Visualizing Scales from the Fifth String

Visualizing Scales with a Fifth String Root

Hopefully by now you can play two-octave forms for both the major scale and the minor scale, starting with the root on the 6^th string.

Some players struggle with knowing where to “jump in” with their scales. A classic sign of the novice (or perhaps intermediate) improviser is beginning the improvisation with the root note of the scale on the 6^th string, as if to say, “Hold on, everbody—I've got to review my scales first.”

Naturally, it’s better to be able to start an improvised section from any part of the scale rather than the root note on the 6^th string. And you can practice doing this simply by starting on the high E string and working backwards. You’ll likely find that the 6^th and 5^th strings play a minimal role in your improvisation, as the notes there are pretty low.

Let’s look at a few examples.

Improvisation in G major

If the first thing you think about is jumping to this G major scale, you’re not too far off track. The problem is the range is actually rather low for an improvised solo. This problem gets worse if you start from the root note on the 6^th string and play up. The next several notes of the scale are all bass notes, which typically don’t form a basis for the improvised solo.

The above scale gives little room for improvisation.

But what if you could start this scale on the 5^th string? Then you'd be in a more ideal range.

The scale pattern is the same, except for some adjustments that happen as a result of crossing over the b-string territory earlier than before.

Closer examination will reveal that this scale structure is actually a subset of the C Lydian mode pattern.

Of course you may already know that you could play a C Lydian pattern instead of a G major pattern. But you may not have realized that the two are so closely connected, and can be visualized in this simple way.

Playing the “G major scale from the 5^th string” and connecting it mentally to this mode box is key to being able to quickly shift your G major scale around multiple positions. Otherwise, you’ve got to stop and think about which mode shape corresponds to what key.

Key Tasks

• Practice this in several keys. Play C major starting from the 6^th string. Then play the same scale pattern starting from the 5^th string, adjusting when necessary for the b-string territory
• Repeat the exercise for other modes, such as the minor mode. Play an A minor mode, two octaves, from the 6^th string root. Now try to move that root to the 5^th string. What modal pattern does that overlap with?