Easy Major Scale Visualization: Part 1

Even if I understand a concept on the guitar fully-- for example, the complete layout of a major scale up and down the fretboard-- sometimes I like breaking it down to it's most minimalist components, just to see it in a way I hadn't seen it before. Here's something I stumbled on tonight that blew my mind. Had I realized this a long time ago, I probably would have been able to memorize guitar patterns a lot easier.

Here's the lesson:

1) Play this:

e---------
B---------
G---------
D---------
A-----2-3-
E-2-3-----

2) Notice the small box shape that encapsulates the lick on the fretboard:

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
X X | | | |
X X | | | |

3) Move that box wherever you want on the fretboard, playing that same lick again in each spot. Start it on different strings. Start it on the E, A, D, and B strings. However, if you're start it on the G string, change the box shape to this:

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | X | |
| | | X X |
| | | | X |

4) Play around with this for a while, wherever you want. Remember the shape changes at the G string. Switch the lick up a bit for fun, but always conform to the proper shape. Here's an example of what this step should be like, but all over the fretboard wherever you want.

e---------------2-1-----------
B-----------2-1-----------9-8-
G---------------------7-8-----
D-----------------------------
A-----3-2---------------------
E-2-3-------------------------

5) After 5-10 minutes fooling around with this, it should be ingrained that the box shape stays the same unless it starts on the G string.

CONGRATULATIONS! You just learned the locations of the 1,3,4 and 7 notes within any major scale on the fretboard!

How is this possible, you ask? Just look:

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
7 3 | | | |
1 4 | | | |

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
| | | | | |
| | | 7 | |
| | | 1 3 |
| | | | 4 |

You can now pick any fret on the fretboard (even if you don't immediately know the note) and know where the Root, Major 3rd, Perfect 4th and Major 7th are. Do what you did before, trying your tiny little box licks anywhere on the fretboard, but now say whether said note is a 1,3,4 or 7 so it hammers into your brain.

How does this help? Now when you're trying to memorize a major scale pattern like this:

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
X X X X X X
X | | | X X
| X X X | |
X X X | X X

Look for the tiny boxes:

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
X X X X O O
X | | | O O
| O O X | |
X O O | X X

And you know exactly what that box will ALWAYS contain:

E|A|D|G|B|E
-----------
X X X X 7 3
X | | | 1 4
| 7 3 X | |
X 1 4 | X X

In my next lesson, we'll work on more patterns within the major scale that'll help you visualize it easier.