Memorize Scale 1/3's and 1231

[Doc64]

Steve: When watching the video clips for each lesson it appear that you have the "notes" for each scale ( scale in thirds and the 1231 exercises) memorized. Is that just many years of playing or do you recommend memorizing the notes as shown in the exercises for each scale?

 

Thanks

[K9kaos]

I'm not Steve, but I'm currently working on the final video, Level 2 Advanced.... Oh boy is it a workout!!  

When we get going fast it seems almost impossible to not have the patterns (including 3rds and the 1231 patterns) memorized. Too fast for me to try to read the notes off the paper.  I think I stopped looking at the written sheets somewhere toward the end of lesson 1 or beginning of 2.... 

These are great workouts! The 3rds and 1231 patterns are not as hard as I thought to commit to memory. The trick for me was to take it super slow to really get my fingers where they needed to go.  

Hope this helps! You can do it!

 

[Don]

15 minutes a day on the scales for a month and you will have them memorized and probably be able to visualize the pattern. It might take a little longer but it is a good warm up.

 

[Plantsman13]

Slow and steady for sure.  Once I get them under my fingers, I then work on closing my eyes or looking away from the fretboard while I try to execute them cleanly.  I even like to work on a swing rhythm to drill down even further on the muscle memory.  Another mind exercise is to start the scale on a different note than normal and either go forward or backward.  I find this keeps things more interesting over just rote repetition; however, one must put in the time and effort originally to get the different scales under your fingers before exploring these alternate avenues to reenforce what you have learned.  Another good technique is to practice on your hammer-ons and pull-offs while working on your scales (Steve works on this in his Fingerstyle course).

[Randy120]

Yes Steve is that good. Decades of experience gave him those skills. He knows the scales and the note positions on the neck so the exercise is fairly simple for him.

I learned the scales a long time ago, but I did stumble when it came to the thirds exercise and 1231. It is just a variation. I am back to tackling these exercises again and this time I am more successful with a long way to go still. This stuff isn't automatic. Give yourself credit for trying. Did you ever image you would be worrying about playing scales in thirds? I know I did not. I thought I would strum some chords, but thanks to Steve I am learning the entire neck and know my scales.