Inside the Scales

Analyzing a solo, being aware of the patterns inside may help you avoid playing the same licks over and over again. Try to identify the following:

2-notes patterns: intervals

Thirds, sixths and fourths are the most popular intervals. Sometimes they come with a grace note.

3-notes patterns: triads

Starting from a note of the scale and play the note itself, the third and the fifth. For example, for C-major: C, E, G; D, F, A; E, G, B; F, A, C; G, B, D; A, C, E; B, D, F. As you see, you get major, minor and diminished triads. They can be played as a group of 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13 notes or whatever.

4-notes patterns: arpeggios

Adding the seventh to the triads you get 7th chord arpeggios. For example, for C-major: C, E, G, B; D, F, A, C; E, G, B, D; F, A, C, E; G, B, D, F; A, C, E, G; B, D, F, A. You get major 7th, minor 7th, dominant and half-diminished arpeggios.

5-notes patterns: pentatonic scales

In major scales you may extract three minor pentatonic scales. For instance, in C-major you've got pentatonic scales starting from A (A, C, D, E, G), D (D, F, G, A, C) and E (E, G, A, B, D).

6-notes patterns: blues scales

Add the "blue note" (the flat fifth) to the pentatonic scales and you get blues scales.

7 or 8-notes patterns: scales

Any pattern of adjacent notes.

See some examples in the major scale, in the harmonic minor scale and in the melodic minor scale.