Melodic Paterns for the Major Scale

What is a Melodic Pattern?

Melodic patterns are a grouping of notes, within a scale, repeated in a certain order and repeated in a pattern through the scale. The purpose of melodic patterns is to learn to use a scale for phrasing and improvising with the guitar.

In this lesson the G Major Scale will be used for each example of melodic patterns. The note pattern below the guitar tabs identifies the note's position in the scale.

The G Major Scale
e|---------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------|
D|----------------------2---4---5--|
A|----------2---3---5--------------|
E|--3---5--------------------------|
Note Pattern:
    1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8  

Melodic Pattern 1-2-3

This first melodic pattern, using the G major scale, is played starting on the root or first note. The pattern is played three notes at a time (1-2-3), and then the pattern is started over again on the second note of the scale (2-3-4). Next, starting on the the third note (3-4-5), and so on.

e|--------------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------2----2-4--2-4-5--|
A|------2----2-3--2-3-5--3-5----5-------------|
E|--3-5----5----------------------------------|
Note Pattern:
    1-2-3  2-3-4  3-4-5  4-5-6  5-6-7  6-7-8   

Melodic Pattern 1-2-3-4

This pattern is played the same way as above, but is played four notes at a time.

e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------2------2-4----2-4-5--|
A|------2-3----2-3-5--2-3-5----3-5------5--------|
E|--3-5------5-----------------------------------|
Note Pattern:
    1-2-3-4  2-3-4-5  3-4-5-6  4-5-6-7  5-6-7-8   

Melodic Pattern 1-3-2-4

This pattern skips over the notes in the sequence.

e|-----------------------------------------------|
B|-----------------------------------------------|
G|-----------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------2----2---4----4-2-5--|
A|----2---3----3-2-5--2-5-3----3---5----5--------|
E|--3---5----5-----------------------------------|
Note Pattern:
    1-3-2-4  2-4-3-5  3-5-4-6  4-6-5-7  5-7-6-8