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The Ultimate Practical Scale GlossaryThe Coolest and Most Usable Scales and

Fingering Patterns for Blues, Rock and Metal

The Five Traditional Major and Minor Pentatonic Scale Fingering Patterns

Circled notes are the roots for using the patterns in Major. Notes with squares around them are for using the patterns in minor.

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The patterns are written where they occur on the fingerboard for A Minor and C Major.

When using these in different keys use the root locations to position the patterns on the correct fingerboard locations.

The Five Traditional Blues Scale Fingering Patterns

Notes with squares around them are the roots.


The patterns are written where they occur on the fingerboard for A Blues.


The Five Traditional Major and Minor Scale Fingering Patterns

Circled notes are the roots for using the patterns in Major. Notes with squares around them are for using the patterns in Minor.


The patterns are written where they occur on the fingerboard for A Minor and C Major.

When using these in different keys use the roots to locate the fingerboard position of the patterns.

The Seven Three Note Per String Major and Minor

Scale Fingering Patterns

Circled notes are the roots when using the patterns in Major. Notes with squares around them are for using the patterns in Minor.


When using these in different keys use the roots to position the patterns on the correct fingerboard locations.

7th

8th10th 12th

The Five Traditional Harmonic Minor Scale Fingering Patterns

Notes with squares around them are the roots for using the patterns in minor.


The patterns are written where they occur on the fingerboard for A Minor.


Two Suggested Three Note Per String Harmonic Minor Scale

Fingering Patterns

Notes with squares around them are the root locations for using the patterns as Harmonic Minor.The notes with the circles around them are for locating the patterns when using them as Phrygian Dominant.


When using these in different keys use the root lacations to position the patterns at the correct fingerboard locations.

These patterns are located where they occur for the key of A Minor and E Phrygian Dominant. (Phrygian Dominant is the fifth mode of Harmonic Minor, great for exotic and Spanish sounds).

The Five Traditional Melodic Minor Scale Fingering Patterns

Notes with squares around them are for using the patterns in minor.


The patterns are written where they occur on the fingerboard for A Minor.


Two Suggested Three Note Per String Melodic Minor Scale Fingering Patterns

Notes with squares around them are the root locations for using the patterns in Melodic Minor.The notes with the circles around them are for locating the patterns when using them as Lydian Dominant.


When using these in different keys use the roots to position the patterns at the correct fingerboard locations.

These patterns are located where they occur for the key of A Minor and D Lydian Dominant. (Lydian Dominant is the fourth mode of Harmonic Minor, it's great for jazzy and bluesy sounds over dominant chords).

The Diminished Scale and The Diminished 7th Arpeggio

A fingering pattern that keeps the notes close to one position on the neck.


All the Diminished examples on this page have "A" as the root. Because of their symetrical construction though, other notes could be the root as well. The two patterns on top are the Diminished scale, the two below are Diminished arpeggios.

This is a more popular type pattern because it maintains a symetrical shape up the neck. Notice that the same shape moves diagonally up the fingerboard, only adjusting for the B string.

A more popular type pattern maintaining a symetrical shape up the neck. Notice that the same shape moves diagonally up the fingerboard, only adjusting for the B string.


The Japanese Pentatonic

Scale

Notes with squares around them are the root locations for using the patterns as Minor. (Hint: use these for Natural Minor not Dorian, because these contain the Minor 6th.)


When using these in different keys use the root locations to position the patterns at the correct fingerboard locations.

The roots are circled for using this as a minor scale. You may find other modes of this scale interesting also.

My favorite pattern

The Whole Tone Scale


Because every note is a whole step apart any note could be the root.


A more popular pattern because it maintains a symetrical shape up the neck. Notice that the same shape moves diagonally up the fingerboard, only adjusting for the B string.

The Gypsy Minor Scale


This is also often called Hungarian Minor. By the way, this scale has the same notes as Harmonic Minor but it includes a raised 4th step.

The fingering pattern on the left is a popular pattern when the scale is used for minor. The pattern on the right is popular for one of its modes that I call Phrygian Major. Phrygian Major containes the same notes as Phrygian Dominant but it has a Major 7, giving it a very exotic sound.

Notes with squares around are the roots for using this as Gypsy Minor. Circles are the roots for Phrygian Major.

Good for Gypsy Minor.

Good for Phrygian Major.

The Enigmatic Scale


I included this scale because I heard Joe Satriani used it. Compared to the Major Scale the Enigmatic has a flatted 2nd and 3rd. It also includes a raised 4th, 5th and 6th. In this case the root A then Bb C, D#, E#, F#, G, G#. Very Freaky!

Staying close to one position

Hint for playing this diagonal scale pattern: think of this in separate octaves. Play A to G# then play A to G# in the next octave, etc.

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