Guitar Lesson 13

Lesson 13

In this lesson we will look at extending 2 of our scale positions and work on shifting. We will also learn our D major inversions on strings 1 2 3 and compare to D minor on strings 1 2 3.

Power Chords - Veruca Salt
One - Metallica
Strumming - Wonderwall

Improvising - Veruca Salt - D major (2 or 3 positions)

D major 7th arpeggio in 2nd

Back to Lesson 12

Reading Lesson 13

Scales - D Major in 2nd Position

2nd Position
D Major Scale Extended

2nd Position
D Major Pentatonic

2nd Position
D Major Scale

This scale to the left should look familiar to you. This is the D major scale we learned in Lesson 6 and is our open (or 1st) position C scale form moved up a whole step.

The scale to the right is the same scale form extended in the whole position. If you play from B to B you will be playing a B Minor scale.

The scale to the far right is the same scale missing the 4th and 7th degree and therefore called a Pentatonic scale. D major pentatonic or B minor pentatonic.

The scale forms below are the same as the on the right.

2nd Position
D Major Scale Extended
All of the notes in the key of D major/B minor in 2nd position.

2nd Position
D Major Pentatonic

Remember you can find any major keys relative minor by going to the 6th degree of the scale or going down a minor 3rd interval. So in the case of the key of D major, if you go to the 6th degree of the scale or go down a minor 3rd you will get B. So the key of D major and B minor both share the same notes and have 2 sharps (F# and C#) Review Lesson 5.

D major scale in 4th Position

This D major scale should look familiar. This is our 2nd position C major scale form from Lesson 4 moved up one whole step.

Note the fretboard in the middle (and below) is the same scale but extended to play all of the notes from the D major scale in 4th position.

It is considered a 4th position scale because your 1st finger looks after the 4th fret, 2nd finger looks after the 5th, 3rd finger the 6th and little finger looks after the 7th however, you will have to stretch your index finger to get the 3rd fret G's .

The fretboard on the far right is the 4th position D major pentatonic scale. We could also call it a B minor pentatonic scale.

4th Position
D Major Scale

4th Position
D Major Scale Extended

4th Position
D Major Pentatonic

4th Position
D Major Scale Extended
All of the notes in the key of D major/B minor in 4th position.

Parallel Minor

Last lesson we looked at finding a major keys parallel minor. Can you figure out what a D minor scale would be?

D Major

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
D E F# G A B C# D

D Minor

1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7
D E F G A Bb C

Notice that D minor has one flat and is the relative minor of F major from lesson 10

Arpeggio - D major 7th in 2nd Position

To the left is the D arpeggio we did in lesson 6 and the fretboard on the right is a Dmajor7th arpeggio with the 7th degree of a D major scale added.

The interval between the root and 7th is 11 half steps and is called a major 7th.

Dmaj7

D Major Triad Inversions on Strings 1 2 3

We looked at the inversions of D minor triad on strings 1 2 3 in lesson 11 so now let us raise the 3rd and make them major triads. In lesson 3 we learned that by raising or lowering the 3rd degree of a triad we will change the chord from major to minor. So we find the F from the D minor inversions and raise it one half step to F# and we have the D major inversions.

D
2nd Inversion

D
Root

D
1st Inversion

Diatonic triads in the Key of D major or B minor - strings 1 2 3

Note all these triads are in 2nd inversions. When we learned the F diatonic triads in lesson 11, they were all in root.

F#m

C#dim

Fun strum patterns with 4 easy chords
Oasis - Wonderwall

Breakdown

More Power Chord Fun
Veruca Salt - Volcano Girls

Breakdown

Improvising

So for this improvising lesson, let's focus on connecting our 2nd and 4th D major and D major pentatonic scales. We could also call them B minor and B minor pentatonic scales.

When connecting the different scale forms try to shift with a finger that plays in both positions. For example, if I was going to shift on my low E string I would use my little finger to slide from the A to B. Find a couple shifts you like and practice using just those. The first finger on the 3rd and 4th string work well for shifting.

Try this: play your 2nd position scale up and down a couple times and then use your 1st finger to slide from the A to B on the 3rd string. Play your 4th position scale up and down and then shift back to 2nd using your 1st finger again.

D major/B minor scale in 2nd and 4th position on the fretboard.

Make pentatonic by taking away the 4th and 7th. In this case the G's and C#'s

Note: you will have more shifting options with the full major scale as compared to the pentatonic.

The progression below will also work well with the above scales:

Midi File - of above progression. Right click to download and play in any midi sequencer so you can adjust tempo.

Improv even more:

You can find a one chord (Dmaj7th) jam by clicking here.

Practice Routine

New Material

Scales:

D Major in 2nd and 4th (pentatonic and extended)

Chords:

D major and minor inversions on strings 1 2 3
F and G major inversions on strings 2 3 4
F Diatonic triads on strings 2 3 4

Arpeggios:

D major and major 7th arpeggio in 2nd position.

Things You Should be Reviewing (as often as possible)

Scales:

Chords:

Arpeggios:

Lesson 14