Various Scale Patterns

(Use alternate picking at first and then try hammer-ons and pull-offs as appropriate)

Pattern One (Major or Natural Minor)

° 4 œ œœ
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ

4 7 7 9 7 9 10
4 7 7 9 7 9 10 7 9 10 9 10 10
¢⁄ 8 10
7 8
10
7 8 10 7 8 10 8 10 10

5
° œœœœœœœœ œœœ
& œ œœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ

7 9 10 7 9 7
10 9 10 7 9 10 7 9 10 7 9 7
¢⁄ 10 8 10 7 8 10
10
7 8 10
8 10
7 8

Pattern Two (Major or Natural Minor)

9
° œ
& œ œ œ œ# œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ

7 9
7 9 7 6 7 10 9 8 9 10 9 10
¢⁄ 8 7 8
7
10 9 10
8 7 6 7 10 8 7 8 10 9 10

13
° œœœœœ œœ
& #œ nœ#œ œ œ nœ#œ œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ#œ œ œ nœ œ œ
#œ nœ œ œ œ

9 7
10 9 10 9 8 9 7 6 7 10 9
¢⁄ 10 9 10 8 7 8 10 7 6 7 10
10 9 10
8
8 7 8
7

(etc..)
17 Pattern Three (Major or Natural Minor)
° œœœœœœœœ œœœœœœœœ œœœœ œœ
& œ œ œœœœœœœœ
(etc..)

5
6 8 6 5 8 6 5 6 5 5
7 7 5 7 5 4 7 5 4 5 4 4
7 7 5 7 5 7 5
¢⁄ 8 8
2

Pattern Four (Pentatonic) (etc..)

° œœœœœœœœ œœœ œœœœ

21

& œ œœœœœœœœ œœœœœ œœ

œ
(etc..)

8 5 5
8 5 8 5 8 5 5
7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 5
7 7 5 7 5 7 5 7
¢⁄ 7 7 5

Pattern Five (Pentatonic) (etc..)

25
° œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
& œ œ œœœœ œœœ œœœœ œ œœ œœ œ
œ œ

5 5 8
5 5 7 5 7 5 7 5
5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 5 7 7
¢⁄ 5 8
5 7
8
5 7 5 7 7

Practice the above scale patterns with a metronome and where necessary complete the patterns if required to from
the given notes/tablature. Begin by employing alternate picking and later experiment with additional approaches such
as hammer-ons and pull offs.

The patterns are written out in straight eighth notes for ease of reading, however experimenting with other rhythms is
highly recommended. These patterns could be played very easily as 16th notes or even played with some syncopation
for added rhythmic effect.

Strive for an even attack on each note of the patterns, and especially if you are combining regular alternate picking
technique with hammer-ons and pull-offs. The note volume should be a close to identical regardless of the playing
technique being used.

To further incorporate these patterns into your playing, try to finish the patterns with say a string bend and/or some
vibrato, which should make them sound less mechanical and more musical.

Finally, use some or all of these patterns with the accompanying backing track to give them a real-world context and
ensure you play them all in time with the track etc.

Many rock and fusion-influenced guitarists use the type of patterns in their playing, but often clevely disguised within
the regular melodic vocabulary. Using them in short bursts or in small parts is often far more effective than playing the
complete patterns in their entirety.

Above all experiment with them so that they become an integral part of your own melodic vocabularly and remember
to play them in other keys too.