Ok, on the guitar, there are five positions for the major scale and I am hunkering down on my newly created practice schedule and i want to master these. Both how to play, improvise, and talk about them(inother words, know how they work). Ok so here is my question. If you play the g major root 6 major scale positions starting at the 3rd fret on the 6th string, the fifth position ends up being the g major's relative minor key(e minor). WHY IS IT THAT THE RELATIVE MINOR KEY ENDS UP BEING FIFTH, AND NOT SIXTH IN THE POSITIONS? I ask this because, if you work out the modes for every major scale, natural minor(or aolian) is the 6th one, but when u play the boxes by changing the root note, it comes fifth. So what happened to locrian mode? wouldnt that have a major scale fingering in these patterns too? Also, lets just say that aeolian did come 6th in the boxes, would the one before it be mixolydian then? and the one before that lydian? an then phrygian and dorian? I'm confused about how all the theory on modes I've learned doesnt seem to play out on the fretboard as niceley as it does on paper. Please help me with this. It would make my studies much easier. Thank you.
Kyle
The meaning of life? I've never heard a simpler question! Music.
Ok, I'll give it a shot.
First, the five positions of the major scale aren't actually ALL the positions - it's just a memory device to help you learn the notes on the fretboard.
When you think in terms of modes, you're dealing with the major scale notes, but with a different root. If you play that G major scale of yours, the sixth note is E - that's where the Aeolian mode (or natural minor) starts. It's the sixth note in any scale position.
I'm just guessing here, but I think you're confusing the patterns you're learning with the scale tones - and that won't work, because you've only got five patterns, but there are seven notes in a major scale.
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I hate following Noatboat, 'cause the guy's a friggin musical dictionary.
I agree. I've seen some other guitarists get confused with that caged system. It's a good tool for learning but you gotta move on outta it eventually. For me, I started straying from it the day I started attemtping to learn modes. From that point on, I went to the 3 note per string, start on the 6th string root or tonal center of your mode.
That caged system works nicely for pentatonic shapes, but try the 3 note per string system. You'll find other ways of moving around the neck.
I also worked on a 4 note per string shape that I got from a Greg Howe video that works nicely.
But remember, these are only tools to help you get familiar with the fretboard. Your solo's shouldn't mirror them.
ok, I'm done. now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast.....
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