Crazy Zig-zag Lightning Bolt Major Scale

Deconstructing  the contrary motion pattern in the last entry, we can see that the lower line is actually an interesting scale form in its own right.

You can think of this zig-zag pattern as a lightning bolt. What's nice about this pattern is that it moves in the opposite direction of most scale patterns in that the higher pitched notes are lower on the fretboard.

Looking at the pattern in the key of C as a descending line, it begins at the 5th fret, 3rd string; what, in Fretography, is called the Center C. From there you play B on the same string, then two notes on each string to the low C as shown in the diagram and notation.

The 2-note-per-string approach to scales can be applied to all seven modes of every key.

Organizing the scale this way connects fret positions in an unusual way. You shift up the frets while moving lower in pitch. It is one of twelve standard Fretography® fingering patterns for the C major scale in this octave. In the next entry we'll look at all twelve patterns.

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