Master the major scales in 8 steps
Using the CAGED system as our foundation, we can build five Major Pentatonic shapes on the guitar fretboard.
Instead of calling these positions 1-5, we call them by their CAGED name. This is the starting point for mastering the major modes.
The self-eliminating practice routine takes care of this in 8 steps. All you have to do is put the time in.
Make it a daily routine and you will get there, just don’t forget to play songs as well since without actual musical examples, these scales are simply patterns without any real meaning.
Major Pentatonic – Step 1
This is where it all starts, you must learn how to play the Major Pentatonic in all five shapes and don’t cheat by thinking of them as minor.
And let’s not name these shapes 1-5, let’s call them by their CAGED name, and let’s practice them not just in A as the videos show!
Connect Major Pentatonic shapes – Step 2
When you can play all five shapes individually, all over the neck, the next step is to connect your Major Pentatonic shapes
The videos show you this in A, to complete this step, you must continue through all remaining 11 starting points.
Ionian – Step 3
To master the Ionian (major scale) shapes we must practice all five CAGED shapes by adding two missing intervals to the Major Pentatonic.
Following this, we must connect the shapes as well as play them using the cycle of 4th. This will be easy if you can see the intervals clearly.
Connect Ionian shapes – Step 4
When you can play all five shapes individually, all over the neck, the next step is to connect the Ionian shapes.
The videos show you this in A, to complete this step, you must continue through all remaining 11 starting points.
Lydian – Step 5
Just like with Ionian, we can master Lydian by adding two missing notes to the Major Pentatonic.
This is easy as one of them is the same as for Ionian! Understanding how intervals fit around each shape will crack the code.
Connect Lydian shapes – Step 6
When you can play all five shapes individually, all over the neck, the next step is to connect the Lydian shapes
The videos show you this in A, to complete this step, you must continue through all remaining 11 starting points.
Mixolydian – Step 7
Just like with Ionian and Lydian, we can master Mixolydian by adding two missing notes to the Major Pentatonic.
The videos show you this in A, to complete this step, you must continue through all remaining 11 starting points. In this step, we also connect the shapes.
Major modes master exercises – Step 8
Using our Major Pentatonic CAGED shapes, we can add the missing intervals to build all three major modes into major modes master exercises.
Do this in five CAGED shapes and all keys and you will have mastered the major modes. Easier said than done, it takes daily practice to actually achieve.