In this lesson, I’m going to show you the "Ultimate" number one scale shape for major and minor that you should do every day. This pattern will help to improve your phrasing, fix common lead guitar imbalances, improve your melodic performance when writing or improvising, and increase your fingerboard mobility... 




If there was one scale that you could be doing every single practice session, and even on your off days, then this would be it.

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For years now, I've been teaching my private students what I call the “Ultimate,” scale pattern for Major and Minor. It's just my nick-name for a scale that has a fantastic fingering layout and it can operate as either Major or Minor. Plus, with a little extra work it could be applied to all the modes as well.

The "Ultimate" Scale Pattern is a scale shape that covers a lot of ground and it’s so straight-forward to learn, that you could run this pattern through every single day, (in less than a minute), to master it on the neck, and if you did that - it will change your life.

How will it do that? Well, a lot of guitarists either don’t have the time or possibly the patience to learn all of the scales all over the neck, (because that level of practice is so incredibly time consuming to do).




However, "all in one" Ultimate scale shape is perfect for players who have limited time, but who still want to have an excellent 7-tone scale pattern, that generates really nice fingerings for lead guitar and functions as a full scale version covering the Major and Minor keys for playing /composing /improvising nice melody lines and solos.

What’s really great about this “Ultimate” scale pattern, (aside from its really nice fingering layout), is if you are a player who’s become bored with using the 5-tone Pentatonic scale then, this shape will introduce the full pattern of the complete 7-tone Major and Natural Minor with an excellent easy to memorize fret-board fingering layout.

Plus, as I stated earlier, you can re-organize the root notes and make this layout compatible for all of the Major Scale Modes as well.





MAJOR LAYOUT:
Let’s get things started with our initial layout of this scale pattern. We’re going to lay this shape out on the neck in the key of “C.” But, once you learn the scales root note locations you’ll be able to play this Major scale anywhere you want on the neck.

Major "Ultimate" Layout:
Key of “C” root located on the 5th string at the 3rd fret.



NOTE: The diagram shown above relates five (5) notes as the color green. Those "green notes" represent scale tones that are located under the root note. They’re still scale tones, just ones that are located in the lower register under the pitch of the root.





MINOR LAYOUT:
Next, let’s take a look at how this exact same scale shape (that we just learned), can easily become the Minor Scale.

The principle behind this is all based upon the application of what’s referred to in music as, “Relative Minor Scale Theory.” This is all related to the fact that every Major Scale shares the exact same notes as a related Minor Scale.

The only difference is, the specific tone that you decide to focus in on as the scales Root.

So, we’re going to perform our pattern again. Only this time, we’ll use the 6th note of the key of “C Major” as our Root, (which will give us an “A”), and again that’s because that 6th note of the key of “C” Major is the “Relative Minor” scale Root. So, here’s that pattern again, but this time performed as “A” Minor.

Minor "Ultimate" Layout:
Key of “C” root located on the 5th string at the 3rd fret.



START USING THIS PATTERN:
Now, that you understand how the “ULTIMATE” scale pattern operates on the neck. Take your time and practice the shape daily in several different keys.

Use a metronome to build your speed and consistency, while you pay attention to the location of the root note for major as well as, the root note for minor.

Also, be sure to practice the scale exactly as shown in the demonstrations. And, most importantly once you learn this pattern across the neck, put it into action by using it over chord progressions.

If you have a looper pedal, record a jam-track in a major key and also in a minor key. Then, practice making up melodies using the Ultimate scale shape.

That "jamming" style of approach will be the best way to thoroughly memorize the scale and it will also be how you’ll start being able to become fluid with it when it comes down to creating melody lines using the excellent fingering of the “Ultimate” scale pattern shape on the neck. 





CONCLUSION:
Well, I hope that you enjoyed this ultimate scale pattern... If you’d like to learn more about how to further develop your guitar playing - join my web-site as a free member and start taking a look at all of my “Guitar” Courses.

They cover a ton of specific information on improving general and advanced playing skill. And, I’ve got a wide assortment of lesson plans that all come with very detailed videos along with PDF worksheets that you can download and print out to start covering all kinds of; exercises, Music Theory, rhythm training and technical drills.

The lessons are all very well planned they’re easy to follow – and they work in a very organized way. To help you get better at playing guitar quickly and easily.





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