Pattern Studies

Practice scales a lot and when it comes time to make up a solo, guess what's gonna happen.... you're gonna play scales a lot. So to stop that from happening you should try to practice melodic patterns as much or more than scales - it will really help your improvising and free up you mind.

To use them imagine that each scale note is numbered. Then play the notes in the order of the pattern.

Groups of four

1a-- 1234, 2345, 3456, etc.
1b-- 4321, 5432, 6543, etc.
1c-- 1243, 2354, 3465, etc.
1d-- 1321, 2432, 3543, etc.

Groups of three

2a-- 123, 234, 345, etc.
2b-- 321, 432, 543, etc.
2c-- 132, 243, 354, etc.
2d-- 312, 423, 534, etc.

Intervallic

3a-- 13, 24, 35, 46, etc. (thirds)
3b-- 31, 42, 53, 64, etc. (rev. thirds)
3c-- 13, 42, 35, 64, etc. (rev. every 2nd)

4a-- 14, 25, 36, 47, etc. (fourths)
4b-- 41, 52, 63, 74, etc. (rev. fourths)
4c-- 14, 52, 36, 74, etc. (rev. every 2nd)

5a-- 15, 26, 37, 48, etc. (fifths)
5b-- 51, 62, 73, 84, etc. (rev. fifths)
5c-- 15, 62, 37, 84, etc. (rev. every 2nd)