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What's New
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Closed
Positions
Closed position scales are
the most difficult to play with accuracy and good tone at high speed. This is
because they consist of all closed moves, which results in a lot of bar
movement. However, if they are learned at any speed, they contribute
significantly to knowledge of the neck. If they are mastered, they are the most
useful of the scales, because they can be used in any key. Playing these
exercises well requires the ability to cleanly perform consecutive closed moves.
These exercises are probably the best way to acquire that skill. The following associates the
notes in the G scale with the positions I, IV, and V.
3rd
5th 7th
12th
6---+---7---1---
2---+---3---4---
3---4---+---5---+---6--- +---5---+---6---
7---1---+---2---
+---2---+---3---4---+--- 2---+---3---4---
5---+---6---+---
6---+---7---1---+---2--- 6---+---7---1---
2---+---3---4---
3---4---+---5---+---6--- +---5---+---6---
7---1---+---2---
+---2---+---3---4---+--- 2---+---3---4---
5---+---6---+---
6---+---7---1---+---2--- Notes associated with the IV
position are “behind the bar” (ie., at or below the 5th fret),
those associated with the V position are “in front of the bar” (7th fret), and those associated with
the I position are “on both sides of the
bar “ (12th fret). Exercises will be constructed for the following
sets of notes: I
Position:
all notes taken from behind the bar. IV
Position V
Position IV-V
Position: all
notes taken from the IV fret and V fret (except the 3rd ) For each of the above,
exercises will be described for which all the notes are within the position.
This will be done starting at each available root note, and starting upward and
downward on the scale, where that is possible. These exercises span less than
two octaves. Some two octave exercises are also described, which require at
least one position shift.
I
POSITION The key of D will be used to
describe scale exercises in the I position. In
front of the bar:
I 5th
7th
3---4---+---5---+---6--- +---2---+---3---4---+--- 6---+---7---1---+---2--- 3---4---+---5---+---6--- +---2---+---3---4---+--- 6---+---7---1---+---2---
D
E F# G A B
C# D E
F# G A B
A G
F# E D C# B
A G
F# E D
1
2 3 4 5
6 7
1 2 3
4 5
6 5
4 3 2
1 7
6 5 4
3 2
1 |
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| ----------------------------------7--9--7----------------------------------- ----------------------------7--8-----------8--7----------------------------- -------------------6--7--9-----------------------9--7--6-------------------- -------------7--9-----------------------------------------9--7-------------- -------7--8-----------------------------------------------------8--7-------- -7--9-----------------------------------------------------------------9--7—- Notice that the only note
that is taken from behind the bar is the 7th (C#). Closed Position I Scale -
from the root on the third string, starting upward: 1
2 3 4 5
6 5
4 3 2
1 7
6 5 4
3 2
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 1
-------------7--9--7-------------------------------------------------------- -------7--8-----------8--7-------------------------------------------------- -7--9-----------------------9--7--6-----------------------------------6--7-- -------------------------------------9--7-----------------------7--9-------- -------------------------------------------8--7-----------7--8-------------- -------------------------------------------------9--7--9-------------------- Closed Position I Scale -
from the root on the third string, starting downward: 1
7 6 5 4
3 2
1 2 3
4 5
6 7
1 2 3
4 5
6 5 4
3 2
1 -------------------------------------------------------7--9--7-------------- -------------------------------------------------7--8-----------8--7-------- -7--6-----------------------------------6--7--9-----------------------9--7-- -------9--7-----------------------7--9-------------------------------------- -------------8--7-----------7--8-------------------------------------------- -------------------9--7--9-------------------------------------------------- The following is a two
octave exercise that includes a 5 fret shift (7-12) from position I
to IV. D
E F# G A B
C# D E
F# G A
B C# D C# B A
G F# E
D C# B
A G F# E
D 1
2 3 4 5
6 7
1 2 3
4 5
6 7
1 7 6
5 4
3 2 1
7 6
5 4
3 2 1
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| ----------------------------------7-----11-12-11----7----------------------------------- ----------------------------7--8-----12----------12----8--7----------------------------- -------------------6--7--9-----------------------------------9--7--6-------------------- -------------7--9-----------------------------------------------------9--7-------------- -------7--8-----------------------------------------------------------------8--7-------- -7--9-----------------------------------------------------------------------------9--7-- Behind the bar:
I
5th 7th 3---4---+---5---+---6--- +---2---+---3---4---+--- 6---+---7---1---+---2--- 3---4---+---5---+---6--- +---2---+---3---4---+--- 6---+---7---1---+---2--- Closed Position I Scale -
from the root on the sixth string: D
E F# G A B
C# D E
F# G A G
F# E D
C# B A G
F# E D
C# D 1
2 3 4 5
6 7
1 2 3
4 5
4 3
2 1 7
6 5
4 3 2
1 7
1 |
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| -------------------------------5--7--5-------------------------------------- -------------------------5--7-----------7--5-------------------------------- ----------------4--6--7-----------------------7--6--4----------------------- ----------5--7-----------------------------------------7--5----------------- ----5--7-----------------------------------------------------7--5----------- -7-----------------------------------------------------------------7--6--7—- Closed Position I Scale -
from the root on the third string, starting upward: 1
2 3 4 5
4 3
2 1 7
6 5
4 3
2 1 7
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
1 ----------5--7--5----------------------------------------------------------- ----5--7-----------7--5----------------------------------------------------- -7-----------------------7--6--4-----------------------------------4--6--7-- ----------------------------------7--5-----------------------5--7----------- ----------------------------------------7--5-----------5--7----------------- ----------------------------------------------7--6--7----------------------- Closed Position I Scale -
from the root on the third string, starting upward: 1
7 6 5 4
3 2
1 7 1
2 3
4 5
6 7 1
2 3
4 5 4
3 2
1 ----------------------------------------------------------5--7--5----------- ----------------------------------------------------5--7-----------7--5----- -7--6--4-----------------------------------4--6--7-----------------------7-- ----------7--5-----------------------5--7----------------------------------- ----------------7--5-----------5--7----------------------------------------- ----------------------7--6--7-----------------------------------------------
IV
POSITION The key of G will be used to
describe scale exercises in the VI position.
3rd
5th 6---+---7---1--- +---5---+---6--- 2---+---3---4--- 6---+---7---1--- +---5---+---6--- 2---+---3---4--- Closed Position VI Scale -
from the root on the first string: G
F# E D
C B A G
F# E D
C B C
D E
F# G A B
C D
E F# G 1
7 6 5 4
3 2
1 7 6
5 4
3 4
5 6 7
1 2
3 4 5
6 7
1 |
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| -5--4-----------------------------------------------------------------4--5-- -------5--3-----------------------------------------------------3--5-------- -------------5--4--2-----------------------------------2--4--5-------------- ----------------------5--4-----------------------4--5----------------------- ----------------------------5--3-----------3--5----------------------------- ----------------------------------5--4--5----------------------------------- Closed Position VI Scale -
from the root on the fourth string, starting downward: 1
7 6 5 4
3 4
5 6 7
1 2
3 4
5 6 7
1 7
6 5 4
3 2
1 -------------------------------------------------4--5--4-------------------- -------------------------------------------3--5-----------5--3-------------- ----------------------------------2--4--5-----------------------5--4--2----- -5--4-----------------------4--5-----------------------------------------5-- -------5--3-----------3--5-------------------------------------------------- -------------5--4--5-------------------------------------------------------- Closed Position VI Scale -
from the root on the fourth string, starting upward: 1
2 3 4 5
6 7
1 7 6
5 4
3 2 1
7 6
5 4 3
4 5
6 7 1
-------------------4--5--4-------------------------------------------------- -------------3--5-----------5--3-------------------------------------------- ----2--4--5-----------------------5--4--2----------------------------------- -5-----------------------------------------5--4-----------------------4--5-- -------------------------------------------------5--3-----------3--5-------- -------------------------------------------------------5--4--5--------------
V
POSITION The key of G will be used to
describe scale exercises in the V position. V
7th
2---+---3---4--- 7---1---+---2--- 5---+---6---+--- 2---+---3---4--- 7---1---+---2--- 5---+---6---+--- Notice that the 2nd
is accessible at either the seventh or tenth fret. The exercises
presented use the 2nd from the seventh fret, but they can be varied
by using the tenth fret instead. In differing playing situations, either of
these approaches may be more convenient, so the ability to interchange them is desirable. Closed Position V Scale -
from the root on the second string, starting upward: G
A B A G
F# E D
C B A
G F# E
C E
F# G A B
C D
E F# G 1
2 3 2 1
7 6
5 4 3
2 1
7 6
5 6 7
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 1
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