The standard 1-2-3-4 chromatic scale is the most boring exercise on guitar… This John Petrucci-inspired variation is a fun and challenging alternative that will level up your technique.
The Fun Version of a Boring (But Necessary) Guitar Scale
Hey, it’s Ryan here with Breakthrough Guitar, and today I really just want to teach you a really fun version of a boring scale: the chromatic scale on your guitar.
Now, we typically consider this scale one of the most boring exercises in the world, and I get it. But it is necessary, and we all typically start with the same thing. It’s just four frets, four fingers, across all the strings. Something like starting on that low E string and going five, six, seven, eight, moving to the A string and going five, six, seven, eight, moving to the D string, doing the same thing every single string across the entire fretboard.
This is necessary for getting your hands to actually move and do what you need to do as far as your guitar technique is concerned. But eventually, it kind of gets stale and boring. So today, we’re going to learn a few variations based on something that I learned years ago from John Petrucci of Dream Theater that I think is pretty cool.
Breaking the “Easy” Trap
When we think about our typical chromatic scale, it’s easy for us to say things like one-two-three-four, one-two-three-four. It’s very easy to divide, which actually makes us fall into this trap of easy playing with an easy exercise. So we should always be challenging ourselves a bit more.
Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to remove that thought of typical common counting of fours, and we’re gonna mix it up. You just need to know how to focus on patterns and steps.
The New Chromatic Pattern: The “Puzzle Piece”
So I want you to start the exact same way you would, something like 5-6-7-8 on that low E string. And then on the A string, I want you to go 5-6.
But I don’t want you to keep going. Instead, I want you to take that pinky and go backward. So I want you to go to that 8th fret of the low E. And then I want you to jump back to the A string and finish with 5-6-7.
Here’s what it looks like nice and slow on just those two strings:
- Low E string: 5, 6, 7, 8
- A string: 5, 6
- Low E string: 8
- A string: 5, 6, 7
Now I know what you’re thinking, that is boring and way too short. Well, it doesn’t stop there.
Connecting the Puzzle Across the Fretboard
We can think of that first movement as one piece of a puzzle that we’re going to connect together. If there’s something you need to memorize here, it’s that pattern. On the lower string, we’re going one-two-three-four. On the higher string, we’re going one-two. Back to the fourth note on the lower string, then one-two-three on the higher string.
You’re going to do that same exact pattern that we just did, but you’re going to restart it on the A string. So now we’re going to drop down and start the whole pattern on the 5th fret on the A string, moving to the D string.
It’s just that small piece of an exercise, and we’re moving it, starting on the E string, then we’re going to move it and start it on the A string, and then the D, and then the G, and so on. We’re going to work our way with that pattern across the fretboard. I’ll do it slow, this is how it looks:
Taking the Exercise Even Further
Again, just a really good way to mix it up. But you can go further than that if you wish. You notice how we started with that first block of an exercise and then we were able to say, “Okay, that one started on the E string, let’s start it on the A string next.”
Well, you can take that small bit of the exercise and move that anywhere.
Moving Up the Fretboard
I could start on that fifth fret, and I could just stay on the lower string and the A string, and I could go up the fretboard one fret at a time.
Moving Diagonally
Instead of starting it on that same fret on the string that’s going down, I could start it up a fret so I’m moving diagonally. This is just a really versatile way of thinking about your chromatic scales.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the problem with the standard chromatic scale?
While necessary for basic technique, it eventually gets stale and boring. Its simple, even rhythm makes it an “easy” exercise that stops challenging you. - Who inspired this chromatic scale variation?
This exercise is based on a concept learned from John Petrucci of the band Dream Theater. - What is the new chromatic pattern?
It’s a “puzzle piece” that spans two strings.- Play 4 notes on the lower string (e.g., frets 5-6-7-8).
- Play the first 2 notes on the next higher string (frets 5-6).
- Go back and play the 4th note on the lower string again (fret 8).
- Finish by playing the first 3 notes on the higher string (frets 5-6-7).
- How do I practice this across the whole guitar?
You play the full pattern starting on the E and A strings. Then, you move the entire pattern down and start it on the A and D strings. You continue this process for the D and G, G and B, and B and high E strings. - Are there other ways to use this pattern?
Yes. You can stay on just two strings and move the whole pattern up the neck one fret at a time. You can also move the pattern diagonally across the fretboard.
