Instant Guitarification

When learning a new subject, the human attention span generally, tends to exhaust by 17 minutes or less. If your mind starts to wander, it's most prudent to take a break, and resume study latter on.

Let's Just Get Right To It !

Following the first scale pattern below, which is distinct from the others and intended primarily for ascending and descending the fretboard, are three other scales, all of the same pattern. Each pattern has a related major and minor chord. Notice how the sound of those chords relate to the scale and each other by playing a chord, then some successive notes of the scale, followed by the other related chord. Every scale pattern and chord shape is repeated in other positions on the fretboard.

There could be considered to be three different pentatonic scales in five positions with fifteen inversions and seven different diatonic scale inversions in each of twelve keys, plus literally thousands of different chords with about as many various inversions of chords as each has notes. Much can be accomplished however, just by using any one inversion of a scale or chord and playing it in different positions, as exemplified below. By visualizing the fretboard this way, each pattern is interchangeable, thus enabling the player to become quickly familiar in any new position.

Use whatever fingering you like, but it's a good idea to practice with four fingers, one finger per fret. Slide up and down the fretboard to the nearest fret that might be outside of a boxed in, four fret grouping.

The chords are moveable barre type. The notes of the chords that are grouped behind the lowest fret of a particular inversion, are most easily depressed by the thumb side edge of the index finger. Experiment with the fingering of the other notes, to see what works best for you.