Learning the Green Scales: Starting on the 2nd Finger
The final set of primary major scales are the green pattern scales. These are the scales that begin on the 2nd finger. They are also the first scales in this system that use flats. Flats are a half step below the natural. When working the Blue Pattern on the G string you played a B-flat with the 2nd finger. Now we will be playing flats on more strings.
The Green Pattern
Just like Yellow Pattern we are going to start the scales and the pattern at the same time. To make the Green Pattern we take Blue Pattern and lower the 1st finger. This means we now have whole steps between all four fingers, but the 1st finger is now a half step away from the open string.
How to Play the F Major Scale
The Green scales start on the 2nd finger and go to the 1st finger two strings above. So for F Major we will start 2nd finger on D and go to 1st finger on E.
This gives us a similar ear training opportunity as the Blue scales because the finger that has changed to make the new pattern plays the top tonic note. Pay attention to ensure that it sounds like a major scale.
Scale Color Versus Key Color
You may have noticed that scale color can be different from the colors that you would use to play pieces in the key of the same scale. Think back to the two octave G Major scale for example. You used Red Pattern on the D string, which is where the Blue Scale starts. Green scales are similar. If we are going to play a piece in F Major we would actually be in Blue Pattern on the D string because we need E-natural, not the E-flat Green Pattern would give us. We still call it a Green scale because everything within the octave of the scale is the Green Pattern. Don’t let that confuse you. Just remember that the scale is a small section of the notes you can play; the key needs more colors to give more notes for pieces.
How to Play the B-flat Major Scale
Once F Major is comfortable we can move on to our final Primary Major scale. Starting on the G string we can play B-flat Major.
We won’t add a new two octave here because the high octave of B-flat Major is a Secondary scale, so that comes later.
Be sure you are playing all of your Primary Scales frequently. Not only is keeping them in your fingers good practice, but you will need them to work the Secondary Scales. Stay tuned for the post on those.