The Five Patterns

The five „patterns“ on the guitar represent five areas on the fretboard that can be identified by the locations of the roots. Scales are traditionally taught in this manner, but chords are often not. However, it is very important to also view chords in this manner because It helps set up a relationship between chords and scales. Of course there is already a connection between chords and scales through the Study of harmony and theory but it is best to also see physical connection on the guitar. The easier it becomes to see the roots related to a position, the easier it is to spot a chord as well as its arpeggio and its scale, all at once, this is a method of practicing and viewing the neck that greatly improves one's ability and combines three essential elements (chord, arpeggio, scale) into one routine that can be maintained as you learn new things. It breaks down the barriers between these three elements that sometimes have a tendency to be separated. Instead, we will see them as different interpretations of the same thing.

Three ways of viewing A7

By practicing in this manner you will be able to access mare choices for chord voicings and not be limited to last one or two voicings for a common chord type the major 7th, minor 7th, dominant 7th, etc.

Then your choice of which voicing you play will be based more on a musical concept rather than a surely physical reason.

Here are the five areas we call patterns, shown with С roots. These patterns are sectioned off by the octave shapes contained within them. Each root is shared between two positions. It is in this way they are connected.

Once these patterns are linked up, they remain connected in the same way regardless of what note the root happens to be. As you look at different roots, the first pattern will change to another position (fret) an the neck. but all other patterns will remain connected in the same relationship. The best way to see this is to do the „octave jump“ exercise which follows.

„Octave Jump“ Exercise

Play the roots of each pattern by „bouncing“ back and forth between them in a rhythmic way (keep a steady beat). After staying in one position for a little while and observing the pattern you are in, move up or down to the next pattern. Continue until you have gone through all five positions for one foot (C, for example) then switch the root to a new note and go up or down for that root. Do this on at least three roots everyday for three minutes for every practice session for one month. Change the three roots everyday. It is best to always start the exercise from the lowest pattern on the neck for the root you are looking at (i.e., C's lowest pattern is pattern 1, F's lowest pattern is pattern 4).

Let's take a look at the five patterns and the major triads contained therein.

Each diagram starts at the „shared“ fret indicated by the equals (=) sign. Notice the shared root at the fret indicated! These five patterns show D major. (C major involves open strings in pattern 1 so we raised it to D major.)

Here are the five patterns with their minor triads:

Cycle of Fourths Exercise

The exercise below uses all five patterns with the chords rising through the cycle of fourths. The cycle of fourths (and fifths) should be committed to memory because most songs use this cycle in their chord progressions, and because it will take you through all twelve keys (as does this exercise).

Play through the exercise with a quarter note on each chord. First use only major chord types; next: use only minor chord types; then try a combination of both. The exercise starts on С in pattern 1 (open position) and stops on С in pattern 1 (twelfth position), an octave higher.