The D Major Scale:D – E – F# – G – A – B – C#- D
In this course you’re learning scale management and proficiency through focusing on one key at a time and exploring that key. The first part of this exploration is examining the locaton of each and every scale tone in the D Major Scale. In the visualization and improvisation exercise to the left the complete notes of the D Major Scale are illustrated.
Playing and practicing activities based on the Five Position CAGED System are centered around the ROOT NOTE, in this case “D” notes located on the two bass strings:
String 5, 5th fret
String 6, 10th fret
Once again, our version of the Five Position CAGED System transposes, then changes the common open position fingering to a comfortable moveable one we’ve labeled the D TYPE. The open position D Major Scale is less thought of as a moveable pattern because there is not a “D” ROOT NOTE on the 5th or 6th string.
The scales are presented as play along ear training exercises similar to those you studied in the last lesson, listen carefully and practice with accuracy and precise finger placement.
- Root On String 6,
- Begin With A Stretch Of Finger 1.
Think of these scale exercises as songs or favorite melodies to be learned and studied for their major scale sound and quality.
The C TYPE pattern in the key of D is neatly sitting, not requiring stretching otr sliding out of position, in position II. It’s very important that you’re comfortable with all the notes in the scale in the position.
- Root On String 5,
- Begin With Finger 4.
Because the open C scale is one of the first scale ideas most guitarists learn, most players find that this pattern is an easy one to improvise with.
Our version of the A TYPE is quite unique, musical and effective because it covers a range of over two octaves. The play along exercise suggests common scale and melodic passages using the entire range of notes.
- Root On String 5,
- Begin With Finger 2.
In our version of the Five Positon CAGED System, the G TYPE of pattern is always thought of in relation to two critical facts:
- Root On String 6,
- Begin With Finger 4.
The E TYPE of fingering pattern is the best known and most used form of a major scale. The scale is played and thought of in position IX, even though the lowest pitched root note is located on fret X. In this course, as you may have guessed, its two points of categorization are:
- Root On String 6,
- Begin With Finger 2.
The practice of finding chord tones or pieces of certain chords within the scale can make a solo sound musical, as you have no doubt learned well by learning to play the classical and traditional melodic studies found eaerlier in this course.
The same type of concentration, mental exerecise and learning, used when reciting melodies has positive effects on developing improvisational skills.
Conclusion……
Here we’ve focused our Five CAGED Position System on the key of D, As you learn and internalize the Five CAGED Position System in the key of D, remember our four cornerstones of thought:
- Visualizing The Fingering Patterns.
- Playing The Scales And Scale Passages As Play Along Ear Training Exercises.
- Knowing The Root Notes Of The Scale Located On Strings Six And Five.
- The Finger Used To Begin The Pattern.
Playing and improvising in any of the 12 keys of music ideally involves shifting freely between any one of the 5 scale patterns, to any other one of the 5 scale patterns (e.g. Lowest directly to highest or highest directly to lowest)as the music dictates.