14---15---17---------------------------
----------------------12---[15]---17---------------------------------------------
----12---13----15---------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------19---21---22---24---
----------------------------------------------------19---21---[22]---24--------------------------
----------------------------(17)---19---20---22--------------------------------------------------
---17---18----[19]---21--------------------------------------------------------------------------


That is based on your first 4 fret spread pattern (1 finger per fret, with minimal shifts), pattern recognition (the way our brain actually works), and then simply mirroring octaves.
Click to expand...
Your second example has a Bb down low on the E string.
 
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#18
HolmeBass said:
Your second example has a Bb down low on the E string.
Click to expand...
Thank you for spotting that.

Yeah, that is a typo, the 17 18 [19] 21 on the low E string on the last tab, should obviously had been 17 18 [20] 22.

So last tab should actually look like this:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------19---21---22---24---
----------------------------------------------------19---21---[22]---24--------------------------
----------------------------(17)---19---20---22--------------------------------------------------
---17---18----[20]---22--------------------------------------------------------------------------

But I might have messed up more, it's considerably easier to navigate with your fingers actually on the fretboard, than with abstract lines and numbers on a web page.

I don't really do covers, and compose/write my own music, so I rarely use notation or tabs, and therefor is not exactly fluent in neither reading or writing them.

And back when I was in original bands I have been fortunate to have pretty free hands with making up whatever I saw fit as well.

Also the way I play, create and understand music is primarily based on feeling, intuition, pattern recognition and relative pitch, so translating that into something concrete that can actually be communicated clearly other than actually doing and showing it is a bit flimsy for me.
 
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#19
Ritter667 said:
Thank you for spotting that.

Yeah, that is a typo, the 17 18 [19] 21 on the low E string on the last tab, should obviously had been 17 18 [20] 22.

So last tab should actually look like this:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------19---21---22---24---
----------------------------------------------------19---21---[22]---24--------------------------
----------------------------(17)---19---20---22--------------------------------------------------
---17---18----[20]---22--------------------------------------------------------------------------

But I might have messed up more, it's considerably easier to navigate with your fingers actually on the fretboard, than with abstract lines and numbers on a web page.

I don't really do covers, and compose/write my own music, so I rarely use notation or tabs, and therefor is not exactly fluent in neither reading or writing them.

And back when I was in original bands I have been fortunate to have pretty free hands with making up whatever I saw fit as well.

Also the way I play, create and understand music is primarily based on feeling, intuition, pattern recognition and relative pitch, so translating that into something concrete that can actually be communicated clearly other than actually doing and showing it is a bit flimsy for me.
Click to expand...
I was referring to the 6th fret on the E string on the second example, but yeah, figured it was a typo.

One thing that makes it easier: “up” and “down” are always referenced to pitch, rather than physical orientation. So going “up” the neck always means going up in pitch.
 
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