Mel Bay Publications

This in-depth scale and arpeggio text is core curriculum at the University of Southern California's Studio Guitar Department. Using a comprehensive approach that includes three different organizational systems, it covers the technical foundation that is necessary for playing any style of music. The CAGED system (five positions), the Finger Stretch system (all twelve keys in one position) and the Three-Note Per String system (seven patterns) are examined. Although each of these three systems is examined, the CAGED system serves as the basis for much of the material covered in this book.Instead of traditional musical notation, the book uses fingerboard diagrams to focus on the visual aspect of the patterns. The goal is to present an approach to understanding and mastering the fingerboard by outlining the best and most practical elements of these different systems.

Book Two presents patterns for the harmonic minor and melodic minor scales and all of their relative modes: the bebop scale (major, minor and dominant), chromatic scale, whole-tone scale, diminished scale (whole/half and half/whole) and augmented scale. Along with these scale forms, patterns for minor (major 7) and augmented (major 7) arpeggios are presented.