Two-Octave Patterns

The single-octave shape from the previous lesson covers three strings. To play the full range of the guitar, you need to tile that shape diagonally across the neck. The mechanics are simple: play one octave, shift up 2 frets, repeat the pattern on the next three strings.

How Diagonal Tiling Works

Play the first octave across strings A-D-G (frets 3-7). When you reach the G string, shift your hand up 2 frets and continue on strings G-C-F (frets 5-9). The G string is the pivot - the last note of octave 1 bridges into octave 2.

Octave 1 (Strings A-D-G)

Octave 2 (Strings G-C-F)

Full Two-Octave Pattern

Combined, the shape forms a diagonal from fret 3 on the A string to fret 9 on the F string. The purple-glowing note marks the slide pointon the G string where your hand shifts position.

The 2-fret shift is a consequence of the octave shape in P4 tuning: an octave is always 2 frets up, 2 strings over. When you tile the 3-string pattern onto the next 3 strings, that octave displacement becomes a 2-fret diagonal slide.

The Seven 3NPS Patterns

The two-octave shape above starts on scale degree 1 (the root). But you can also start a 3NPS pattern on any of the seven scale degrees. Each starting degree produces a different fret pattern because the half steps in the major scale (between degrees 3-4 and 7-1) land on different strings.

The critical insight for fourths tuning: since every string pair has the same 5-semitone relationship, there are only three possible string patterns depending on where the half steps fall:

Select a pattern below to see it on the fretboard. Notice how Pattern 5 (from the 5th degree) has all W-W strings - the half steps fall between strings instead of within them, making it the most uniform pattern.

How the Patterns Connect

The seven patterns tile across the neck like puzzle pieces. Pattern 1 sits at frets 3-7. Pattern 2 picks up at fret 5, overlapping by two frets. Pattern 3 starts at fret 7. Played in sequence, they walk you up the entire neck in scale steps. Played across string groups (tiling each pattern onto strings G-C-F), they cover the fretboard vertically too.

This connects to the cycle of 4ths: since the tuning itself moves in 4ths, playing through 3NPS patterns in order of ascending 4ths (pattern 1, pattern 4, pattern 7, pattern 3, pattern 6, pattern 2, pattern 5) traces a diagonal path that naturally cycles through all seven scale degrees. The geometry of the tuning and the geometry of the scale reinforce each other.

Practice

Two-Octave Fluency

Focus on the slide transition at the G string. Play octave 1 ascending, slide into octave 2 without pausing, continue to the F string. Descend back. The position shift should feel rhythmically even - no hesitation at the pivot. Start at 50 BPM.

All Seven Patterns

Work through each 3NPS pattern on strings A-D-G. Play pattern 1 ascending and descending, then pattern 2, and so on. Each pattern has a different feel under the fingers because the half steps land in different places. Once each pattern is comfortable individually, practice connecting them: play pattern 1 ascending, slide into pattern 2, continue through all seven.

Transpose Everything

Shift the root: fret 1 for Bb major, fret 5 for D major, fret 8 for F major. The patterns are identical - only the starting position changes. This is the payoff of symmetric tuning: one set of shapes, all 12 keys.