Play Scale Circles with Patterns 4 and 5

• How to “sew together” Major Scale Patterns 4 and 5 by using scale circles so you can increase your finger dexterity and “see” how the two patterns fit together on the fretboard for easier playing in your soloing and improvising

(video)

Do This → Action Steps ↓

1. Watch the entire video to get the “big picture” of how to play scale circles using major scale patterns 4 and 5 in both the clockwise and counterclockwise directions
2. Practice playing scale circles in the clockwise direction. Start at the beginning of Major Scale pattern 4. Play pattern 4 in ascending order until you reach the highest pitch note in pattern 4. Next, slide your pinky finger “up” in pitch to the highest pitch note in major scale pattern 5. Then play pattern 5 in reverse (in descending order) until you reach the lowest pitch note in pattern 5. Then, slide your first finger back down (2 frets away from your body) and repeat the scale circle beginning at the first note of pattern 4. Continue playing this clockwise scale circle SLOWLY AND CONSISTENTLY until you are reasonably comfortable, then move on to the next step.
3. Practice playing scale circles in the counterclockwise direction. Start at the beginning of Major Scale pattern 5. Play pattern 5 in ascending order until you reach the highest pitch note in pattern 5. Next, slide your pinky finger “down” in pitch to the highest pitch note in major scale pattern 4. Then play pattern 4 in reverse (in descending order) until you reach the lowest pitch note in pattern 4. Then, slide your first finger “up” (2 frets toward your body) and repeat the scale circle beginning at the first note of pattern 5. Continue playing this counterclockwise scale circle SLOWLY AND CONSISTENTLY until you are reasonably comfortable, then move on to the next step.
4. Practice improvising using Major scale pattern 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 – one at a time. Use one or several of the Ab backing tracks below. For example, spend a couple minutes improvising with pattern 1, then a couple minutes with pattern 2, then pattern 3, then 4, then 5. Nothing needs to be perfect! We’ll work more on this later. Just put the work in and have fun for now!

Backing Tracks

This group of backing tracks are played in the key of Ab. Since you will start Pattern 1 on the first fret for Ab, you should have plenty of fretboard real estate to practice all 5 patterns for as long as you are having fun.