3-Octave Scale
The guitar's range is wide, spanning across more than three octaves.
This exercise is a 3-octave major scale beginning on the lowest "F" of the guitar.
Practicing the scale in this wide range will help you to start to see the notes on the guitar as one big connected piece as opposed to many unrelated parts.
You'll also start to get an understanding of when and how to shift positions. Shifting positions is very important if you want full control of the guitar neck, but it can be a bit disorienting at first. Practicing a scale in 3-octaves is a great way to get used to it.
F Major – 3 Octaves
Position Shifts
As you can see, in most cases there will be four notes per string. So to practice your scales this way, just play them with four notes per string.
Ascending – Lead With Your Pinky
On the ascending part of this pattern, your first finger will lead from the first F to the first G. But once arrived there, most position shifts will be made with the pinky. After playing "C D E" on the 5th string, your pinky can slide up to the F, and now you've changed positions again.
Descending – Lead With Your Index Finger
For the descending pattern, your first finger will lead the way all the way back down. It will initiate every position change by moving out of position and allowing the other fingers to follow.
Key Exercises
- Learn, memorize, and apply the scales.
- Use the scale in your own music or improvisation.
- Apply this concept to other scales. If you forget about trying to play all scales from low root to high root, you can play any scale in three octaves. For instance, you could play C major from Low E on the open string to high E on fret XII of the 1st string.
