Four Notes Per String Major fretting Patterns (4NPS)

[GuyBoden]

Fretting hand, Four note per string Major patterns (4NPS)

Advance Warning: These can be a bit of a stretch.

Four note per string (4NPS) patterns, start further up the neck, where it's easier. Spend one week on each pattern, then hopefully moving down to a lower fret the next week to the next pattern.

There's four notes on each string, one note for each finger. Yes, it's a bit of a stretch at first, so take it easy and slowly.

Initially, spend max 10-15mins slowly on a pattern, it gets slightly easier each day. Start at the 12th fret, because it's less of a stretch than lower down the neck, (You can start higher up the neck at the 19th fret, which will make it even less of a stretch, if you have enough frets).

Play some melodies only using one pattern.

Some string lines are easier than other, you will get problems moving the Middle and Ring fingers independently.

Fingers are Index, Middle, Ring, Little, one finger for each note/fret.

Here's the patterns:








The following patterns are an extremely difficult stretch, so be warned.

[bako]

Interesting that you are working these with a positional unison on each string change.
Why so instead of moving up the fingerboard without note repeats?

[GuyBoden]

Interesting that you are working these with a positional unison on each string change.
Why so instead of moving up the fingerboard without note repeats?

I understand what you are saying, you could move up each pattern diagonally and avoid repeated notes, but with these 4NPS, I was creating seven distinct positional patterns.

These 4NPS patterns are created by simply adding an extra note to the seven 3NPS patterns that are very commonly used and well known by many guitarists.

I though that some modern players might be interested in them, I posted them years ago on other websites.

[Christian Miller]

Interesting that you are working these with a positional unison on each string change.
Why so instead of moving up the fingerboard without note repeats?

See my Holdsworth Nuages solo transcription on how these can be used musically


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pauln]

To be clear, the patterns are for C major (A minor).
Six patterns, but the one for 5th fret is missing?

When playing, one will choose between the unison pitches at string change, right?... except the distal ultimate string because its choice is determined by the penultimate string, so five binary choices (which of the two 3NPS for five of the six strings)... that is 32 different permutations of each pattern when choosing the unison pitch.

32 patterns per position times 7 positions times 30 keys for major and relative natural minor scales... more than a half a dozen thousand.

[GuyBoden]

To be clear, the patterns are for C major (A minor).
Six patterns, but the one for 5th fret is missing?

When playing, one will choose between the unison pitches at string change, right?... except the distal ultimate string because its choice is determined by the penultimate string, so five binary choices (which of the two 3NPS for five of the six strings)... that is 32 different permutations of each pattern when choosing the unison pitch.

32 patterns per position times 7 positions times 30 keys for major and relative natural minor scales... more than a half a dozen thousand.

5th fret missing?

Many thanks, sorry, I've edited my first post and added the pattern for fret 5. There are seven 4NPS position patterns, I must of missed one, I had posted these years ago on another website.

Also, the repeated notes have a differing timbre, so add an extra interesting sound, many sax players play repeated notes in their improv, using the differing timbre to their advantage.

4NPS positional patterns can be created for all scales, Melodic minor, Harmonic minor etc.

Excellent Diminished scale video by Christian.