Minor Scales

Instead of going over exactly the same process again, which you should be familiar with at this point of the lesson, here I will list the seven 3 notes per string patterns for a minor scale.
I'll keep these as general patterns, as you know how to apply them to a scale and also how they fit together.

Pattern 1


Pattern 2


Pattern 3


Pattern 4


Pattern 5


Pattern 6


Pattern 7


Wait a minute…

You may have noticed that our major and minor scales share the same 7 patterns for 3 notes per string scales patterns.

Here it is laid out for comparison:


Modes

(for this section you will have to have first read through Andrew's mode lessons found here and here )

So let's recap a few things we've picked up about three notes per string scales; we build patterns starting from each note of a scale - also that the minor scale (Aeolian mode) shares the same patterns as the major scale (Ionian mode).

This screams out for us to use the modes to help us remember these patterns!

Instead of confusing ourselves with a pattern 1- 7 for each scale, we can instead name each pattern by the name of the mode built of the corresponding degree of the scale.

For example, the third mode of the major scale is Phrygian, so we can name the third three notes per string pattern of the major scale the Phrygian shape.

If we now move to Aeolian mode, the patterns are offset by 6 positions, so the fifth pattern of the Aeolian mode would also be the Phrygian shape - 5 + 6 = 11, we subtract 8 (since we went into a second octave) and we get 3, meaning the Phrygian shape, since Phrygian is the 3rd mode.

Similarly, we can use the Phrygian shape as the second pattern of the Dorian mode (The offset is 2 for Dorian, we are moving up 1 pattern, making 3 (2 + 1), in this case we don't go above the octave so don't need to subtract 8.

Now, you see that a little understanding of the modes has allowed us to use just 7 shapes to be able to cover the entire fretboard with all the modes of the major scale.

Now we've covered a fair bit of ground in this lesson, so to conclude here is each of the 7 three notes per string patterns named by their corresponding modes.

Ionian shape


Dorian shape


Phrygian shape


Lydian shape


Mixolydian shape


Aeolian shape


Locrian shape


That's all for now, take care guys.

Great job Deep
roots!

Thumbs up!

I name the shapes as well, but be careful!

The Dorian shape is giving you the Dorian mode if - and only if - the first note of that shape is the root note.

Keep that in mind!

Because the Dorian shape is also pattern one in the Ionian mode, and pattern four in the Aolian mode!

Very useful man!

Great lesson man, but I'd like to point out that saying stuff like "locrian figure" makes people think the modes is just a pattern, and not a modulated progression of notes.

Atleast it confused me when I started out

Thanks for your comments guys. Ofcourse- this is no lesson about modes. To avoid confusion and to make sure this lesson adds to previous knowledge (instead of confusing) then i added the links to Andrew's lessons.

The idea is to work down the list of lessons, so this shouldnt do any harm being after the modes lessons.

Is the Dorian shape correct? On the high E and B strings?

Great thread mate! this information is really important for improvising and composing.

It isn't Good spot, the second octave is incorrect .