When I first learned to play sequences I didn’t know what all the fuzz was about. Why was it so important to learn all these “sequences” or as some prefer to call them “melodic patterns”?
Anyhow, I did enjoy playing them because after a while I got into this flow and it sounded kinda cool.
Once I really got the hang of it I came to learn the benefits of mastering sequences
Sequences will improve your technique and ability to improvise and create melody on the spot.
Your playing becomes more flexible, creative and it’ll keep you from sounding like someone who is playing scales all the time. :-)
In other words… Want to improve your technique or want to improve your improvising skills?
Go ahead and work hard on these assignments.
Enjoy!
Assignment #1: Memorize the G Major scale and play it using alternate picking.
Assignment #2: Memorize the 6 sequences below (ascending and descending) and play them through the cycle of fourths. (in the key G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, E, A, D, G)
Assignment #3: Incorporate bits and pieces of each sequence into your improvisation.
Assignment #4: Try to make melodies from the patterns, play with the notes, experiment with timing and rhythm, turn things around, extend or shorten the duration/length of some of the notes, create pauses, etc.
These assignments will keep you busy for a while. Be patient and take your time!
e:-----------------------------2-3------|
B:-------------------------3-5----------|
G:------------------2-4-5---------------|
D:-----------2-4-5----------------------|
A:-----2-3-5----------------------------|
E:-3-5----------------------------------|
e:--3-2---------------------------------|
B:-------5-3----------------------------|
G:------------5-4-2---------------------|
D:-------------------5-4-2--------------|
A:--------------------------5-3-2-------|
E:---------------------------------5-3--|
e:----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
B:----------------|-----------------|-------------------|
G:----------------|-----------------|---------------2---|
D:----------------|-------2-----2-4-|---2-4-5-2-4-5-----|
A:-----2-3--2-3-5-|-2-3-5---3-5-----|-5-----------------|
E:-3-5-----5------|-----------------|-------------------|
B:-----------------|-------3-----3-5-|---3-5---3-5------|
G:-----2-4---2-4-5-|-2-4-5---4-5-----|-5----------------|
D:-4-5-----5-------|-----------------|------------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
e:-3-2-----2-------|-----------------|------------------|
B:-----5-3---5-3---|-5-3-----3-------|------------------|
G:---------------5-|-----5-4---5-4-2-|-5-4-2---4-2------|
D:-----------------|-----------------|-------5-----5-4--|
A:-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|------------------|
B:------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G:-2----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D:---5-4-2-5-4-2----|-4-2-----2-------|-----------------|
A:----------------5-|-----5-3---5-3-2-|-5-3-2---3-2-----|
E:------------------|-----------------|-------5-----5-3-|
e:------------------|-----------------|---------------2-|
B:------------------|-----------------|-------3---5-3---|
G:------------------|-----------2---4-|-2-5-4---5-------|
D:----------------2-|---4-2-5-4---5---|-----------------|
A:---2---3-2-5-3----|-5---------------|-----------------|
E:-3---5------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:-5----------------------------------------------------|
G:------------------------------------------------------|
D:------------------------------------------------------|
A:------------------------------------------------------|
E:------------------------------------------------------|
e:-3---2-----------|-----------------|------------------|
B:---5---3-5---3---|-----------------|------------------|
G:-----------5---4-|-5-2-4---2-------|------------------|
D:-----------------|-------5---4-5-2-|-4----2-----------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|---5----3-5-2-3---|
E:-----------------|-----------------|----------------5-|
B:------------------------------------------------------|
G:------------------------------------------------------|
D:------------------------------------------------------|
A:-2----------------------------------------------------|
E:---3-5-2-3--------------------------------------------|
e:-------------------|-------------------|-------------2---|
B:-------------------|-------------------|-----3---5-----3-|
G:-------------------|----------2----4---|-5-2---4---5-----|
D:---------------2---|-4---5-2----4----5-|-----------------|
A:-2---3----5-2----3-|---5---------------|-----------------|
E:---3----5----------|-------------------|-----------------|
B:---5-----------------------------------------------------|
G:---------------------------------------------------------|
D:---------------------------------------------------------|
A:---------------------------------------------------------|
E:---------------------------------------------------------|
#3 descending
e:---3---2---------|-----------------|---------------------|
B:-5---3-----5---3-|-----------------|---------------------|
G:---------5---4---|-2-5---4---2-----|---------------------|
D:-----------------|-----5---4---2-5-|---4---2-------------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|-5---3----2-5---3----|
E:-----------------|-----------------|--------------5------|
B:---------------------------------------------------------|
G:---------------------------------------------------------|
D:---------------------------------------------------------|
A:---2-----------------------------------------------------|
E:-3---2-5-3-----------------------------------------------|
e:------------------|-----------------|-------------2-----|
B:------------------|-----------------|-----3-----5---3---|
G:------------------|-----------2-4---|-2-5---4-5---------|
D:-------------2----|---4-5-2-4-----5-|-------------------|
A:---2-3---2-5---3--|-5---------------|-------------------|
E:-3-----5----------|-----------------|-------------------|
B:-5------------------------------------------------------|
G:--------------------------------------------------------|
D:--------------------------------------------------------|
A:--------------------------------------------------------|
E:--------------------------------------------------------|
e:-3-----2---------|-----------------|-----------------|
B:---5-3---5-----3-|-----------------|-----------------|
G:-----------5-4---|-5-2---4-2-------|-----------------|
D:-----------------|-----5-----4-2-5-|-4-----2---------|
A:-----------------|-----------------|---5-3---5-2---3-|
E:-----------------|-----------------|-------------5---|
B:-----------------------------------------------------|
G:-----------------------------------------------------|
D:-----------------------------------------------------|
A:-2---------------------------------------------------|
E:---3-2-5-3-------------------------------------------|
e:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G:-------------|-------------|-------------|-----2---2-4-|
D:-------------|-----------2-|---2-4-2-4-5-|-4-5---5-----|
A:-----2---2-3-|-2-3-5-3-5---|-5-----------|-------------|
E:-3-5---5-----|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-----------3-|---3-5-3-5---|-5-----------|-------------|
G:-2-4-5-4-5---|-5-----------|-------------|-------------|
D:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-
E:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
e:-3-2---2-----|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-----5---5-3-|-5-3---3-----|-------------|-------------|
G:-------------|-----5---5-4-|-5-4-2-4-2---|-2-----------|
D:-------------|-------------|-----------5-|---5-4-5-4-2-|
A:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D:-4-2---2-----|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A:-----5---5-3-|-5-3-2-3-2---|-2-----------|-------------|
E:-------------|-----------5-|---5-3-5-3-2-|-5-----------|
e:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G:-------------|-------------|-------------|---------2---|
D:-------------|-------------|---2---2-4-2-|-4-5-4-5---5-|
A:---------2---|-2-3-2-3-5-3-|-5---5-------|-------------|
E:-3-5-3-5---5-|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-------------|---3---3-5-3-|-5---5-------|-------------|
G:-2-4-2-4-5-4-|-5---5-------|-------------|-------------|
D:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
e:-2-3-2---2---|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-------5---5-|-3-5-3---3---|-------------|-------------|
G:-------------|-------5---5-|-4-5-4-2-4-2-|---2---------|
D:-------------|-------------|-------------|-5---5-4-5-4-|
A:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
E:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
B:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
G:-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D:-2-4-2---2---|-------------|-------------|-------------|
A:-------5---5-|-3-5-3-2-3-2-|---2---------|-------------|
E:-------------|-------------|-5---5-3-5-3-|-2-3-2-3-----|
Let the guitar spread like wildfire and share it on Stumbleupon
I appreciate it.
Thanks!
Klaus
Christopher says
September 18, 2011 at 7:37 pmKlaus,
Thank you for your email.
Excellent lesson.
Regards
Christopher
Klaus Crow says
September 19, 2011 at 7:43 amHi Christopher,
Thank YOU for subscribing.
Enjoy your practice!
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
swapnil says
September 19, 2011 at 9:02 amI have been playing guitar for some time now and knew only major and minor scales never bothered to learn much of theory just played by ear even i dont know what scale i m playing , but this lesson is pretty good for practice and motivational too, thank buddy.
also can you post a lesson on off time rythm like dream theater or porcupine tree does :)
Joe says
October 15, 2011 at 9:28 pmKlaus, I’ve been browsing around your site for the past couple weeks and have been finding it useful. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
I’ve been playing guitar for a few years now, but I’m finally getting serious again. Is there a way to apply these sequences in other modes such as dorian, mixolydian or natural minor? I ask because I primarily improvise in those modes. Thanks again
Joe
Ian Mclean says
March 20, 2016 at 12:15 amRegarding the 6 basic major scale sequences, is there supposed to be a specific rhythm to these sequences or is the idea to just get your fingers used to doing random moves?
ron says
May 11, 2016 at 12:28 pmit be good if you explained what was going on in these sequences intervallically?
justin lee says
November 2, 2016 at 6:43 pmOkay!
I been looking for these exercises! I been playng for 15 or so years and i just got serious about progression! !this is amaizng! !it does boost everything, strength speed trains my ear and results in fresh melodies aswell!!!THANKS! !do you have any more of the same stuff????email me all you got please! !!!or let me know were i can access more.i search and search.with not much luck thks!
Douglas Matson says
November 18, 2016 at 11:03 pmThank-You I needed more help