*NEW:* I'm currently rolling out *Improv 101,* a step-by-step improvisation course for guitarists of _all ability levels_ (there are _no_ prerequisites other than being able to physically play single-note lines on your guitar). You can get early access on Patreon patreon.com/fretscience or learn more at fretscience.com/2024/10/25/fret-science-improv-101/ Fret Science is a new and robust method for understanding the fretboard (learning all of your scales, arpeggios, and chords) with _dramatically_ less memorization. And then using that knowledge to improvise and play freely in _any_ style of music. The core method for learning scales and chords is available _for free_ here on RUclips. If you're new to the channel, I invite you to check out the "Big Picture" video and recommended video viewing order here: ruclips.net/p/PLMuHlX9RiFi1L1RdC0CzYa1qxZllD5Ujz&si=cOp25GnXrL28rbLQ If you want to go deeper or interact with me directly, come join me on Patreon patreon.com/fretscience where I'm sharing exclusive new lessons, breaking down classic solos, and rolling out a new improvisation method that will help guitarists of _all ability levels_ learn to improvise confidently over chord changes in any style. You can also connect with me at fretscience.com or support my work with a donation at buymeacoffee.com/fretscience 🎸🧪🤘
Seriously... I watched so many people on RUclips to learn the scales, without success. After watching two of yours I suddenly unlocked the whole fratboard to play and improvise. So many thanks to you and your different approach on teaching scales and modes.
You're an absolute genius. This is undoubtely the best video i have ever watched on this topic. Straight to the point and the system showed is a game changer. At least for me. Thanks for this nugget!!!
Pardon me- I just wanted to say that as a guitar player/multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer of about 24 years (music journey started at 12), and now music teacher- I found these videos excellent. They’re helpful, very well-structured as lessons, even including a summary; that’s great teaching. Seen many great channels and lessons, but these seem great, especially for intermediate players looking to demystify some foundational concepts, shapes, relationships, etc., when we first start out. Excellent work, and thanks. The visualizations and the narration of the lesson really make these fantastic resources for guitar players, and those interested in aligning their theoretical mind with their technical understanding of the fretboard. ❤
The way you have visualized things at 6:20 onward and show how bright -> dark modes move from right to left (in the rectangle) and left to right (in the stack)... this is just amazingly simple. Had me easily finding and playing every special Phrygian note in seconds (my favorite mode #darkness). I'm basically using your video series as a re-learning of the guitar (being a hobbyist for ~20 years but never really understanding the fret board). Mad props for this.
Subbed. Watched all of your videos. Made my purchase of your bundle to support your channel. As a 60-yr old Mechanical Engineer, I love your systematic approach to teaching music. Thank you.
Jon Finn comes close to describing parts of this in his advanced rock improvisation book, but I’ve never seen the complete picture anywhere else. I think this may end up being my biggest contribution to guitar theory. 🎸🧪🤘
This is an absolute banger. When I started to learn how to play a guitar I was literally repelled by how poorly different courses are structured, and turned off by the amount of patterns, forms, shapes, chords etc. presented for memorization, without any in-depth explanations of underlying system. This video and other stuff from the channel made it clicked so well and suddenly everything makes perfect sense and I am truly enjoying the learning now.
This is such a great way of visualizing and explaining. I think even early to intermediate players understand the concept of "brightness" and how it is conveyed through scale choice. But this is helpful to really understand it in a practical sense. Every player should subscribe to this channel
This channel is really unique and you introduce a lot of really powerful ways of visualizing things that are more powerful than the typical way that guitarists memorize shapes on the fretboard.
That's just beautiful. My understanding of the guitar neck has been improving much more quickly since I started paying attention to the patterns you've been showing us!
Your videos have been incredibly helpful to my fretboard navigation for both solo and rhythm playing. I already knew all minor and major triads and the 5 pentatonic boxes but for a long while had difficulty linking the two. The rectangle and stack patterns are such simple yet powerful concepts that instantly became my primary tool to find my way around the fretboard. I had also developed a half-baked intuition of how to add notes to pentatonic boxes to make some modes but your visualization make it much easier to understand and apply to all shapes. Keep these coming please! I appreciate the work you put into making these lessons 🙏
Great system to expand understanding of intervals, scales and modes. I been working on this for a couple of years now, and find it a difficult topic on the guitar. It will be in my practise rutines further on.😊
man, i am self teached and developed my own way to follow the music using the pentatonic, i was using a lot the moving square method, adding here and there the minor and major, i did understand somehow that I could play using the same pattern moved here and there to get other modes as well, ...... but looking at yr simple easy and clear pattern explanation opens my mind and help me out understanding the magic of the fretboard that I was only guessing!... and with only few video of clear explanation! ... best method ever to go deep in the modes and scale relation... thanks a lot!!!
I’ve watched countless vidoes about scales, arpeggio etc. I thought that I need to memorize a bunch of things and didn’t not get it. Fortunately, your vidoes saved my life❤
This is really, really good. I was taught scales and notes and modes the ,"old" way - key signatures and where the notes are on the fret board. This confirms my own opinion is the pentatonic scales is the most important scale to learn on guitar as do much spins off from it. In 45 years of playing this is a great instructional video that will help so many. It may help to point out more that if form 1 is used at the 5th fret, the minor modes relate to A. Whereas the major modes in this position relate to C. Ie A Dorian and C Lydian have the same notes. I am now watching the rest of your content😊.
Thanks! I haven’t made videos for them yet, but I have detailed lessons on Patreon showing how this approach to the pentatonic scale also dramatically simplifies 3-octave arpeggios and the harmonic and melodic minor scales
Excellent! I’ve not seen this approach before. Your video will be a massive help to many guitarists. I will certainly be using this with students (when I’ve fully got to grips with it myself lol). I think many of us use elements of your system without realising, but to see it put together the way you’ve done it (both visually, and the dialogue), is first class.
Your concepts are game- changers for me and helped simplified how I look at the chord tones as well. I already knew all the pentatonic shapes so the rectangle and the stack concept just made it super easy to identify where the 3rd 5th 7ths and roots are just based on where they fall in the rectangle or stack. Then there’s the easy way now to seamlessly jump between major and minor pentagon . And then this just takes it to another level. Thank you for this amazing content 🙏🙏
What i like about this concept is the fact it breaks down the thing into little chunks of notes (rectangle/stack) with "logical pattern" that can easily be memorized and apply to any penta form. This is great. Just found out about your channel and watched 3 videos of yours (for now), awesome teacher. +1 sub
And once again you opened a new door to a whole new world of melodies to be explored just like that. I've been playing guitar for 15 years now and never dared set a foot in the world of modes. It all just seemed so complicated and so much to learn off by heart. You and your approach to it made it look easy so I risked playing along to Blue Bossa (a track I usually play the pentatonic to) this time using the Aeolian mode and boom! there I was like Alice in Wonderland! Thanks so much for your work! Bought you another coffee!
I say man, you're the best! I love your videos. And i think the rectangle and stack method is a great way to think of scales. Makes it easier to just create the scales intead of memorizing five forms of 6 scales. That would give 30 different forms. Tried to learn it that way and it didn't take me anywhere. I think the rectangle and stack method will finally unlock the modes for me
Again the best integration of pentatonics ever made, cannot understand why is not the standard way to learn. Compliments! Addons u could do: how to move horizontally with modes? How can we integrate this method with chords? Suggestions for improvisation..
Thanks! Improvisation is coming soon in upcoming videos, and horizontal movement with modes is covered by my 3nps video. For integration with chords, check out my CAGED/triads video as a starting point. More on that topic soon as well. Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
I love your videos! It gave me a chuckle when you addressed locrian. I had wondered how that fit in the major and minor modes and you're right it was odd. I was literally working on just this idea earlier today. to see how the fills of the rectangle affect the stack when drawing out the other modes. I'm certainly adding this to my practice schedule for the next month. A little more root, 3rds and 5ths locating and this tool and I feel I'll be pretty great for moving around the fretboard. Any plans to address pattern translation for melodic minor and harmonic minor scales? Edit: I forgot to add that my soloing because of this system has gotten so much more fun!
Thanks, Daniel…I’ll likely get to the melodic and harmonic minor scales eventually, but I have several other topics I want to cover first, so stay tuned! 🎸🧪🤘
Excellent video 👍. As a bass player who only occasionally picks up the guitar, I simplify the G-B thing by relating the B string to the E string like on a five-string bass.
What about the additional pattern where you have the two extra notes staggered but in the other direction relative to the stack (bottom left + top right) and rectangle (top left + bottom right)?
Good question! That pattern does not occur in the modes of the major scale. It would make different scales depending on which note you’d consider the root, but I don’t think any of them are used in practice. Might be fun to mess around with though 😊🎸🧪🤘
Can you create a system like this about when to use them? Almost like a cheat sheet for which chords and progressions work best with each mode...maybe it is not as cut and dry but even laying some ground rules would bring it all together...Thank you, this is great!
This mental model, more than anything else, is what led to the biggest breakthroughs in my playing, and it definitely helped develop my ear as well. Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
Locrian has its place, and I was being glib, but if you apply the Pareto principle, it is most definitely not in the 20% of things to learn that get you 80% of the results. 🤣🎸🧪🤘
Excellent! I have one suggestion and I hope I can share it properly. Put the Major mode and the minor mode shape side by side. Example not correct: the major mixolydian mode shape and the minor Dorian mode shape are the same. Just another way of memorizing when you are in either major or minor key and what 2 shapes are the same for each major or minor. This probably makes no sense only because I am not explaining it correctly. Anyway thanks for this video.
New subscriber here, love the way you think and teach about guitar, can you tell me what tools you use to make these freboard visualization graphics? I would like to start making those so I can print them out and make notebooks for myself. thanks
Glad you’re finding them helpful! I wrote a custom Python library to generate most of the diagrams, but that’s not in state where it would be usable by others. The animations are done in Keynote with heavy and sometimes nuanced use of “magic move”.
@@fretscience haha, that's exactly what I'm looking at doing, with python. any clues on which python libraries might be helpful? I mean, for dependencies
@roberthanson3789 I’m using matplotlib and PIL. Nothing fancy…just ~1000 lines of code that has had requirements changes every few weeks for the past two years, so it ain’t pretty. It’s making my content-creation faster, but I can’t afford the time to refactor it at this point, and I’m confident that no one else could figure out how to use it in its current state 🤣
Thank you for the breakthrough education. I'm anticipating the book about to be published. All my useless manuals should be trashed ( or recycled). 🎸🎵🎶🐻
Question here! First, thank you for all of this! Like others in the comments, I have been trying to understand scales, modes, triads, etc. for a while now with the help of RUclips videos and after a couple of your videos, things are really starting to make sense. My question is regarding Forms 1-5 of the Major and Minor Pentatonic Patterns you show throughout this video (and others). It seems like the Forms should be in the order of: Form 1, Form 4, Form 2, Form 5 and then Form 3. Is there a reason for the Form being in the order you have them? If so, can you explain a bit? Again, thank you so much for your explanations!
I’m not sure if the forms truly have a universal naming convention. I numbered them starting from #1 being the first one most people learn, and then moving in order up the neck to higher frets. The numbers are definitely not important, but you *can* use them to remember how the patterns connect together horizontally. 🎸🧪🤘
No problem…this channel is still at a scale where I can read every comment, and answering questions helps me make future videos more clear. I’m glad you asked! 🎸🧪🤘
can someone tell me where those numbers b3 b7 amd 1 to 6 are for.. in 5:00 .. the b7, its not fets? because b7 fret isnt anything.. and whats it then because minor major are the same exept the numbers on it.. and i guess its not frets because of the b7 and b3.. im beginner since 2 weeks and see alot of such videos but cant make anything out of it yet.
Those are the names of intervals relative to the root note of the scale. We hear the pitches of notes as relative to a home pitch, so those interval names correspond to how those notes sound to us in that context, and that’s what makes them worth knowing. All of these topics are intermediate-level, so they may not be useful to you yet if you’re just starting out.
I feel like most people teach you to drive up and down the road multiple times to commit to memory on what leads where, by landmarks. But this... Oh, THIS... teaches you how to read the road signs, and to play the lights at every intersection.
It's this. Always in this pattern. Always in this order. And it repeats. You can start on any string, at any point, and it will run from bottom to top and repeat. 5 - 6 - 7 (repeats, bottom to top) 2 - 34 6 - 71 34 - 5 (showing the B string shift here) 71 - 2 4 - 5 - 6 1 - 2 - 3 5 - 6 - 7 And these scale degrees fit into the "rectangles" and "stacks". Modes just start on their respective numbers (1 Ionian, 2 Dorian, 3 Phrygian, 4 Lydian, 5 Mixolydian, 6 Aeolian, 7 Locrian which doesn't suck). It's there to be found.
And yet it’s rarely taught that way. My 3nps video (coming soon) will cover what you just described. It’s still very useful (from a “making music” perspective) to be able to see the pentatonic scales inside the “universal pattern”. There’s a ton of value in knowing multiple ways to approach the subject 🎸🧪🤘
“Cheating” is memorizing 2 concepts: (1) learn “stock” arpeggio pattern for any key in at least 3 spots (1-3-5 of chord on E strings) and 2) memorize where the 2 and 6 fit in each of those 3 arpeggio shapes. Then (3) bend the 2 or 6 either half or whole tone to fit what you want (flat 3rd, maj 3rd, flat 7th or tone and a half to the 1) - remembering the first note you want to set the “mode”. Blues players change up major/minor easily that way. Not perfect but many do it.
When you look at how this video fits into my more complete method for understanding the fretboard, there ends up being little need to memorize arpeggio patterns...they're become a natural consequence of your understanding of the fretboard. There are almost as many paths to becoming fluent as there are fluent players. Not every approach works, but there are definitely multiple ways to crack this nut.
Ok so let me elaborate. The minor Phrygian mode - position 1 is the same as the major Mixilydian mode position 1. Seeing all 5 of these side by side would be an awesome way to memorize it. I guess I can just go back and forth and match them up but I thought your audience would like to see you have it at the end. Thanks again. Bob
I understand what you’re saying. I have found that focusing on the rectangle and stack sub-shapes makes for dramatically less memorization, so the diagrams I show starting around 6:04 are meant to accomplish what you’re suggesting. All of that’s on one page in the PDF cheat sheet.
What is also easy : if you play major pentatonic and shift the shape 2 frets down you are in mixolydian territory (fe C maj shape to G minor shape => C mixolydian). If you play minor pentatonic shape and shift 2 frets up you are in dorian territory. (fe A min to B min shape => A dorian). No need to learn extended shapes and just use pentatonic shapes.
Both approaches have their uses. It would be very hard to play many melodic sequences using the approach you’ve described (e.g., descending in fours), but it is a good way to give a modal flavor to a mostly pentatonic line. I plan to do a future video on the approach you’re describing, and I recommend learning both ways since each is useful in different situations. 🎸🧪🤘
@@hectorvelazcoh It is a trick a learned long ago from another guitarist. I try to keep things very simple and this works for me, since I only play dorian and mixolydian once in a while. It is important you emphasise the target notes in the pentatonic shapes (flat 7 for mixolydian and raised 6 for dorian). I understand that the OP is going to make a video about this approach. I suggest you await this, because he will do a far better job in explaining than me. Another trick is if you are going for the maj7 sound, you can play the pentatonic of the 3rd degree to get in that territory. For example Cmaj7 => play E minor pentatonic. In this case however you do not get the root (C), but I tend to mix the two shapes when I am using one of these tricks.(C maj penta and G min penta for C mixolydian. A min penta and B min penta for A dorian. C maj penta and E min penta for Cmaj7 sounds. Important is to highlight the modes characteristic note (b7 mixo, #6 dorian, 7 maj7) Hope this makes a bit sense.
Nice and clean diagrams. Helpful, but comments such as "locrian sucks anyway" lead to misunderstood concepts un music. Like "tritone is the interval of the devil", "avoid notes are really meant to be avoided" or "disonant intervals are ugly"... Just a constructive comment. Great work.
I have been a doing this a while but I called it two plates and three pancakes, I’m weird. For me it was also crucial to know the triads it’s kind of like a true north for my brain.
its always funny to me that when i look at these videos that people say WOW this is so birlliant and awesome, while i sit here with10 years of guitar "noodling" and i understand nothing. i know all of the shapes i know the mode shapes i can soloe barely in it but i memorized it but when it comes to degrees and what is shown here IM OUTTTTTTTIEEEE
If you're new to the channel, I'd like to offer a warm welcome! To see how this video fits into the big picture of fretboard understanding, check out this overview video: ruclips.net/video/tpC115zjKiw/видео.html or download a FREE 12-page overview e-book: fretscience.myshopify.com/products/building-fretboard-fluency-the-big-picture-pdf-ebook Individual cheat sheets and a heavily discounted bundle are available for purchase at: fretscience.myshopify.com 🎸🧪🤘
Feel free to ask any questions you have about it. It’s not as complex as it seems at first. You may need to watch ruclips.net/video/bFvTVnhmFfE/видео.htmlsi=DBiMa4oTnR2Du3t6 or ruclips.net/video/wzWE0dpxnmY/видео.htmlsi=mo0eoRahvRYsNQI5 for context. If you want to learn the modes across the fretboard efficiently, it’s well worth it.
I don’t think you’ll find anything simpler than this, unless straight up memorizing all the patterns is “basic”…for me, it’s all the memorizing that makes my eyes glaze over 🤣
That shapes are orribile for your picking hand…The picking is inconsistent and it’s not helping the right hand for alternate picking or economy picking. Old school 3 notes per strings shapes are the best
It’s incredibly helpful to learn both ways of playing these scales, and if you can’t pick flexibly, you’re neglecting important aspects of technique. On the other hand, if all you care about is shredding, then go for it, but this is not the channel for you
i never comment on anything. BUt holy moly this is good! This mixed with Pentatonic vid and the Video from 'Buikld a better guitar scale' ruclips.net/video/rQf6i8KIwJU/видео.html has opened up my guitar world! awesome job!
Thanks! My take on the 3NPS is similar to ‘build a better guitar scale’, but it integrates better with this “hidden in plain sight” method: ruclips.net/video/CkymnwBDN9o/видео.htmlsi=Zp4M0DsviHrRRlxI Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
*NEW:* I'm currently rolling out *Improv 101,* a step-by-step improvisation course for guitarists of _all ability levels_ (there are _no_ prerequisites other than being able to physically play single-note lines on your guitar). You can get early access on Patreon patreon.com/fretscience or learn more at fretscience.com/2024/10/25/fret-science-improv-101/
Fret Science is a new and robust method for understanding the fretboard (learning all of your scales, arpeggios, and chords) with _dramatically_ less memorization. And then using that knowledge to improvise and play freely in _any_ style of music.
The core method for learning scales and chords is available _for free_ here on RUclips. If you're new to the channel, I invite you to check out the "Big Picture" video and recommended video viewing order here: ruclips.net/p/PLMuHlX9RiFi1L1RdC0CzYa1qxZllD5Ujz&si=cOp25GnXrL28rbLQ
If you want to go deeper or interact with me directly, come join me on Patreon patreon.com/fretscience where I'm sharing exclusive new lessons, breaking down classic solos, and rolling out a new improvisation method that will help guitarists of _all ability levels_ learn to improvise confidently over chord changes in any style.
You can also connect with me at fretscience.com or support my work with a donation at buymeacoffee.com/fretscience
🎸🧪🤘
Seriously... I watched so many people on RUclips to learn the scales, without success.
After watching two of yours I suddenly unlocked the whole fratboard to play and improvise.
So many thanks to you and your different approach on teaching scales and modes.
It's responses like this that keep me going...cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
Me, too!!
I had such a complicated view of modes but I see it now.
I've never seen this explained this way. Brilliantly organized.
Thanks…glad it helped! 🎸🧪🤘
Bro my jaw dropped at the 6 minute mark. You are a genius!
Thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
This is really a brilliant system. It has helped me know where I am without memorizing a million different scales.
Much appreciated, Michael! 🎸🧪🤘
You're an absolute genius. This is undoubtely the best video i have ever watched on this topic. Straight to the point and the system showed is a game changer. At least for me. Thanks for this nugget!!!
I’m glad you’re finding it useful…thanks for your kind words! 🎸🧪🤘
Pardon me- I just wanted to say that as a guitar player/multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer of about 24 years (music journey started at 12), and now music teacher- I found these videos excellent. They’re helpful, very well-structured as lessons, even including a summary; that’s great teaching.
Seen many great channels and lessons, but these seem great, especially for intermediate players looking to demystify some foundational concepts, shapes, relationships, etc., when we first start out.
Excellent work, and thanks. The visualizations and the narration of the lesson really make these fantastic resources for guitar players, and those interested in aligning their theoretical mind with their technical understanding of the fretboard.
❤
Thanks for your kind words! 🎸🧪🤘
The way you have visualized things at 6:20 onward and show how bright -> dark modes move from right to left (in the rectangle) and left to right (in the stack)... this is just amazingly simple. Had me easily finding and playing every special Phrygian note in seconds (my favorite mode #darkness).
I'm basically using your video series as a re-learning of the guitar (being a hobbyist for ~20 years but never really understanding the fret board). Mad props for this.
Thanks...glad it was helpful. Figuring this out was definitely a watershed moment for my playing! 🎸🧪🤘
I really see the notes on the fretboard for the first time in decades now. Thank you!
I love this method…glad it connected with you! 🎸🧪🤘
Subbed. Watched all of your videos. Made my purchase of your bundle to support your channel. As a 60-yr old Mechanical Engineer, I love your systematic approach to teaching music. Thank you.
This is probably the most useful guitar theory video I have ever seen.
Thanks! This is the idea that launched the channel. I use it every day! 🎸🧪🤘
The first systematic description of scales on the guitar I know of. This is a game changer, thank you very much!
Jon Finn comes close to describing parts of this in his advanced rock improvisation book, but I’ve never seen the complete picture anywhere else. I think this may end up being my biggest contribution to guitar theory. 🎸🧪🤘
This is an absolute banger. When I started to learn how to play a guitar I was literally repelled by how poorly different courses are structured, and turned off by the amount of patterns, forms, shapes, chords etc. presented for memorization, without any in-depth explanations of underlying system. This video and other stuff from the channel made it clicked so well and suddenly everything makes perfect sense and I am truly enjoying the learning now.
Thanks! I get more mileage in my playing out of the material in this video than just about anything else I teach. It’s probably my favorite lesson 🎸🧪🤘
This is such a great way of visualizing and explaining. I think even early to intermediate players understand the concept of "brightness" and how it is conveyed through scale choice. But this is helpful to really understand it in a practical sense. Every player should subscribe to this channel
Thanks for your kind words, Joe! 🎸🧪🤘
Man I'm so happy I found your channel. This is by FAR the most useful and practical approach. Fantastic stuff man.
@Bordodai Thanks, much appreciated! 🎸🧪🤘
These videos are awesome, I am a beginner and this was a perfect way for me to learn how to navigate the fretboard
Great to hear…welcome aboard! 🎸🧪🤘
howwwwwwwwww can you be a beginner?????????????? i play for 10 years sadly self taught but howwwwwwwww
This is phenomenal discovery. Thanks for helping the world of guitarists. Love your work
Much appreciated, thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
This channel is really unique and you introduce a lot of really powerful ways of visualizing things that are more powerful than the typical way that guitarists memorize shapes on the fretboard.
Thanks, that’s greatly appreciated! 🎸🧪🤘
That's just beautiful. My understanding of the guitar neck has been improving much more quickly since I started paying attention to the patterns you've been showing us!
That’s awesome to hear, thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
He worked out what was going on and presented it with clear graphics. This is brilliant.
Thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
Your videos have been incredibly helpful to my fretboard navigation for both solo and rhythm playing. I already knew all minor and major triads and the 5 pentatonic boxes but for a long while had difficulty linking the two. The rectangle and stack patterns are such simple yet powerful concepts that instantly became my primary tool to find my way around the fretboard. I had also developed a half-baked intuition of how to add notes to pentatonic boxes to make some modes but your visualization make it much easier to understand and apply to all shapes. Keep these coming please! I appreciate the work you put into making these lessons 🙏
Much appreciated, Amir! 🎸🧪🤘
Great system to expand understanding of intervals, scales and modes. I been working on this for a couple of years now, and find it a difficult topic on the guitar. It will be in my practise rutines further on.😊
Glad it was helpful! 🎸🧪🤘
man, i am self teached and developed my own way to follow the music using the pentatonic, i was using a lot the moving square method, adding here and there the minor and major, i did understand somehow that I could play using the same pattern moved here and there to get other modes as well, ...... but looking at yr simple easy and clear pattern explanation opens my mind and help me out understanding the magic of the fretboard that I was only guessing!... and with only few video of clear explanation! ... best method ever to go deep in the modes and scale relation... thanks a lot!!!
Glad you liked it! 🎸🧪🤘
🔥Best mnemonics and infographics on the topic I've ever seen! Thank you! 🙏
Thank you for another great video. You make me look and learn outside the box and with ease.
Thanks so much, Anthony! 🎸🧪🤘
I’ve watched countless vidoes about scales, arpeggio etc. I thought that I need to memorize a bunch of things and didn’t not get it. Fortunately, your vidoes saved my life❤
Glad it helped! 🎸🧪🤘
This is really, really good. I was taught scales and notes and modes the ,"old" way - key signatures and where the notes are on the fret board. This confirms my own opinion is the pentatonic scales is the most important scale to learn on guitar as do much spins off from it.
In 45 years of playing this is a great instructional video that will help so many.
It may help to point out more that if form 1 is used at the 5th fret, the minor modes relate to A. Whereas the major modes in this position relate to C. Ie A Dorian and C Lydian have the same notes.
I am now
watching the rest of your content😊.
Thanks! I haven’t made videos for them yet, but I have detailed lessons on Patreon showing how this approach to the pentatonic scale also dramatically simplifies 3-octave arpeggios and the harmonic and melodic minor scales
This is amazingly well described, and the animations make it even better. Incredible work!
Much appreciated, thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
Excellent! I’ve not seen this approach before. Your video will be a massive help to many guitarists. I will certainly be using this with students (when I’ve fully got to grips with it myself lol). I think many of us use elements of your system without realising, but to see it put together the way you’ve done it (both visually, and the dialogue), is first class.
Thanks, Russell…that’s much appreciated! 🎸🧪🤘
Your concepts are game- changers for me and helped simplified how I look at the chord tones as well. I already knew all the pentatonic shapes so the rectangle and the stack concept just made it super easy to identify where the 3rd 5th 7ths and roots are just based on where they fall in the rectangle or stack. Then there’s the easy way now to seamlessly jump between major and minor pentagon . And then this just takes it to another level. Thank you for this amazing content 🙏🙏
Much appreciated, Daniel! 🎸🧪🤘
What i like about this concept is the fact it breaks down the thing into little chunks of notes (rectangle/stack) with "logical pattern" that can easily be memorized and apply to any penta form. This is great. Just found out about your channel and watched 3 videos of yours (for now), awesome teacher. +1 sub
Glad to have you here, Jim…thanks for your kind words! 🎸🧪🤘
I absolutely love it. So brilliant! Glad you discovered it and shared here! Thank you very very much! Gold mine.
Much appreciated! 🎸🧪🤘
And once again you opened a new door to a whole new world of melodies to be explored just like that. I've been playing guitar for 15 years now and never dared set a foot in the world of modes. It all just seemed so complicated and so much to learn off by heart. You and your approach to it made it look easy so I risked playing along to Blue Bossa (a track I usually play the pentatonic to) this time using the Aeolian mode and boom! there I was like Alice in Wonderland! Thanks so much for your work! Bought you another coffee!
Much appreciated, thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
This is a unique system and I love it. Great job 🎉
Glad you like it! 🎸🧪🤘
This is amaaaazing! Thank you for doing the work!
It’s been almost a year since I figured this out and it still delights me every time I pick up a guitar 🤣🎸🧪🤘
This is genius!! Thank you so much!
Glad it was helpful! 🎸🧪🤘
I say man, you're the best! I love your videos. And i think the rectangle and stack method is a great way to think of scales. Makes it easier to just create the scales intead of memorizing five forms of 6 scales. That would give 30 different forms. Tried to learn it that way and it didn't take me anywhere. I think the rectangle and stack method will finally unlock the modes for me
Awesome, thank you! This method is what finally unlocked the modes for me, and I hope it does the same for you 🎸🧪🤘
Extremely helpful. Thank you for this.
Welcome back, Tom…glad it helped! 🎸🧪🤘
Brilliant work!
Thank you! Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
Superb. Nice one.
Thanks! 🎸🧪🤘
I've been using the rectange mode trick for 20 years or so, never messed with the stack trick, I'll try to incorporate that too.
Nice! 🎸🧪🤘
Another great video. Many thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it! 🎸🧪🤘
Wow! This was fantastic! Thanks for all you do!
Thanks, Vaughn…much appreciated! 🎸🧪🤘
Again the best integration of pentatonics ever made, cannot understand why is not the standard way to learn. Compliments!
Addons u could do: how to move horizontally with modes? How can we integrate this method with chords? Suggestions for improvisation..
Thanks! Improvisation is coming soon in upcoming videos, and horizontal movement with modes is covered by my 3nps video. For integration with chords, check out my CAGED/triads video as a starting point. More on that topic soon as well. Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
I love your videos! It gave me a chuckle when you addressed locrian. I had wondered how that fit in the major and minor modes and you're right it was odd.
I was literally working on just this idea earlier today. to see how the fills of the rectangle affect the stack when drawing out the other modes. I'm certainly adding this to my practice schedule for the next month. A little more root, 3rds and 5ths locating and this tool and I feel I'll be pretty great for moving around the fretboard.
Any plans to address pattern translation for melodic minor and harmonic minor scales?
Edit:
I forgot to add that my soloing because of this system has gotten so much more fun!
Thanks, Daniel…I’ll likely get to the melodic and harmonic minor scales eventually, but I have several other topics I want to cover first, so stay tuned! 🎸🧪🤘
Excellent video 👍. As a bass player who only occasionally picks up the guitar, I simplify the G-B thing by relating the B string to the E string like on a five-string bass.
That works! 🎸🧪🤘
What about the additional pattern where you have the two extra notes staggered but in the other direction relative to the stack (bottom left + top right) and rectangle (top left + bottom right)?
Good question! That pattern does not occur in the modes of the major scale. It would make different scales depending on which note you’d consider the root, but I don’t think any of them are used in practice. Might be fun to mess around with though 😊🎸🧪🤘
Awesome content. Great - and NOT overcomplicating this. Where was this when I was learning modes 25 year s ago?
Thanks so much! 🎸🧪🤘
Awesome job 👏
Thank you! Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
Can you create a system like this about when to use them? Almost like a cheat sheet for which chords and progressions work best with each mode...maybe it is not as cut and dry but even laying some ground rules would bring it all together...Thank you, this is great!
Great idea for a future video…or series! 🎸🧪🤘
this is awesome
Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
This is how I started working on my ear, shifting where the half steps lie. Cool to see I tied into theory.
This mental model, more than anything else, is what led to the biggest breakthroughs in my playing, and it definitely helped develop my ear as well. Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
Although still confusing for me at times, I am focused on learning the concepts and applying them. Thank you.
Let me know if you have any specific questions…I want to make this material as clear as possible! 🎸🧪🤘
I agree with yol this is NOT over complicated....you have this on LOCK!! thanks! I bought ALL your cheatsheets thanks ALOT!
Much appreciated! And there’s more coming soon…🎸🧪🤘
This is exactly how I figured out how to play modes, but very few teachers teach it like this... 👍
I've seen the "rectangle" part taught by a few teachers, but I've never seen the "stack" part anywhere else--and that was the game-changer for me! 🎸🧪🤘
lol 1:52 is what i think bout locrian as a prebeginner. Surely very beautiful concept but eh out of storage to keep in mind at this point
Locrian has its place, and I was being glib, but if you apply the Pareto principle, it is most definitely not in the 20% of things to learn that get you 80% of the results. 🤣🎸🧪🤘
@@fretscience haha love ur humor, sir. Thank u for the motivation 🤘
Hi, awesome information
Can i apply this to the bass guitar, 4/5 string
Yes, absolutely…just ignore the discussion of “the warp” since your strings are all tuned in 4ths 🎸🧪🤘
Excellent! I have one suggestion and I hope I can share it properly. Put the Major mode and the minor mode shape side by side. Example not correct: the major mixolydian mode shape and the minor Dorian mode shape are the same. Just another way of memorizing when you are in either major or minor key and what 2 shapes are the same for each major or minor. This probably makes no sense only because I am not explaining it correctly. Anyway thanks for this video.
New subscriber here, love the way you think and teach about guitar, can you tell me what tools you use to make these freboard visualization graphics? I would like to start making those so I can print them out and make notebooks for myself. thanks
Glad you’re finding them helpful! I wrote a custom Python library to generate most of the diagrams, but that’s not in state where it would be usable by others. The animations are done in Keynote with heavy and sometimes nuanced use of “magic move”.
@@fretscience haha, that's exactly what I'm looking at doing, with python. any clues on which python libraries might be helpful? I mean, for dependencies
@roberthanson3789 I’m using matplotlib and PIL. Nothing fancy…just ~1000 lines of code that has had requirements changes every few weeks for the past two years, so it ain’t pretty. It’s making my content-creation faster, but I can’t afford the time to refactor it at this point, and I’m confident that no one else could figure out how to use it in its current state 🤣
Thank you for the breakthrough education. I'm anticipating the book about to be published. All my useless manuals should be trashed ( or recycled).
🎸🎵🎶🐻
It may be awhile before I get the book together, so don’t do anything rash 🤣🎸🧪🤘
Question here! First, thank you for all of this! Like others in the comments, I have been trying to understand scales, modes, triads, etc. for a while now with the help of RUclips videos and after a couple of your videos, things are really starting to make sense.
My question is regarding Forms 1-5 of the Major and Minor Pentatonic Patterns you show throughout this video (and others). It seems like the Forms should be in the order of: Form 1, Form 4, Form 2, Form 5 and then Form 3. Is there a reason for the Form being in the order you have them? If so, can you explain a bit?
Again, thank you so much for your explanations!
I’m not sure if the forms truly have a universal naming convention. I numbered them starting from #1 being the first one most people learn, and then moving in order up the neck to higher frets. The numbers are definitely not important, but you *can* use them to remember how the patterns connect together horizontally. 🎸🧪🤘
@@fretscience Fantastic, thank you. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I appreciate you taking the time to respond! 🙂
No problem…this channel is still at a scale where I can read every comment, and answering questions helps me make future videos more clear. I’m glad you asked! 🎸🧪🤘
can someone tell me where those numbers b3 b7 amd 1 to 6 are for.. in 5:00 ..
the b7, its not fets? because b7 fret isnt anything.. and whats it then because minor major are the same exept the numbers on it.. and i guess its not frets because of the b7 and b3..
im beginner since 2 weeks and see alot of such videos but cant make anything out of it yet.
Those are the names of intervals relative to the root note of the scale. We hear the pitches of notes as relative to a home pitch, so those interval names correspond to how those notes sound to us in that context, and that’s what makes them worth knowing. All of these topics are intermediate-level, so they may not be useful to you yet if you’re just starting out.
I’m a fret scientologist now. Thank you for your wisdom
If Jesus walked over to the b string from the g string, would he be warped as well? The answer: yes
I feel like most people teach you to drive up and down the road multiple times to commit to memory on what leads where, by landmarks. But this... Oh, THIS... teaches you how to read the road signs, and to play the lights at every intersection.
This is by far my favorite lesson for just that reason 🎸🧪🤘
It's this. Always in this pattern. Always in this order. And it repeats. You can start on any string, at any point, and it will run from bottom to top and repeat.
5 - 6 - 7 (repeats, bottom to top)
2 - 34
6 - 71
34 - 5 (showing the B string shift here)
71 - 2
4 - 5 - 6
1 - 2 - 3
5 - 6 - 7
And these scale degrees fit into the "rectangles" and "stacks". Modes just start on their respective numbers (1 Ionian, 2 Dorian, 3 Phrygian, 4 Lydian, 5 Mixolydian, 6 Aeolian, 7 Locrian which doesn't suck). It's there to be found.
And yet it’s rarely taught that way. My 3nps video (coming soon) will cover what you just described. It’s still very useful (from a “making music” perspective) to be able to see the pentatonic scales inside the “universal pattern”.
There’s a ton of value in knowing multiple ways to approach the subject 🎸🧪🤘
“Cheating” is memorizing 2 concepts: (1) learn “stock” arpeggio pattern for any key in at least 3 spots (1-3-5 of chord on E strings) and 2) memorize where the 2 and 6 fit in each of those 3 arpeggio shapes. Then (3) bend the 2 or 6 either half or whole tone to fit what you want (flat 3rd, maj 3rd, flat 7th or tone and a half to the 1) - remembering the first note you want to set the “mode”. Blues players change up major/minor easily that way. Not perfect but many do it.
When you look at how this video fits into my more complete method for understanding the fretboard, there ends up being little need to memorize arpeggio patterns...they're become a natural consequence of your understanding of the fretboard. There are almost as many paths to becoming fluent as there are fluent players. Not every approach works, but there are definitely multiple ways to crack this nut.
I have a lot of ah ha moments because of your work. Thank you.
That’s exactly what I like to hear! 🎸🧪🤘
10/10.
Thanks, Sid! 🎸🧪🤘
Ok so let me elaborate. The minor Phrygian mode - position 1 is the same as the major Mixilydian mode position 1. Seeing all 5 of these side by side would be an awesome way to memorize it. I guess I can just go back and forth and match them up but I thought your audience would like to see you have it at the end. Thanks again. Bob
I understand what you’re saying. I have found that focusing on the rectangle and stack sub-shapes makes for dramatically less memorization, so the diagrams I show starting around 6:04 are meant to accomplish what you’re suggesting. All of that’s on one page in the PDF cheat sheet.
What is also easy : if you play major pentatonic and shift the shape 2 frets down you are in mixolydian territory (fe C maj shape to G minor shape => C mixolydian). If you play minor pentatonic shape and shift 2 frets up you are in dorian territory. (fe A min to B min shape => A dorian). No need to learn extended shapes and just use pentatonic shapes.
Both approaches have their uses. It would be very hard to play many melodic sequences using the approach you’ve described (e.g., descending in fours), but it is a good way to give a modal flavor to a mostly pentatonic line. I plan to do a future video on the approach you’re describing, and I recommend learning both ways since each is useful in different situations. 🎸🧪🤘
Hi @henkhenk4357 where can I find more information about you approach?? I found it interesting
@@hectorvelazcoh It is a trick a learned long ago from another guitarist. I try to keep things very simple and this works for me, since I only play dorian and mixolydian once in a while. It is important you emphasise the target notes in the pentatonic shapes (flat 7 for mixolydian and raised 6 for dorian). I understand that the OP is going to make a video about this approach. I suggest you await this, because he will do a far better job in explaining than me.
Another trick is if you are going for the maj7 sound, you can play the pentatonic of the 3rd degree to get in that territory. For example Cmaj7 => play E minor pentatonic. In this case however you do not get the root (C), but I tend to mix the two shapes when I am using one of these tricks.(C maj penta and G min penta for C mixolydian. A min penta and B min penta for A dorian. C maj penta and E min penta for Cmaj7 sounds. Important is to highlight the modes characteristic note (b7 mixo, #6 dorian, 7 maj7) Hope this makes a bit sense.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Nice and clean diagrams. Helpful, but comments such as "locrian sucks anyway" lead to misunderstood concepts un music. Like "tritone is the interval of the devil", "avoid notes are really meant to be avoided" or "disonant intervals are ugly"...
Just a constructive comment. Great work.
I did say that line with dripping sarcasm, for what it’s worth 🤣
@@fretscience I thought so, but humour in this style of video takes me by surprise!
Fair enough!
I have been a doing this a while but I called it two plates and three pancakes, I’m weird. For me it was also crucial to know the triads it’s kind of like a true north for my brain.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, you may find my video on Triads and the CAGED system helpful as well ruclips.net/video/W4ZeaKoynv4/видео.html 🎸🧪🤘
@@fretscience thank you! your channel is beyond brilliant!
Much appreciated…glad you’re finding it helpful! 🎸🧪🤘
Lovely(:
Thanks, Nate! 🎸🧪🤘
its always funny to me that when i look at these videos that people say WOW this is so birlliant and awesome, while i sit here with10 years of guitar "noodling" and i understand nothing.
i know all of the shapes i know the mode shapes i can soloe barely in it but i memorized it but when it comes to degrees and what is shown here IM OUTTTTTTTIEEEE
Good luck with that 🤣
This is the only way I’ve ever understood modes
It’s certainly the most musically-useful way I’ve found for understanding and playing them…cheers! 🎸🧪🤘
If you're new to the channel, I'd like to offer a warm welcome!
To see how this video fits into the big picture of fretboard understanding, check out this overview video: ruclips.net/video/tpC115zjKiw/видео.html
or download a FREE 12-page overview e-book: fretscience.myshopify.com/products/building-fretboard-fluency-the-big-picture-pdf-ebook
Individual cheat sheets and a heavily discounted bundle are available for purchase at: fretscience.myshopify.com
🎸🧪🤘
wow im completely lost this feels like math class
Feel free to ask any questions you have about it. It’s not as complex as it seems at first. You may need to watch ruclips.net/video/bFvTVnhmFfE/видео.htmlsi=DBiMa4oTnR2Du3t6 or ruclips.net/video/wzWE0dpxnmY/видео.htmlsi=mo0eoRahvRYsNQI5 for context. If you want to learn the modes across the fretboard efficiently, it’s well worth it.
My eyes glaze over to quickly to really comprehend this system. Need something much more basic.
I don’t think you’ll find anything simpler than this, unless straight up memorizing all the patterns is “basic”…for me, it’s all the memorizing that makes my eyes glaze over 🤣
That shapes are orribile for your picking hand…The picking is inconsistent and it’s not helping the right hand for alternate picking or economy picking.
Old school 3 notes per strings shapes are the best
It’s incredibly helpful to learn both ways of playing these scales, and if you can’t pick flexibly, you’re neglecting important aspects of technique. On the other hand, if all you care about is shredding, then go for it, but this is not the channel for you
It might be logical for you, but not for me.
Please feel free to ask questions. I’d love to be able to help! 🎸🧪🤘
i never comment on anything. BUt holy moly this is good! This mixed with Pentatonic vid and the Video from 'Buikld a better guitar scale' ruclips.net/video/rQf6i8KIwJU/видео.html has opened up my guitar world!
awesome job!
Thanks! My take on the 3NPS is similar to ‘build a better guitar scale’, but it integrates better with this “hidden in plain sight” method: ruclips.net/video/CkymnwBDN9o/видео.htmlsi=Zp4M0DsviHrRRlxI
Cheers! 🎸🧪🤘