Things to do

In addition to just learning the scale forms, here are a few other ideas that you can practice with these scales.

Because these scales have 3 notes on every string, it is really easy to play fast runs using hammer-ons and pull-offs. First try playing each scale form picking only once on every string, and using hammer-ons to play the other 2. For the rhythm you should play either 8th note triplets, or 16th note triplets. For 8th note triplets you are going to play 3 notes for every beat. For 16th note triplets you are going to play 6 notes for every beat.

Here is the Ionian form ascending using hammer-ons. Apply the same idea to all of the scale forms. For more info on how to read the tablature below, take a look a the "how to read Internet tablature lesson".

Fingering
    |
    1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4
E:--------------------------------5h7h8----
B:--------------------------5h7h8----------
G:--------------------4h5h7----------------
D:--------------4h5h7----------------------
A:--------3h5h7----------------------------
E:--3h5h7----------------------------------

Here is the Ionian form descending using pull-offs.

Fingering
    |
    4 3 1 4 3 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1
E:--8p7p5----------------------------------
B:--------8p7p5----------------------------
G:--------------7p5p4----------------------
D:--------------------7p5p4----------------
A:--------------------------7p5p3----------
E:--------------------------------7p5p3----

Try playing hammer-on combinations between 2 adjacent strings. You can play very fast runs like this with a little practice. Try other string combinations as well as the one used in the example below.

Fingering
    |
    1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E:-----------------------------------------
B:-----------------------------------------
G:--------4h5h7-------4h5h7--etc...--------
D:--4h5h7-------4h5h7----------------------
A:-----------------------------------------
E:-----------------------------------------

Practice pull-offs on combinations of 2 strings. Try other string combinations as well as the one used in the example below.

Fingering
    |
    4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1 4 2 1
E:-----------------------------------------
B:-----------------------------------------
G:--7p5p4-------7p5p4----------------------
D:--------7p5p4-------7p5p4--etc...--------
A:-----------------------------------------
E:-----------------------------------------

Here is an extended acceding run that uses hammer-ons and pull-offs. You should play this one either using 8th notes (2 notes for every beat) or 16th notes (4 notes for every beat).

Fingering
    |
    1 2 4 1 4 2 1 4   1 2 4 1 4 2 1 4   1 2 4 1 4 2 1 4
E:------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:------------------|-----------------|-------4-7p5p4---|
D:------------------|-------4-7p5p4---|-4h5h7---------7-|
A:--------3-7p5p3---|-3h5h7---------7-|-----------------|
E:--3h5h7---------7-|-----------------|-----------------|

    1 2 4 1 4 3 1 3   1 3 4 1 4 3 1 4  
E:------------------|-------5-8p7p5---|
B:--------5-8p7p5---|-5h7h8---------8-|
G:--4h5h7---------7-|-----------------|
D:------------------|-----------------|
A:------------------|-----------------|
E:------------------|-----------------|

Here is an extended descending run that uses hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Fingering
    |
    4 3 1 4 1 3 4 1   4 3 1 3 1 2 4 2   4 2 1 4 1 2 4 1
E:--8p7p5---------5-|-----------------|-----------------|
B:--------8-5h7h8---|-8p7p5---------5-|-----------------|
G:------------------|-------7-4h5h7---|-7p5p4---------4-|
D:------------------|-----------------|-------7-4h5h7---|
A:------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E:------------------|-----------------|-----------------|

    4 2 1 4 1 2 4 1   4 2 1 4 1 2 4 1
E:------------------|-----------------|
B:------------------|-----------------|
G:------------------|-----------------|
D:--7p5p4---------4-|-----------------|
A:--------7-3h5h7---|-7p5p3---------3-|
E:------------------|-------7-3h5h7---|

Page 9, All scale forms together

Page 1, Intro to scale forms

Major scale forms - 3 notes per string - jump zone

Intro to scale forms Ionian scale form Dorian scale form Phrygian scale form Lydian scale form

Mixolydian scale form Aeolian scale form Locrian scale form All scale forms together Things to do with these scale forms