03/09/2010 Jazz Guitar Scales : Positions Part Two

Welcome!
Jazz Guitar Scales :
- Positions Part Two -
Top Must-Know Positions
for Jazz Guitar
Learning :

Positions are the "meat and potatoes" of jazz guitar scales playing. Any
melodic idea can be analyzed and explained (on the fingerboard) as
belonging to one or more positions.

In this article series, we will look at the fundamental aspects of learning

the proper positions and fingerings for the most common jazz guitar
scales: major scale and melodic minor scale.

"Why just these two scales?"

Most of jazz music is derived from the major and melodic minor scales.
They are building blocks and these jazz guitar scales should be mastered
before attempting to learn more advanced scales.

And, of course, more advanced scales and modes are covered in other
articles on this website (or will be in the near future, I promise!)
Interact :
[Make sure you somewhat understand what the above mentioned scales
are and how they sound. Click on their names for theorical explanation.]

Jump to a page :

Positions Part 1 : How to Have Six Fingers and Control the Universe
Positions Part 2 : Top Must-Know Positions for Jazz Guitar
Look up : Positions Part 3 : Scales Polishing and Connecting

The "Starting String and Finger" System

Let's identify positions, not by fret (absolutely), but according to what

finger and string the first note is played on (relatively).
More :
"6th (string) - 2nd (finger)"

For example, "6-2" means that the first note of the position, also called
root, is played with the second finger on the sixth string. That relative
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location can be applied to any fret on the guitar.

For example, if we say "G major scale in 6-2" it implies three things:
[?] Subscribe 1. Play a G note as a root...
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2. ...with your second finger...
3. ...on the sixth string.

So "G major scale in 6-2" will have you place your 2nd finger on the 3rd
fret of the 6th string (G note).

One more Example : "Db major 5-1" woud be :

1. Db root...
2. ...with first finger...
3. ...on fifth string.

So you would use your 1st finger on the 4th fret of the 5th string to play
that Db root and start the scale from there.

Seven Most Common Positions

The following seven position are, to me and many other professional

guitarists, the most important. It's essential that you learn them in and
out if you want to master jazz guitar scales :

6-2
6-1
4-1
5-4
5-2
5-1
6-4

The fingerings with the same "finger number" are very similar (such as 6-2
and 5-2). It will help trememdously for memorization. More on that later...

It probably doesn't make any sense to you right now, but read on! Each
position is clearly explained (with tabs and diagram) below.

Demonstration : 7 Positions for the Major Scale

Let's play the above mentioned positions in G major. I like that key
because it lays well on the fretboard and the "string-finger" identifiers
makes sense.

We'll start low on the fingerboard (near the nut) and climb all the way up.
The positions will appear in the same order as they do on the bullet-list
above.

A quick technical note : make sure your thumb is behind the neck when

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practicing the scales. Make the palm your fretting hand as round as
possible (as if you were holding a grapefruit.)

Also make sure that you practice the jazz guitar scales positions
ascending and descending.

Ready?

GO!

6-2
G major

[To start : Use your 2nd finger on the 6th string to play the G root. In
that case, the root is a the third fret.]

No finger stretches are involved in 6-2.

6-1
G major

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Notice that there are three 1st finger stretches in 6-1. Do not move the
entire hand to play them. Simply reach for the notes with the index.

4-1
G major

This is basically the same as 6-1 but on a different set of strings. You may
notice that this diagram is incomplete. There is more notes to be played in
that position and we'll discuss it in the next article.

5-4
G major

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No finger stretches are involved in 5-4. This is also an "incomplete"

diagram since more notes could be played in the position.

5-2
G major

This is basically the same as 6-2 but on a different set of strings. Notice
that this diagram is also incomplete.

5-1
G major

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This is basically the same as 6-1 but on a different set of strings. Notice
that this diagram is also incomplete.

6-4
G major

And finally, our pinky stretch! 6-4 is very much related to 5-4 but has this
necessary stretch of the 4th finger.

How to Remember the 7 Positions of Major

Did you notice little things here and there? Similarities, recurring patterns
or inherent logic? Of course you did!

The seven jazz guitar scales positions divide into three families or
related fingerings :

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6-2 and 5-2
6-4 and 5-4
6-1, 5-1 and 4-1

In short, the finger you start on decides on the fingering to adopt... and
we're starting scales on either the 1st, 2nd or 4th finger, thus, 3 families.

So only three master fingerings

can be derived into seven positions.

You may have also noticed that...

Positions starting on the 6th strings are mostly "complete" in

themselves (covering almost the entire range of the fretting hand.)

Go on to the next article to find out how to fill-in the "missing notes" for
jazz guitar scales positions 4-1, 5-4, 5-2 and 5-1.

7 Positions of Melodic Minor Scale

That's my favorite part of the story! Without knowing it, if you learned the
seven positions of the major scale properly then you've also have
unlocked seven positions of the melodic minor scale!

How is that possible?

If you know a minimum of scale theory you know that there's only one
note difference between major and melodic minor :

The third!

So if C major is : C D E F G A B
...then C melodic minor is : C D Eb F G A B

In G, we'll simply change the B to a Bb.

All you have to do is go through the seven positions and change one
note. To help you, I made a chart of melodic minor scale diagrams...

Pay attention to the new finger stretches that occur!

Moving On

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