Building the Better Guitar Scale - Pt. 4 Pattern Stacking

This video is the fourth in the Building the Better Guitar Scale series. Here is a link to the whole series. • Building the Better Gu...
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Good luck in your practice, and thanks for watching.

[@MichaelPillitiere]

All the approaches we’ll look at are designed with one end goal in mind: To get the grand unification pattern so firmly embedded in our minds and under our fingers, that we no longer have to think about where to put our fingers on the neck. Thinking can be a barrier between the player and the music. The less we have to think, the more we can play by feel. Eventually, all thoughts of shapes, rules and note relationships will fade into irrelevance and only the GUP will remain. Some of these approaches will resonate with you and others won’t. If an approach doesn’t seem useful, drop it. It’s better to stick with a few options that work well for you, rather than strive to master a whole bunch of things you might not use. Besides, you always have the algorithmic approach if you happen to get lost. That’s your safety net.

[@javisantiago1781]

This series of videos are the Rosetta Stone for understanding the instrument. Where can I buy your books?

[@MichaelPillitiere]

@Alvaro Santiago www.buymeacoffee.com/MichaelPi/e/45930

[@collectitbydiyversity2442]

@@MichaelPillitiere Happy new year. Will you be adding the following videos?

[@SOSmysteries]

This is absolutely game changing

[@masterbuilder3166]

I am beginning to experience this oneness with the GUP that you speak of , and as I’ve studied the structure of the chords, I’m able to build each one almost subconsciously. This to me is the ultimate of all approaches. CANNOT thank you enough. I’ve literally spent decades of frustration only to have it all come together because of your series of lessons.

[@lynxfilante]

Been playing guitar for over 15 years and have never stumbled upon such a clear and logic method for getting around the fretboard. Big fan of your series!

[@felixap3389]

I think CAGED is a way more easy system. Yes, you have to take some time to remember shapes but cmon, its 5 shapes which can be made into 3 slightly bigger shapes if you just use the A, C and E shapes to create them... Same goes for GUP, you have to study to remember where each degree of the scale you are playing can be found on the fretboard (which requires you to know all the notes of your scale) and remember what combination (XY or XX or whatever) to start on, AND remember a different combination if you wish to play up the neck instead of down the neck. GUP helps you play from the 1st to the 7th degree and when do you want to do that? Its way easier to start in the middle of the scale or really not have to think where you are if you use the CAGED system. Just my opinions!

[@lynxfilante]

@@felixap3389 I think having tools in your arsenal can prepare you in a more well rounded way. I think using as many methods as is practical to you will give you all the more power and knowledge (a huge one simply being developing intuition and an inner ear). Depending on the context of your playing you might resort to different tools, and with time they can start to sorta blend together. I think that's when the magic happens

[@felixap3389]

@@lynxfilante Yes I can definitely agree with that :)

[@jimmycoleman6150]

I normally don't comment on videos, but I have to say thank you. This series was revelation after revelation. After hours and hours and hours of trying to memorize different scale shapes in different positions, you made everything click. For the first time ever, I feel like I'm actually starting to understand the guitar rather than just mindlessly playing it. Thank you.

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Thanks for your comment. I’m honored.

[@tourdesource]

Your Grand Unification Pattern and the late Pat Martino's parental forms make so much sense. There's a deep layer of (quite practical) mathematical symbolism harbored between our frets.

[@TaoGroovewitch]

I've been playing for 38 years but only recently decided to focus on leaf playing. I've always thought that there was this pattern but couldn't quite grok it. Thank you for removing the veil so logically and concisely. I've got the bell and anxiously await the next video. ❤️🔥

[@c0ns1d1ne]

Mind. Blown. I'll have to watch the series several times but guitar is no longer quite the mystery it once was. Many thanks!

[@gtsteele6219]

This is a revelation. Slowly but surely the concept is taking hold. I appreciate too that these videos are all meat and no filler. Thanks again, Michael.

[@cxrmelo_]

This algorithmic approach made me breakthrough on my knowledge on the fretboard and i look at it like i never have before. I loved it so much that i created the same style of algorithm but with the minor harmonic scale and it’s modes. I appreciate all the work you put in these videos, i used to struggle trying to memorize whole shapes, and now i can instinctively build them up at will. Amazing series!

[@ergraham]

No part 5?? I gotta say man, as a self taught guitarist there's always felt like a little something missing, and I've been on the edge of comprehending the whole pattern myself, but never was I able to break it down and piece it back together the way you have in less than 30 minutes of video. It led to a lot of frustration and picking up-putting down over the years, to have the feeling of being so close to understanding something so obviously critical, yet never quite being able to grasp it. Well this is it, XYZ and all. These are the patterns and building instructions for something bigger I could *just almost* see. Thank you for sharing your insight, and I really hope you keep making more of these! I know I'm not the only one out there who found this and went "ohhhh...well damn"

[@antoniogarza2079]

Amazing I’m anxiously waiting on how this ties in with the pentatonic scales! I’ve learned so much from your simple videos. I never used anything lower than the 4th fret but now I’m using the entire guitar neck and I can’t thank you enough. Much love

[@TimothyDorcas]

This is an amazing series and completely within my wheelhouse. This takes the Pentatonic shapes to God mode. Would love to see a few practical examples

[@enjoime111213]

This series is amazing its exactly what ive needed all these years. Please keep making more

[@andyfrankland-davies2164]

This is the method I've searched for my whole life. It just makes sense to me... Thank you so much.

[@switch1e]

This series is honestly so amazing. The visuals and material are great, and it’s helped me gain a much more meaningful vision of the fretboard

[@1032godofwar]

After four years of being self taught and avoiding this, I feel like this series has finally helped it all click :)

[@burneychoo]

Appreciate your work. So logical. It is like being handed the master key to all the diatonic scales. First video that can truly claim “Never get lost on the fretboard.”

[@jenniferwolf681]

Thank you so so much for this awesome eye candy- a mind altering GUP logarithm explained concise, logical and visually appealing. This totally speed up my learning and leaves me with the pure joy of playing and improvising. Much love to you. This is the best series on this topic ever!!

[@jimsjamtracks9356]

This could possibly be the Greatest lead guitar tutorial ever constructed. I watched it through, and im on my second time around now. This is Phenomenal work Michael, well done

[@ShoesMagoo]

What en epiphany. Been playing for a long time and never came across this, still hard to believe none of the teachers I've had have known about it. I've gleaned some parts of this method on my own working on playing scales on one and two strings, but you figured it all out and pieced it all together. And it's a quick learn - nice and simplistic so it's easy to understand and implement immediately. This is easily the most important fretboard system for any guitarist to understand, should be the first thing a guitarist learns after learning the basics of left and right hand methods (even before learning the open chords), and you're going to be helping out many, many thousands (hopefully millions) of players, most more than they will know, by having put this up for free on YT. Thank you, from all of us. Edit: And you're selling the printable version for 2 bucks? Thanks again for being so excellent. I'm happy to donate a little extra for your efforts.

[@masterbuilder3166]

This method has opened an entire galaxy of possibilities. I can’t thank you enough for sharing this information. 💯💪🎸

[@drolfsmeier]

Absolutely the best explanation of the fretboard I have seen! I hope we can encourage you to carry such clarity into some of the more mind and finger bending scales such as the melodic and harmonic minor scales.

[@yungreezy911]

Eagerly awaiting the 4-note per string video. Thanks again!

[@samiam3297]

Ill have to watch this again when fully awake...but suddenly part of me seems im part of the cast on the Dark Crystal set slowly attaining the G.U.T. - the goal to fight like Yoda of course (yes im mixing movies) and ultimately find the freedom to just play and forget the rules. [Once again thank you for your wise insights!]

[@AlexEllwein]

I think these patterns are an elegant way to break down the "tone-tone-halftone-tone-tone-tone-halftone" scale into visual pieces which are simpler and handy to start with (in any of the modes/degrees). Nice video series! Thank you.

[@martoneill]

Thanks Michael for another wonderful video. Lots to digest in this one.

[@andrewedilson5741]

Thank you so much for these videos! I’ve watched countless videos of other methods. Most were only useful for memorizing an exercise, without adding any understanding of application. Videos that did shed light were very limited in application and I still found myself “stuck in a box”. And then there are the thousands of click bait videos trying to get you to buy a tutorial subscription. I’ve been playing guitar for 25 years, and have played in many gigging bands. I had accepted the fact that I’m just not a lead guitar player, because I couldn’t understand the fretboard layout as I understand the piano. These videos have given me a sense of complete unlocked potential. For the first time in 25 years, I can understand the fretboard! Thank you again, and thank you for making your knowledge available for free. Eagerly awaiting pt. 5.

[@jimbinger]

I read BTBGS a few years ago and set it aside, but have now circled back. This the most uniquely important concept to understand. Thanks for both the information and the excellent presentation. There are a few "copycats" out there, but none compares to the original!

[@HippyDruid77]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@davemcguire999]

You are a natural and gifted teacher. Thank you so much for this series. I have been playing using bits and pieces of these concepts for years and always intended to sit down and really figure out all of the connections. You have gone beyond anything I could have accomplished. I look forward to the continuation of the series and sharing it with all my musician friends.

[@theguitarnoobph]

Can't wait for the next helping of genius simplified. Woohoo!

[@rickibright6221]

Mind fully blown. WHY HAS NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THIS!

[@stevenjones6780]

Great work. I might have termed this "pattern overlapping", but the presentation is right on. Over the decades it has helped me to see and hear chord shapes in all of this as well, but you probably get to that at some point. Eric Johnson once said: "I think of chords as melodies and scales as chords". It's amazing how melodic his solos are using so often the pure pentatonic- maybe it's the very sophisticated chords (sonorities) underneath. Myself, I'm much more diatonic in my approach so I sure appreciate your work here. Thanks.....!

[@oldunclemick]

I could have done with this video 20+ years ago - it would have saved me figuring this all out for myself! I got fed up with all the "methods for learning the fretboard" that were basically variations on memorizing individual notes so I went searching for a framework. My breakthrough was to stop seeing the piano as C to C and to revisualize it as A to G and then I saw the symmetry of the natural minor which transferred easily to the bass. The major scale and other modes are just a question of shifting the tonic. I don't play guitar much so I cheat and ignore the dogleg between the G and B strings and just relate the B string to the E string as I would with a five-string bass.

[@GregPentecost]

This series is awesome!!! Thank you!

[@tombyrne8657]

I really want to thank you for these videos. I've been playing four years and I've been playing jazz shapes and trying the CAGED system but I've found it hard to break out of the boxes and even harder to break out of the major scale, like with these boxes if you want to play A Dorian it felt like you had to know you need to play G major shapes rather than having a Dorian scale to work off. These videos in a week have completely unlocked the fretboard for me and I've been confidently playing over backing tracks in any mode.

[@willnixon69]

This is absolutely brilliant

[@zor5559]

Thanks for making this series. They are the best videos on KZbin for guitarists. I hope you make more. You could even make a whole guitar course on a platform like Thinkific or Teachable and charge for it. I'd buy it.

[@zacharybishop]

Thank you so much. I just picked up the eBook as well, but these videos really help drive the concepts. I've been struggling to learn scales for soloing over jazz standards, but I really feel that this playlist has quickly helped me stitch together patterns that will ultimately make it easier to connect the theory. I've played the piano when I was younger - I think that helps to learn any instrument. But I've always struggled with the simplest concepts of visualizing a keyboard on a fretboard. This helps immensely! Thanks again.

[@estebanmarin002]

Awesome videos!!! Never seen this before and I love it

[@visog]

Can't wait for you to go diagonal - X = dim, Y=min and Z=maj, all the arpeggios you need for the major scale

[@wagonet]

Wow best videos. Seriously helpful

[@jake_with_the_BIG_snake]

This information is gold. Very well presented and explained

[@SuiGenerisMan]

Fabulous series, fantastic production value. Even the VO is excellent

[@stoneyneff8555]

This is amazing , I can't wait for the next video....hint hint

[@dclimenti]

I just found your serie yesterday and that was a big Ha-Ha moment for me. I just really love your approach and that instntly unlock a lot of possiblities for me. So I wanted to say hi and a big thank you for sharing this. I'm relly looking forward to see the next videos on 4 notes per string and the pentatonic scale.

[@MyAMJourney]

Dude the fact you dont have millions of views on this series is a literal tragedy

[@mrborisak]

great work sir

[@picksalot1]

This is the same method I started to use when I devised it independently years ago. Another thing I've found very useful is getting a clear idea of which fingerings can remain the same when playing the same intervals with one or two strings between them. This is something I think of as "symmetrical fingerings," and also works on some chord shapes on certain string combinations. Thanks

[@piotrrkoss]

You are great ,many thanks

[@amankandulna9382]

Beautiful 🎉

[@clownpocket]

So good!

[@johnmac8084]

Brilliant, thanks 👏

[@magnuseye971]

Hi Michael! This was a game changer. I'm a beginner, and after learning your patterns I now find myself improvising over backing tracks easily in all the modes. I'm very curious about how this approach can be used to learn the melodic and harmonic minor. I realize of course that the GUP might have it's limits, but I am still looking forward to more content on your channel on the topic. Happy new year!

[@evolgenius1150]

We neeedd mooooorrrrreeeeeee!

[@gregv.8564]

love the series! how does this tie into pentatonic scales? I've always been used to playing pentatonic and then diatonic scales over them but combining them with GUT method extends on the already infinite options penta+dia provides - super lovely :) can't wait for next episode ty for doing this - supporting you on buymeacoffee

[@MrFoggyNotion]

I like the logical approach of the 'algorithm' shapes. The drawback is that the notes don't fall under your fingers like in the CAGED system.

[@jjjjasonnnn]

Try constructing an infinite guitar like the first video and laying out the CAGED scale shapes instead of the 3NPS shapes. You'll see there's a pattern and algorithm--different, but still simply constructable. You'll also notice it looks eerily similar to the GUP when completely laid out 😮

[@randomdude93-93]

Do you have any more brilliant videos to share with us? This series blew my mind!

[@stufromoz8164]

thank you

[@collectitbydiyversity2442]

Great videos. When are the next ones coming out?

[@unclebaobabmusic]

Hi Micheal, this series has really changed everything for my guitar playing. Thank you. Any update on the 4 notes per string pattern stacking video?

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Thanks for the comment. I simply haven’t had time to get to it. I can sum it up very quickly here until I do. 4 notes per string is simply pulling a shape shift on every string. You can shift shapes using the first finger as illustrated in this video, or the 4th finger. I’ll provide more details in the video itself, but that’s the basic gist.

[@billblain2032]

Hi Michael, thank you for posting. Can you talk about how to integrate the "GUP" with CAGED cords and arpeggios?

[@alexanderbertrams987]

This is exactly what I’ve stumbled across - What is scale degree and how does it fit into.

[@MichaelPillitiere]

‘Degree’ just means ‘number’. The first scale degree is just note number 1 in the scale. Second degree is note number 2, etc.

[@ChuckSilva]

Gr8!!! ❤️❤️

[@michaellandreth1392]

Are you planning on doing or having someone play these on Guitar ? Thanks for posting this. I've been working on these. It's pretty cool.

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Thanks. Nope. I want to have the only guitar tutorial series without a single note of guitar music being played. I think I can pull it off.

[@thomasbyrne7372]

I found it easier to just stack them by their names Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, etc. that I already learnt in an earlier episode, and was already doing by myself, than to try remember X, Y, Z, X, X, Y, Z.

[@adamszepe]

Hi, I like these lessons. Where can I find "4 notes per string"? Thank you

[@havenneak8846]

Could you tell me about the song, which is scale should I be play as the my heart goes on. Pleased Teacher.

[@hkaszowi]

If we start in the middle of the fretboard and need to finish the patterns do I simple move to the top of the fretboard to continue with the rest of the patterns if needed?

[@neeleshtambe]

@Michaelpillitirie we can shift shapes at the end of octave. what to do if we wish to shift the shape at 3rd or 4th note?

[@YEM_]

Dude make more scale videos!

[@haiphongvu5924]

This is excellent system but can it replace CAGED ? CAGED can associate with chord can this system do the same ?

[@PurgingParrot]

Would anything significant change when using a 7-string guitar with the 7th tuned to B? This is really interesting to me because this 7th string allows for the same simple structures as the other strings from the 3rd to lower. (Such as octaves) Say I start on the 6th string with pattern 1 (XX). If I were to work backwards to the 7th, would I use a Z shape? (By moving the 4th finger down a fret) Because of this tuning, I think none of the rules should change. But I may be wrong. I have been playing around with your method for a bit now and I have had more progress in my knowledge in a single month than I had over 2 years. Great job man.

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Glad it’s helped you! To answer your question, no changes using a 7 string, everything remains the same. If you started pattern 1 on the 6th string and wanted to work backwards, you’d use another X shape and not shift at all. Remember the shape order has XXX in it, and pattern 1 starts on the second of those X-es. A simpler way to think of it may be like this: X7 X6 X5 Y4 Y3 Z2 Z1.

[@S2B]

You mentioned the next video would be 4nps. I can't see it!🤔

[@gvk9039]

Please explain minor scales in X Y Z patterns 🙏

[@MichaelPillitiere]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qILJZ5xugK6qgLc

[@guitarizard]

I love you

[@HeadbangersLocal]

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@vicenzor3625]

I'm a bit confused with this. For each of the patterns are there rules on where you start? Or if let's say I want to play A minor Aeolian can I start the 6th pattern on the 5th fret of the 6th string? If playing G Phyrigian do I play pattern 3 starting on the 3rd fret of the 6th string? Is that how this works or am I off on something?

[@MichaelPillitiere]

That’s it. You got it.

[@Chris-MusicTheoryAndFretboard]

What did you use to animate your videos?

[@MichaelPillitiere]

After Effects

[@toddm.3924]

Like everyone else here, I've really been astounded by this approach. After spending a bunch of time working on it, I think I may have come across one instance that breaks a rule and wonder what your take is on it. When I lay out the GUP on the fretboard, we can see the Mixolydian mode at the 5th degree and that starts with xxx. You noted that when you are transitioning on a string from one shape to another shape, the shapes form up in this order: XXZYXXZYXX etc. Now if you look at the second X on the A string in mixolydian mode, transitioning down to the next shape gives you Y and transitioning up gives you a Z. Yet there is nowhere in the shape order that you can directly transit from an X to a Y on one side and Z on the other. I feel I must be missing something or seeing this incorrectly. Can you point me in the right direction? All that

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Thanks for the comment! The stacked shape order is XZYXXZY, or if repeated it’s xzyxxzyXzyxxzy. The X you’re referring to in Mixolydian is the capital X I marked in the repeated version. It’s preceded by a Y and followed by Z. You have one too many X’s in your stacked order at the repeat.

[@csu111]

Is the book (11 pages) any more informative than the pdf (7 pages)? I bought the pdf already.

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Thanks for buying the pdf. The only difference is that the ebook has duplicated diagrams to avoid extra page turning on the Kindle. Other than that they are identical.

[@bobolson5423]

Been trying to adapt this to 4 string bass. Does it apply?

[@MichaelPillitiere]

It does! Just eliminate Rule #2 for playing patterns forward and backwards and you're all set.

[@bobolson5423]

@@MichaelPillitiere So eliminate Z pattern also?

[@visog]

@@bobolson5423 No Z is still needed. I think Michael is referring to the shift up/down when transitioning between the G and B strings on a guitar which are a major third apart not a fourth.

[@visog]

@@MichaelPillitiere I'm a bass player too and in an all fourths tuning, the GUP gets great including a full vertical major scale across seven strings...

[@MichaelPillitiere]

visog is right, we’re just removing the high E and B string, which also removes Rule #2. Everything else is the same.

[@smokeychumchum]

matter of fact

[@timsmith190]

Why do all of your pattens have 3 notes per string?

[@hristoistoyanov]

Michael, thanks for the superbly prepared part 4 of the scale video tutorials! I am trying to wrap my mind around another approach: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3TLlmlpoMqGq8k I wonder if all this converged into a single One? I have a feeling that your next installment on 4 notes-per-string will do just that

[@MichaelPillitiere]

That’s the Triple Octave with a couple extra notes at the top. EDIT: No, I’m wrong, his shifts are on different strings. Same principle though. He’s playing a Z, then on the next string shifting the next Z into a Y. In mine I do the shifts every 3 strings rather than two. It’s certainly just as viable.

[@hristoistoyanov]

@@MichaelPillitiere yes, he is shifting the pinky rather than 1st finger.

[@smokeychumchum]

each string linear is the same xzyxxzy all the way up

[@jerryo1845]

Can the harmonic minor be treated in a similar way ?

[@MichaelPillitiere]

Sort of, but it requires not only different shape orders but some new shapes, depending on where the 6th and 7th scale degrees lie. It adds a bunch of caveats that don’t fit nicely into 3 shapes and 2 rules. It can be done though, just raise the 7th scale degree 1 fret.

[@DedRucktheDuck]

so if I use the vertical pattern XZYXXZY to shapeshift up or down the fretboard, how do i revert back to the kind of main pattern of XXXYYZZ? for instance let’s say i’m playing the major scale, I go up two strings, XX, and then I want to shapeshift up, so that second X turns into a Z, but how am I to know if that’s the first or the second Z of the original pattern? hopefully this makes sense… also, is there any algorithmic way to find the root notes in these patterns or is that something i have to memorise? thanks to whoever answers this, whenever

[@neeleshtambe]

I hv same questions in my mind

[@uphyothihaaung9793]

thank you