Diatonic Scale Patterns
I do not assume any responsibility for frustration, injury or death resulting from the application of these exercises.
This article contains scale patterns and fingerings for the seven diatonic modes, which includes the major and (natural) minor scales.
Scale patterns are all over the neck. If I were really lazy, I could simply show you a scale box with the locations of all the natural notes on a 24-fret guitar fretboard, repeat that Ionian starts on C, Dorian on D, etc., and leave you to it.
But I won't. I am going to write out a couple of suitable patterns to use for each and every diatonic scale, to use as a starting point. I have provided several patterns, depending on whether the root is on the 5th or 6th string. Perhaps you will see at first glance that the scale patterns are grouped by starting point. On the first few, you start with the index finger on the root, then the bird, then the pinky. The starting finger determines where the scale pattern is anchored, and also how much lateral motion it has, which is a concept we will continue exploring in the article on breaking out of the box.
In order to maintain consistency, I have based all these examples on the root note C, meaning 3rd, 8th and 15th position for all scales.
Ionian/Major | Dorian | Phrygian | Lydian | Mixolydian | Aeolian/Natural Minor | Locrian
Ionian/Major Scale
E-------------------------5-7-8- B-------------------5-6-8------- G-------------4-5-7------------- D-------3-5-7------------------- A-3-5-7------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4
E------------------------------------------ B---------------------------------10-12-13- G-------------------------9-10-12---------- D-----------------9-10-12------------------ A---------8-10-12-------------------------- E-8-10-12---------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4
E--------------------------------------8- B------------------------------8-10-12--- G-------------------------9-10----------- D-----------------9-10-12---------------- A---------8-10-12------------------------ E-8-10-12-------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 1 2 4 1
E-----------------------3-5-7s8- B-----------------3-5-6--------- G-----------2-4-5--------------- D-----2-3-5--------------------- A-3-5--------------------------- E------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4s4
E--------------------------------7-8- B---------------------------8-10----- G--------------------7-9-10---------- D-------------7-9-10----------------- A------7-8-10------------------------ E-8-10------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 1 2
E----------------------------12-13-15- B-------------------12-13-15---------- G-------------12-14------------------- D----12-14-15------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 4
E-------------------------5-7-8- B-------------------5-6-8------- G-------------4-5-7------------- D---------5-7------------------- A---5-7-8----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4
Dorian
E-------------------------5-6-8- B-------------------4-6-8------- G-------------3-5-7------------- D-------3-5-7------------------- A-3-5-6------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E------------------------------------------ B---------------------------------10-11-13- G-------------------------8-10-12---------- D-----------------8-10-12------------------ A---------8-10-12-------------------------- E-8-10-11---------------------------------- 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E--------------------------------------8- B------------------------------8-10-11--- G-------------------------8-10----------- D-----------------8-10-12---------------- A---------8-10-12------------------------ E-8-10-11-------------------------------- 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 1 3 4 1
E-----------------------3-5-6-s8- B-----------------3-4-6---------- G-----------2-3-5---------------- D-----1-3-5---------------------- A-3-5---------------------------- E-------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 s4
E-----------------------------------8- B---------------------------8-10-11--- G--------------------7-8-10----------- D-------------7-8-10------------------ A------6-8-10------------------------- E-8-10--------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1
E-------------------------------13-15- B----------------------13-15-16------- G-------------12-14-15---------------- D----12-13-15------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3
E-------------------------5-6-8- B---------------------6-8------- G---------------5-7-8----------- D---------5-7-8----------------- A---5-6-8----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 2 4 1 2 4
Phrygian
E-------------------------4-6-8- B-------------------4-6-8------- G-------------3-5-6------------- D-------3-5-6------------------- A-3-4-6------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E---------------------------------------- B--------------------------------9-11-13- G------------------------8-10-12--------- D----------------8-10-11----------------- A--------8-10-11------------------------- E-8-9-11--------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E------------------------------------8- B-----------------------------8-9-11--- G------------------------8-10---------- D----------------8-10-11--------------- A--------8-10-11----------------------- E-8-9-11------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 2 4 1
E-----------------------3-4-6-s8- B-----------------2-4-6---------- G-----------1-3-5---------------- D-----1-3-5---------------------- A-3-4---------------------------- E-------------------------------- 2 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 s4
E---------------------------------8- B--------------------------8-9-11--- G-------------------6-8-10---------- D------------6-8-10----------------- A-----6-8-10------------------------ E-8-9------------------------------- 2 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1
E-------------------------------13-15- B----------------------13-14-16------- G-------------12-13-15---------------- D----11-13-15------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3
E---------------------------6-8- B---------------------6-8-9----- G---------------5-6-8----------- D---------5-6-8----------------- A---4-6-8----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3
Lydian
E-------------------------5-7-8- B-------------------5-7-8------- G-------------4-5-7------------- D-------4-5-7------------------- A-3-5-7------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4
E------------------------------------------ B---------------------------------10-12-13- G-------------------------9-11-12---------- D-----------------9-10-12------------------ A---------9-10-12-------------------------- E-8-10-12---------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4
E--------------------------------------8- B------------------------------8-10-12--- G-------------------------9-11----------- D-----------------9-10-12---------------- A---------9-10-12------------------------ E-8-10-12-------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 1 2 4 1
E-----------------------3-5-7-s8- B-----------------3-5-7---------- G-----------2-4-5---------------- D-----2-4-5---------------------- A-3-5---------------------------- E-------------------------------- 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 s4
E-----------------------------------8- B---------------------------8-10-12--- G--------------------7-9-11----------- D-------------7-9-10------------------ A------7-9-10------------------------- E-8-10-------------------------------- 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1
E-------------------------------13-15- B----------------------13-15-17------- G-------------12-14-16---------------- D----12-14-16------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2
E-------------------------5-7-8- B-------------------5-7-8------- G---------------5-7------------- D---------5-7-9----------------- A---5-7-9----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 1 3 4 1 3 4
Mixolydian
E-------------------------5-6-8- B-------------------5-6-8------- G-------------3-5-7------------- D-------3-5-7------------------- A-3-5-7------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E------------------------------------------ B---------------------------------10-11-13- G-------------------------9-10-12---------- D-----------------8-10-12------------------ A---------8-10-12-------------------------- E-8-10-12---------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E-------------------------------------8- B------------------------------8-9-11--- G-------------------------9-10---------- D-----------------8-10-12--------------- A---------8-10-12----------------------- E-8-10-12------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 1 3 4 1
E-----------------------3-5-6-s8- B-----------------3-5-6---------- G-----------2-3-5---------------- D-----2-3-5---------------------- A-3-5---------------------------- E-------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 s4
E----------------------------------8- B---------------------------8-10-11-- G--------------------7-9-10---------- D-------------7-8-10----------------- A------7-8-10------------------------ E-8-10------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1
E-------------------------------13-15- B----------------------13-15-17------- G-------------12-14-15---------------- D----12-14-15------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 3
E-------------------------5-6-8- B-------------------5-6-8------- G---------------5-7------------- D---------5-7-8----------------- A---5-7-8----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 4
Aeolian/(Natural) Minor Scale
E-------------------------4-6-8- B-------------------4-6-8------- G-------------3-5-7------------- D-------3-5-6------------------- A-3-5-6------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E---------------------------------------- B--------------------------------9-11-13- G-------------------------8-10-12-------- D-----------------8-10-12---------------- A---------8-10-11------------------------ E-8-10-11-------------------------------- 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E-------------------------------------8- B------------------------------8-9-11--- G-------------------------8-10---------- D-----------------8-10-12--------------- A---------8-10-11----------------------- E-8-10-11------------------------------- 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 3 1 2 4 1
E-----------------------3-4-6-s8- B-----------------3-4-6---------- G-----------1-3-5---------------- D-----1-3-5---------------------- A-3-5---------------------------- E-------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 s4
E----------------------------------8- B---------------------------8-9-11--- G--------------------7-8-10---------- D-------------6-8-10----------------- A------6-8-10------------------------ E-8-10------------------------------- 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1
E-------------------------------13-15- B----------------------13-15-16------- G-------------12-13-15---------------- D----12-13-15------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3
E---------------------------6-8- B---------------------6-8-9----- G---------------5-7-8----------- D---------5-6-8----------------- A---5-6-8----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 3
Locrian
E-------------------------4-6-8- B-------------------4-6-8------- G-------------3-5-6------------- D-------3-4-6------------------- A-3-4-6------------------------- E------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4
E--------------------------------------- B-------------------------------9-11-13- G-----------------------8-10-11--------- D---------------8-10-11----------------- A--------8-9-11------------------------- E-8-9-11-------------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4
E--------------------------------6-8- B----------------------------7-9----- G-----------------------8-10--------- D---------------8-10-11-------------- A--------8-9-11---------------------- E-8-9-11----------------------------- 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 1 3 1 3
E----------------------------------14-16-18-s20- B-------------------------14-16-18-------------- G----------------13-15-17----------------------- D-------13-15-16-------------------------------- A-15-16----------------------------------------- E----------------------------------------------- 2 3 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 s4
E--------------------------------8- B-------------------------7-9-11--- G------------------6-8-10---------- D-----------6-8-10----------------- A-----6-8-9------------------------ E-8-9------------------------------ 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1
E-------------------------------13-14- B----------------------13-14-16------- G-------------11-13-15---------------- D----11-13-15------------------------- A-15---------------------------------- E------------------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2
E---------------------------6-8- B---------------------6-7-9----- G---------------5-6-8----------- D---------4-6-8----------------- A---4-6-8----------------------- E-8----------------------------- 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3