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Topic: Three notes per string: a way to see the whole fretboard.

You have to know three patterns; A, B, and C

|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-| = A pattern
|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = B pattern
|-0-|----|-0-|-0-|----| = C pattern

So what does this mean? If you want to play an A pattern on the e string (in G!!) you play third fret, fifth fret, seventh fret. B pattern would be third, fourth, and sixth fret. C pattern would be third, fifth, and sixth fret.
In A major it would be (A = 5th, 7th, 9th frets; B = 5th, 6th, 8th; C= 5th, 7th, 8th) If this doesn't make sense, pick up your guitar and pay attention to where your fingers are when you play the three patterns.

You have to remember three things;
1 The pattern is AAABBCC
2 when you play the first B pattern you have to add one fret
3 When you reach the B string you have to add one fret

There is one more letter in the pattern (7 - AAABBCC) than the number of strings (6) so one is always missing (see example below.) For example; if you start at the beginning you have AAABBC, the last C isn't there because you have run out of strings (look at the example.)

(Note that pattern C is missing because there are only 6 strings, but the pattern has 7 parts - AAABBCC)

Mixolydian pattern:
----------------------------(missing C pattern)
|----|----|-0-|----|-0-|-0-| = pattern C
|----|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-| = pattern B (+1 fret because you have got to B string)
|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern B ( +1 fret because it's the first B pattern)
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A



So, having learned these three rules, and patterns you can now play scales. For example AABBCC is the major scale (Ionian.) Play pattern A on the first string, Pattern A on the second, move up one fret and play pattern B on the third and fourth strings, move up another fret and play pattern C on the the fifth and sixth strings.

Ionian pattern:
-------------------------(missing A pattern)
|----|----|-0-|----|-0-|-0-| = pattern C
|----|----|-0-|----|-0-|-0-| = pattern C (+1 fret because you have got ot B string)
|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern B
|----|-0-|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern B ( +1 fret because it's the first B pattern)
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A
|-0-|----|-0-|----|-0-|----| = pattern A

So if you have got all of what was mentioned before you can now play all the modes in three notes per string fashion.

ABBCCA is Lydian
AABBCC is Ionain
AAABBC is Mixolydian
CAAABB is Dorian
CCAAAB is Aolian
BCCAAA is phrygian
BBCCAA is locrian

Don’t forget to add 2 frets when you get to the first B pattern in dorian, one for the first B pattern, and one for the B string.

Another way to look at the pattern is as follows;
A = mixolydian
A = Ionian
A = Lydian
B = Locrian
B = Phrygian
C = Aolian
C = Dorian

So Mixolydian is AAABBC. Lydian is (starting where it says Lydian, and counting downwards; ABBCCA – leaving one pattern out (the first A))

OK last thing, and this is cool. If you get this you know the whole fret board in 3 notes per string method. You have to remember the order of the modes which is;
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
Aolian
Locrian

If you play Ionian pattern (AABBCC), and then start on the second note of that pattern, and play Dorian pattern, you are actually playing the same scale. Another way to say it; you are playing the second position of the G Ionian scale. If you play G Ionian, or A Dorian that is actually the same scale (see Dux’s lessons if you’re lost here.) So G Ionian, A Dorian, B Phrygian, C Lydian, D mixolydian, E Aolian, and #F Locrian are all the same scale, or positions of G Ionian, if you like.

I know this sounds complicated, but it's really not. It's actually the simplest sytem I've ever seen. Once you know it, you know that the pattern is ALWAYS AAABBCC. Take a minute and learn it, it's worth it.

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Re: Three notes per string: a way to see the whole fretboard.

It is a good way, but it's not well explained, and as such many good ideas cannot be adequately communicated.  Also these ideas keep you in "boxes" instead of being able to simply play the entire neck.  This is a grand example of why box scales, CAGED and systems like this fall short, well intentioned as they are.

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