Fingerboard Visualization-Vertical Approach

ByJody

A few years ago, I did a scale on one string video. This turned out to be one of my more popular videos on YouTube.  Today I want to further elaborate on this vertical scale approach. It’s one of my daily practice routines.  The TAB is banjo TAB; however, it applies to guitar as well.  Just imagine the 6th string missing.

What we want to do is map out a scale on every single string up and down the fingerboard.  I won’t do the entire fingerboard, but enough for you to get the idea.

 

Suppose we have a C major scale:

C D E F G A B C

Vertical Scale Process

  • Laying the scale out on the 2nd string only.
  • Going up three notes in the scale, back down a note and then back up three. A SEQUENCE
c major scale on 2nd string of banjo

I start on the 1st fret of the 2nd string (C) and move up until I finish at the 13th fret (C an octave higher). It doesn’t really matter what left-hand fingering you use, just don’t use the same finger for each note.

Letter-wise, it looks something like this:

CDE DEF EFG and so forth.

The goal is to be able to do the pattern and then try to improvise along one string, randomly moving to different notes in the scale.

I didn’t come up with this practice technique. Jim Hall, one of my favorite guitarists, used to practice this. He went to greater lengths by tying rubber bands around the other strings so he couldn’t use them when improvising 🙂

Let’s continue with one more string, so you really get the idea here:

banjo tab of the C major scale on the 3rd string

This one is different, not only because I’m on a different string, but because I’m not starting on a C note. I’m starting on a G note. Remember, you do not have to start on a C note to be working out the C major scale for visualization purposes.

The 3rd string open is the lowest note on the 3rd string that is in the C major scale. The TAB ends at the 16th fret (B), but you can continue going until you can’t go any more (up to the 20th fret and beyond).

It is beyond the scope of a blog post to cover every single string and more keys. However, you would want to do this for all of the common keys you play in (G, C, D and possibly E to begin with).

If you want more information, please visit my PATREON. This month (1/2014) I’m covering this material and have a worksheet with all of the strings mapped out for C major.

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Professional musician and educator of 27 years. I've played Banjo and Acoustic Guitar on the stages of Carnegie Hall, The Grand Ole Opry, and The Ryman Auditorium. 4X winner of the Georgia State banjo and flatpick guitar competitions. My banjo playing was featured in the "A Waltons Thanksgiving" movie.

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