Octave Playing - Guitar Lesson With Licks and Theory

What's An Octave? 

An octave relates to the number 8, it is made of 12 semitones. It is the name of the interval between the first note and the eighth note of a heptatonic scale. 

When playing one octave higher you play the same note but higher, when playing one octave lower you play the same note, but lower. 

What is The Range of a Guitar?

The range of a standard tuned guitar (E-A-D-G-B-E). Each pitch is identified by a system named Octave Identification System or Scientific Pitch Notation.

The principe is that each pitch is labeled with a number. This system is generally used by piano players. For example, the lowest C note of a piano is labeled C1 whereas the highest note is named C8.

It works the same with guitars. As shown in the shapes below the lowest E is E3 and the highest E is E6.

Why Learning Octaves Is Important?

Locate octaves on your guitar neck will help you learn much easier scales and chords. This way you will learn in-depth you guitar fretboard and you will be able to transpose any scales, melodies and chords.

How To Find Octaves On Guitar?

Any guitar player should be able to find easily the notes across the neck. You will reach that point by learning the octaves shapes below. Each shape below shows an octave, the two notes in the diagram share the same name.

In other words, one note is higher or lower than the other. This way you can find the name of any note on the entire guitar neck.

Octave Diagrams 1 & 2 

These first two shapes have their lowest roots on the sixth string. Meaning that there are two methods of playing an octave with roots on the sixth and fourth string.

For example, if you take the first diagram and place a finger on the 6th string at the fifth fret you get an A. So, the note on the fourth string is the same note an octave higher. 

The second shape produces exactly the same notes, but the highest note is on the third string instead of the fourth.

Octave Shapes 3 & 4

The lowest root on the third and fourth diagrams is on the fifth string, the highest on the third on second string. All these notes have the same name.

Octave Shapes 5 & 6

Here are two other ways of playing an octave. The two forms have the lowest note on the third string and the highest on the second or first string. 

Octave Shape 7

The only option to play an octave with the lowest note on the third string is represented by the diagram 7.

How To Play Octaves?

The most common way to play octaves on guitar is to use the diagrams 1, 3, 4 and 7 previously seen. The most effective execution of octave playing technique is to play the two notes simultaneously using the first finger and the little finger of the left hand (or right hand if you are left-hande) on the following string sets : 6 and 4, 5 and 3, 4 and 2, 3 and 1.

You can eventually use the third finger in place of the pinky finger to play the highest note of the octave. Wes Montgomery wich is considered the best representative user of octave playing technique used to strike the string with his thumb, but you can of course use a pick.

Octave Exercise 1 - Diatonic Major Scale

The following octave exercise in G major illustrates the positions covering all the guitar neck. Please note that the G major scale interval pattern is 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 giving the notes G - A - -B - C - D - E - F#. The positions used in the tab on the right are related to the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th octave shapes above. 

Octave Exercises 2 & 3 - Circle of 4ths

The two examples below show how to play octaves following the circle of 4ths aka cycle of fourths. The progression is C7 | F7 | Bb7 | Eb7 | Ab7 | Db7 | Gb7 | B7 | E7 | A7 | D7 | G7.

Octave Exercises 4 - Diatonic Arpeggios

You can now try to play octaves starting on each tone of diatonic arpeggios. The arpeggios used are built from the G major scale:

• Gmaj7 (G-B-D-F#)
• Amin7 (A-C-E-G)
• Bmin7 (B-D-F#-A)
• Cmaj7 (C-E-G-B)
• D7 (D-F#-A-C)
• Emin7 (E-G-B-D)
• F#m7b5 (F#-A-C-E)

Octave Exercise 5 - Minor Patterns

This YouTube video provides 10 easy octave patterns in D minor. These lines in the style of Wes Montgomery are mostly based on the Dorian mode and the minor blues scale.

Once you're comfortable with these lines, try to play them in 12 keys and try to apply them to your favorite changes.

10 Minor Jazz Guitar Octave Licks For Beginners (Dm7)

Octave Exercise 6 - Dominant Patterns

Another video providing ten easy dominant patterns to play over a Bb7 chord. Once again try to transpose them in twelve keys.

10 Easy Dominant Jazz Guitar Octave Licks With Tabs

Octave Exercise 7 - II V I progression

Here is an easy octave line to play over a classic II V I sequence in C major.

Octave Exercise 8 - II V I progression

This II V I phrase contains notes from D dorian (D-E-F-G-A-B-C) and G Mixolydian (G-A-B-C-D-E-F). It ends on a C69 chord (C-E-A-D) (1-3-6-9).

Octave Exercise 9 - II V I progression

Two scales are used here, D Dorian over Dm7 and G altered (G-Ab-Bb-B-Db-Eb-F) over G7alt.

Octave Exercise 10 - Jazz Blues Line

This guitar line is transcribed from an Emily Remler solo, it is taken from the PDF eBook "49 Essential Jazz Guitar Lines".

It contains of a repetitive pattern built with the 5 (F), b7 (Ab) and root (Bb) of Bb7. You can play it over the first four bars of a Bb jazz blues tune.

Blue Monk (Thelonious Monk) Octave Study

Lastly, to conclude this lesson let's take one of the 10 jazz blues tunes that every guitarist should know. Blue Monk is a 12-bar blues in Bb composed by the great pianist Thelonious Monk. 

The tune is characterized by the use of four-note chromatic scales in bars 1,2,4 and 5. Blue Monk is an interesting variation of the basic blues progression. There is a IV chord (Eb7) in the second measure and a diminished seventh chord (E°7) in measure 6.

Octave Playing And Basic Jazz Chords Over A Bb Blues

This study implies octave playing patterns and basic jazz chords over a blues in Bb. You'll find below the related YouTube Short Video and a link to get access to the Free PDF file available on the GUMROAD STORE.

• 

  Guitar Scale Dictionary

  This E-book is a printable PDF method including over 700 scale diagrams and formula charts for guitarists.
• 

  Guitar Chord Dictionary

  This PDF eBook provides over 550 guitar chord shapes. This is the perfect reference guide to understand how chords are built and how to play them on the guitar neck.
• 

  30 Groovy Jazz Guitar Licks

  This downloadable package contains a PDF WITH audio files giving access to 30 groovy guitar phrases mixing jazz, blues and funky licks for beginners.
• 

  172 Arpeggio Shapes For Guitar

  This printable PDF is a method dedicated to guitarists of all styles who want to learn build and play the most important types of arpeggios.
• 

  126 Triad Chord Shapes

  This handbook for guitar players is intended both for teachers and students. It includes 126 guitar shapes for mastering triads.
• 

  Major Scale Harmonization

  This package provides a printable PDF with exercises and audio files to learn how to harmonize the major scale with 3 note chords and their extensions.
• 

  30 Minor Arpeggio Licks

  This package includes a printable PDF method containing 30 exercises with tabs, staves and audio files for practicing minor arpeggios on guitar.
• 

  II V I Bundle - 170 Exercises

  This bundle contains 4 PDF methods for a total of 170 exercises with tabs, staves, analysis & audio files for practicing scales, arpeggios licks & chords over the 2-5-1 progression.
• 

  Diatonic Licks Bundle

  This package contains 120 jazz guitar lines based on diatonic modes as Mixolydian, Dorian and Ionian. PDF format with tabs, audio files and analysis.
• 

  30 Smooth Jazz Guitar Licks

  In this package you'll get a printable PDF Method with tabs, notation, analysis, scale shapes and audio files for practicing 30 smooth jazz guitar licks.
• 

  40 II V I Jazz Guitar Licks

  This pdf method for guitar contains fourteen 2 5 1 jazz guitar lines with tab, standard notation, analysis, scale charts and audio files.
• 

  50 II-V-I voicings

  This printable PDF guitar method provides 50 exercises with audio files, analysis, tab and staves for learning major 2-5-1 chord voicings.
• 

  40 Minor 2 5 1 Chord Voicings

  This PDF method contains 40 exercices with tabs, scores and audio files for practicing jazz guitar chords over the minor 2 5 1 progression.
• 

  40 Minor II V I Licks

  This guitar method is a printable PDF with tabs, diagrams, theory and audio files providing 40 minor 2 5 1 jazz patterns.
• 

  40 Mixolydian Jazz Guitar Lick

  PDF guitar method with tabs, audio files and theory providing 40 dominant jazz guitar lines for teachers and students.
• 

  40 Minor Jazz Guitar Licks

  This printable guitar method in PDF format contains 40 easy minor jazz guitar lines based on the Dorian mode.
• 

  40 Major Jazz Guitar Licks

  Printable PDF eBook method containing 40 major jazz guitar licks with tab, standard notation and audio files for beginners and intermediates.
• 

  Guitar Walking Bass Lines

  This jazz guitar method about walking bass lines and chords is available as a PDF files containing 35 exercises with tabs, analysis and audio files
• 

  101 Dominant Arpeggio Patterns

  This printable PDF method provides 101 dominant arpeggio exercises with tab, theory and standard notation for the jazz, blues and rock guitarist.
• 

  49 Essential Jazz Lines

  This printable eBook method in PDF format provides 49 jazz solo transcriptions of the greatest jazz musicians. Tab, standard notation, audio files & analysis.
• 

  11 Jazz Blues Studies

  11 jazz blues chord studies with tabs, standard notation, analysis, and audio recordings and PDF.
• 

  10 Easy Fingerstyle Blues

  This PDF with Tabs and audio files provides 10 easy acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar studies for kids and beginners.
• 

  25 Altered Jazz Guitar Lines

  This PDF eBook method contains 25 altered jazz guitar licks with tabs, patterns, scale charts and audio files to master, apply and develop the altered scale.
• 

  40 Blues Dominant Patterns

  This printable method is available as a PDF file containing 40 easy dominant jazz-blues guitar lines with tabs, standard notation, analysis, audio files and scale charts.
• 

  25 Pentatonic Licks

  This jazz guitar method is an eBook available as a PDF with standard notation, guitar tabs, diagrams, analysis, audio files and backing tracks. You will find in this booklet 25 easy jazz guitar lines with theory using common and rare pentatonic scales.
• 

  25 Soul Jazz Guitar Licks

  You will find here an eBook available in PDF containing 25 soul jazz and hard bop guitar licks in the style of Grant Green, Melvin Sparks, George Benson.
• 

  25 Diminished Patterns

  This eBook PDF with audio files contains 25 dominant diminished jazz guitar patterns using the half-whole diminished scale and diminished 7th arpeggios.
• 

  6 Tritone substitution licks

  This Printable PDF eBook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabs/notation, youtube video link and analysis about the tritone substitution.
• 

  10 Minor 7 Arpeggio Patterns

  This printable PDF eBook offers 10 easy minor 7 arpeggio patterns with its related YouTube video for beginner guitarists.
• 

  10 Easy Major 7 Arpeggio Licks

  This is a printable PDF for beginner jazz guitar players providing 10 easy licks to practice major 7 arpeggios.
• 

  10 Chord Melody Lines

  Within this package, you'll discover a set of ten chord melody exercises for beginners. Printable PDFaudio files, a backing track, and a link to the associated YouTube video.
• 

  10 Minor Blues Scale Licks

  You'll find here a PDF with 10 easy jazz guitar licks to practice the minor blues scale on guitar.