The 3-NOTE-PER-STRING 'Colour System' - FREE Download!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Get my brand new FREE course ‘Blues Rock Phrasing’ here! Includes TAB, backing tracks, notation and fretboard diagrams! bobbyharrison.teachable.com/p/blues-rock-phrasing-for-electric-guitar OR get 30% off my other guitar courses (for a limited time) at bobbyharrison.com Use the code: BOBBYALL30

[@alaskaaksala123]

You just explained this better and easier than anyone I’ve ever heard! Thank you!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thanks. I’m so glad you found it helpful!

[@MarkusSprenger]

Perfect and easy explaination. Great.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much.

[@awittypilot8961]

Our band just lost our lead player. So I'm the new guy (moving from rhythm). I'm holding my own but this will open some serious new doors. I think it iwll kick me off the pentatonic plateau You explain it better than I have ever seen. GREAT VID!

[@danbromberg]

In addition, move the entire pattern up 1 fret: (1) whenever 'blue' immediately follows 'red' or (2) whenever crossing over from 3rd to 2nd string. Well explained and nicely demonstrated.

[@kane6529]

I like systems and I like colors and I like guitar 🤩

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@zakupoprodaju1615]

Very helpful and in my opinion the easiest system for memorization. Thanks👍

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

@@zakupoprodaju1615 Thank you very much!

[@wagonet]

as someone who is very color.. focused in work. this is so handy and helpful way to memorize. i never would have thought it myself. thank you.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

That’s great. I’m glad you found it useful!

[@mikew9669]

A Wonderful and Fresh Way to Look at the Scale Patterns

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@swaynno]

Good lesson. Will work on that. Thank you for the channel.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@jackson100033]

Wow finaly lights on Thanks

[@noelwalsh3733]

Great lesson wish I had online guys like you when I started playing in the 70's...

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much.

[@RedErin]

Nearly clicked off this video thinking it would be boring, so glad I didn’t! The colors just made something confusing suddenly crystal clear to me. I come from piano which is so linear and I have felt like I know nothing about any musical instrument. I thought guitar would be easy because I also used to play violin (and trumpet, sax, etc.), but it’s so different I am totally out of my element. Once in awhile I find a guitar method I think will make it click for me but never quite does. I just want to fly like I can on the piano and this system helped me in about ten minutes.

[@eyank57]

Bobby Horison is the best best best ' Blues Blues Blues 👍👍👍☝☝☝👍

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@robcooper7215]

Thanks!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you so much, Rob!

[@richardembery]

Great video. Really clearly explained and the colored diagrams are awesome. I’ve got the caged system down pat, but I can see a lot of sense in learning both ways. I probably would have bought the diagrams just to give you the money to maintain such a wonderful mane, but then the content made it impossible to say no haha. Cheers.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much, Richard!

[@ronaldoswistalski8434]

I admire you a lot! You are one of the best in guitar that I ever saw.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Wow, thank you!

[@andy_k81]

Oooh fresh content, this very much falls into one of my favourite quotes "The obvious is that which is never seen until someone expresses it simply." (Khalil Gibran). I've been working a lot on my fretboard knowledge recently and I hadn't quite put together that these always follow a set pattern. I knew there were 3 of them but due to the string cut off, hadn't recognised the 3 - 2 - 2 recurring pattern. Very helpful! Cracking solo as well btw!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Cheers mate!

[@derekcrook3723]

Interesting ! I just started playing a year ago and this pattern idea is worth trying !

[@jerseyrex9823]

this is the best 3nps lesson memorization good job Bobby

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@cimadelmundo]

Thanks !

[@clauderenedecotret]

Holy crap... I'm a visual so fancy names means nothing to me and it confuse me more than anything else but that colour system... brilliant.. fantastic!!!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thanks, Claude!

[@JohnMcGFrance]

Thanks Bobby. Clear, concise and easy to remember. Great video.

[@stevieboi61]

👌thankyou.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thanks very much!

[@kagenotatsumaki]

WOW. I knew about the 3 different shapes but never noticed it was 3 of 1 shape and 2 of the others. This is pretty much the WWHWWWH of 3 notes per string! THANKS!!!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@derekcrook3723]

Hi ..I followed the pattern and have it down in all 7 positions in less than 2 days practising for 1 hr each day .

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

That's brilliant!

[@andrewmclean1720]

Great lesson. Looking forward to more. Thanks for your time a and effort Bobby

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you, Andrew! Have a great weekend!

[@Seanhy5]

Excellent video, thankyou. Keep on teaching 😀👍🏻

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thanks very much!

[@dirtyoliver1180]

Most videos is see don’t describe 3 notes per string as basically a pattern that repeats so the color system is good to emphasize that. They just say do these boxes and that’s about it. I do kinda the same but give them names. Stretchy shape x3 -> lefty shape x2 -> righty shape x2 repeat.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

I really like that concept: putting names to shapes. It’s definitely more descriptive than colours.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Get 30% off all my guitar courses (for a limited time) at bobbyharrison.com Use the code: BOBBYALL30

[@viktorzika1245]

Nice, gonna use that for harmonic minor to 😉

[@jmoses580]

How cool! That makes so much sense! Thank you!!!

[@donvape336]

This is brilliant

[@yoyoyuyu234476]

very usefull, thanks 👍

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you!

[@JesseFragale]

Why is it sometimes you have 3 2 2 pattern , with 1 single pattern at the high E string (lets say the one that is note semi tone note full tone note...index middle pinky) string and when you move it to the low E string to make the next pattern you sometimes do a single pattern and other times start Low E and A string with the same pattern. Doesnt seem consistent

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Since the recurring pattern is based on a wraparound sequence of Green, Green, Red, Red, Red, Blue, Blue (7 repeating shapes - call them what you will), I find it helps to imagine an extra string on either side of the neck (i.e. a high A or low B string). All that said, I prefer to visualise the fretboard in intervals, otherwise it's difficult to be aware of what's going on harmonically, but I still find this to be and interesting system when playing 3 note per string runs.

[@davidphillips2497]

Wow! So clear.

[@evilronin7857]

Bloody hell, good to see you stuck at it Bobby, I remember recording your first guitar track at a Studio I worked at in Roydon, you must of been all of 14, lol, same hair though.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Aha! Myco/Mico Music in Roydon! Not sure of the spelling. I remember it well! We really went to town with the sampler on the intro! Is that Giulio or Joe?

[@evilronin7857]

@@BobbyHarrisonGuitar Its Giulio mate, good to see your still doing what you love, Kudos my man👍👍

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

@@evilronin7857 Hi Giulio. Great to hear from you. Hope all's good with you!

*Very interesting sharing!👍🛎 Wish you success!*

[@GerryBlue]

Nice lesson, I saw some of your other videos, do you play both right and left handed? 😲

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

I only play left handed, but I flip my lesson content in order to make it easier for most people to follow.

[@GerryBlue]

@@BobbyHarrisonGuitar Makes sense, thanks for the reply!

[@Andrew-su9rk]

Nice!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@TheTimeProphet]

I am thinking it would be easier to remember if it was Red, Yellow, Green, as in Traffic lights. Easier to remember the sequence.

[@punchrunliftoutdoortrainin2871]

When you say next position, where is the next position? How do I find it?

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

There are on screen diagrams displaying each position. Granted, I whizz through them pretty quickly, so the video may have to be paused. This lesson is more about visualisation, so it assumes some familiarity with 3 note per string scale positions, otherwise it would be an hour long. There’s also a download link for that provides tab of the opening solo, a backing track and fretboard diagrams.

[@dry509]

So are there only these 3 shapes regardless of what scale or mode one is playing? Harmonic minor, Phrygian, etc.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

These 3 physical shapes would apply to every mode derived from the major scale: Ionian (major scale), Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian (natural minor) and Locrian. However, it wouldn't apply to the harmonic minor scale or any of its modes, nor would it apply to the melodic minor scale or any of its modes, since they follow a slightly different physical pattern. That said, it can be repurposed to fit those other scales. It's important to be aware that, when applying this system to the modes of the major scale, you're only really visualising the physical shapes and not the intervals. This can be useful for repurposing fast 3-note-per-string legato or alternate picking passages to fit other modes.

[@dry509]

@@BobbyHarrisonGuitar Thanks for your reply. I was thinking of the scales/ riffs Yngvie ? Malmsteen plays in his Neo classical metal style. And wondered if he or others are using shapes.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

@@dry509 I think every guitarist has their own way of visualising harmony on the fretboard. This colour system isn’t my main visualisation tool, but I do find that patterns can be interesting and helpful.

[@roblhopkins]

Didn't get seem to get the solo tab as part of download!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Hi Robbie, what did you get with your download? Did you not get a PDF named 'D Dorian Solo 158bpm' and a Guitar Pro file with the same name? If not, everybody who has bought the lesson would also have those files missing. Pleas let me know.

[@christopherwhite6496]

Why does the pattern suddenly change. You mention a supossed lower string. But then why not calculate that extra string in the beginning positions. The rules seem to change half through the fret board.

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

There isn’t a point at which the pattern suddenly alters, or where the rules change, unless you’re referring to having to compensate for the tuning of the B string, which is something we all have to take unto account when playing in standard tuning. The system of using colours to navigate 3 note per string scale shapes can serve as a handy visualisation tool, especially when playing faster legato or alternate picking lines. However, it’s not my preferred method of fretboard visualisation and in my opinion, is no substitute for learning the note values and intervals in any given scale. I recently published a comprehensive 6.5 hour all about the different methods of fretboard visualisation, which presents some of the most common and useful approaches.

[@awittypilot8961]

Bobby...my bank won't go through with payment...probably because you are in a foreign country. Can you do paypal?

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Hi, just to clarify, are you trying to buy the accompanying files for this lesson from the 'Buy Me A Coffee' link in the description? If so, it's not region specific, since the prices are set in USD rather than my own currency. All payments are handled by Stripe. As far as I'm aware, there's no way to integrate PayPal.

[@rembrandt702]

Now that you shared your color scheme...how do we go about doing solos? Or is this just a way to exercise our fingers?

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Creating solos is well beyond the remit of this 12 minute video. That would be where your own creativity and musicality comes in. This system isn’t a finger exercise, per se. It’s more of a visualisation method that’s particularly useful when using three-note-per string scales. It’s not my preferred visualisation method, since it’s purely pattern based, so it helps to also be aware of the interval function of each note that you play (again, a separate topic). However, it can be very helpful to those who gravitate towards patterns.

[@dharris1234]

@@BobbyHarrisonGuitar Great lesson and you make a good point. I got to ask, what is your favorite visualization method?

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

@@dharris1234 Hi Daniel, I generally use the intervallic, formula-based approach for fretboard visualisation.

[@SentinelFive]

All that time wasted memorizing the Pentatonic shapes...

[@valtyger]

IF a COLORED picture paints a THOUSAND Notes. Then why can't hit R-G-Blue? Wonderful, Sir!

[@BobbyHarrisonGuitar]

Thank you very much!

[@luisjalabert8366]

Very nice video! Another pattern/shape that I've noticed (and I wish someone had told me ages ago) is for the pentatonic scale. It's basically like a "cauldron constellation" (a little box with a handle) and it goes like this (e.g. Am): A----------3--5-/-7----------------------------------------------------- E---3--5------------------------------------------------------------------ If you repeat this pattern in the following strings it becomes like this: e---------------------------------------------------------8--10-/-12--- B----------------------------------------------8--10--------------------- G--------------------------------5--7-/-9------------------------------- D------------------------5--7--------------------------------------------- A----------3--5-/-7----------------------------------------------------- E---3--5------------------------------------------------------------------ Now if you rotate this shape 180 degrees, you get this pattern: A---------------------10--12------------------------------------------- E---8--10-/-12-------------------------------------------------------- If you repeat it throughout the strings, it becomes like this: e-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------15--17-- B-----------------------------------------------------------------13--15-/-17-------------- G-----------------------------------------------------12--14--------------------------------- D---------------------------------10--12-/-14---------------------------------------------- A---------------------10--12------------------------------------------------------------------ E---8--10-/-12------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And one funny thing: if you look at where this pattern begins, it aligns vertically with the ending of the previous pattern, and vice versa, you can track back this second pattern vertically aligned at frets 3 and 5 of the high e string. So by using this very simple pattern, you can actually traverse the whole pentatonic scale on the whole neck, with no missing notes! There are also similar two-three notes per 2 strings patterns like this one that repeat in a similar fashion, but aren't as simple as this one.