Easy Major Scale Visualization: Part 2

Now that we're familiar with the 'small box', let's get to know what I call the 'big box':

E A D G B e
| | | | | |
X X | | | |
| | | | | |
X X | | | |


Like the small box, we've gotta make an adjustment if we're starting it on the G string:

E A D G B e
| | | | | |
| | | X | |
| | | | X |
| | | X | |
| | | | X |


We're going to be seeing a lot more of the big box in our fretboard endeavors, so let's get to using it in random places on the neck:


e--------------------------------------------
B-------------------------8----10------------
G-----------------------8---10---------------
D----------------9-7-------------------------
A-----2-4----7-9-------------------------1-3-
E-2-4--------------------------------3-3-----


Try it wherever you feel like, but pay special attention to trying it starting on every string except the high e, of course. After a few minutes of this...

CONGRATS! You've learned something new!

As far the Major scale (Ionian) and all the modes based off of it (Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian) you will only ever encounter these two boxes.

What? Did I say that? Yes, I did. Because it's true. Seems weird, but yeah. That's all there really is.

Anyway, let's get to know the big box, cause it's very important. Whereas the small box will only ever mean the following:

7 3
1 4


The big box can mean the following things:

1 4
| |
2 5

or

2 5
| |
3 6

or

5 1
| |
6 2

or

6 2
| |
7 3


There are two others that don't fit the small/big box rule, but they technically do, since they're what happens when said boxes are next to each other. Let's just call those half boxes for now:

3 6
4 |
| 7

or

4 |
| 7
5 1


Until the next lesson, spend time every day memorizing all the big boxes and the half boxes by playing them on the fretboard and saying the corresponding numbers aloud. Try linking boxes together after you've committed a few to memory. For instance:

3 6 2 5
4 | | |
| 7 3 6


This might look a little complicated, but it shouldn't if you know your boxes. It's really three boxes smashed together, the 3-4 6-7 one, the 6-2 7-3 one, and the 2-5 3-6 one. Once we realize this, it makes a lot more sense how the fretboard links together horizontally and vertically. Next lesson we'll explore this more in-depth.