A lot of Bluegrass is played using open strings in the open zone of the fingerboard, especially when you’re playing rhythm.
When you’re soloing or adding phrases between verses of a song you’ll also want to explore the upper regions of the guitar.
With the most popular keys being C, G, & D you want to learn the fingerings for these scales from the 6th and 5th strings so you can cover a lot of the fingerboard.
All of these scales are transposable to any key depending on the zone they’re played in.
I’m covering every note possible within the 4-finger zones so you’ll have a good idea of all the notes that can be played in these patterns.
I also made these scales a little more musical instead of playing them from root to root. This will make them more fun to practice.
C major: 6th string form
E |--------------------------------------------7-8-10-7-8| B |--------------------------------------8-10------------| G |-----------------------------7-9-10-------------------| D |---------------------7-9-10---------------------------| A |------------7-8-10------------------------------------| E |-8-7-8-10---------------------------------------------|
C major: 5th string form
E |-------------------------------3-5-3--------------------------------------| B |------------------------3-5-6--------6-5-3--------------------------------| G |-----------------2-4-5----------------------5-4-2-------------------------| D |----------2-3-5------------------------------------5-3-2------------------| A |3-2-3-5---------------------------------------------------5-3-2--------2-3| E |-------------------------------------------------------------------5-3-5--|
G major: 6th string form
E |------------------------------------2-3-5-2-3--| B |-------------------------------3-5-------------| G |------------------------2-4-5------------------| D |-----------------2-4-5-------------------------| A |----------2-3-5--------------------------------| E |3-2-3-5----------------------------------------|
G major: 5th string form
E |-------------------------------------------------------7-8-10-8-7----------| B |----------------------------------------------7-8-10---------------10-7-8--| G |-----------------------------------------7-9-------------------------------| D |--------------------------------7-9-10-------------------------------------| A |10-9-7----------------7-9-10-----------------------------------------------| E |---------10-8-7-8-10-------------------------------------------------------|
D major: 6th string form
E |----------------------------------------------------9-12-9-10--| B |--------------------------------------------10-12--------------| G |----------------------------------9-11-12----------------------| D |------------------------9-11-12--------------------------------| A |--------------9-10-12------------------------------------------| E |10-9-10-12-----------------------------------------------------|
D major: 5th string form
E |--------------------------------------------2-3-5-3-2----------| B |-------------------------------------2-3-5-------------5-2-3---| G |--------------------------------2-4----------------------------| D |-------------------------2-4-5---------------------------------| A |5-4-2------------2-4-5-----------------------------------------| E |-------5-3-2-3-5-----------------------------------------------|
Want To Learn More …
Bluegrass can be as simple or as complex as you make it. Not many other genres of guitar have this much flexibility.
It can be a lot of fun for friends getting together just playing basic chords or a five piece band of jamming talent.
Bluegrass is a type of music that has basically no electric instruments or drums. It excites the listener by emphasizing notes and just plain good old fashioned picking.
If you are already a bluegrass fan, then you know how great it is. It is a lifestyle in itself. It’s fun and has attracted a diverse and loyal following worldwide.
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