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The Key of G uses the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, and F# and is also know as the (Key of E minor), This is a popular key for bluegrass and overall there are hundreds of thousands of songs written in this key...    

   Each of the twelve keys will have different first position scale patterns and the best ones to learn are (C G and D), The first position pattern is a good study when you compare to the Key of C, The difference between the two keys is 'one tone'...

Key of G...

   These aren't modes because modes are 'Tone x' up to the next 'Tone x', Learning the patterns in blocks (six strings wide) makes 'Tone x' up to 'Tone z' so for these patterns you should learn them relative to the starting tone, The above diagram would start from 'E' which would be "E aeolian" and the diagram below would be starting from 'G'...

Key of G...

   We did skip over the F# starting point which is not to say its a bad pattern, With that aside here it is...

Key of G...

   You should learn the entire (12 fret long) pattern by learning the smaller patterns and then 'move it around' for the other keys, Some patterns look weird which is why we try to focus on just a few (when we can), The pattern starting with the 'root' on the biggest E string is the greatest pattern to learn because whatever tone you start with is the key...

Key of G

   You should note in the diagram above that "Gstring" 'D tone' and the "Bstring" 'D tone' showing are duplicates, When playing the scale chromatically then you have to pick one, This pattern will come in handy when you are playing in the Key of E as well...

   The next block shows the opening pattern for the "Key of D" and sits on a capo point, This pattern also shows duplicate E's on the fourth and fifth strings which are included for the fullness effect in a visual way...

Key of G...

   We always tell people to really (really really) learn the Key of C on the first four frets because that alone will allow you to play any key, The opening scale pattern for the Key of C is also used in the Key of G but note that its used in most every key...

Key of G...

   A mass majority of songs stay within a key meaning if someone says a song is 'In the key of G' then you will only find certain chords, So if you know all of the chords for the key of G then songs in that key will be easier to learn (Way easier), And if you know all of the chords from a neighboring key (C) then you already know most of the chords...

   Here are the basic chords for the Key of G, this shows the Natural Chord Progression that they follow based on the tones starting from the key note, If someone says they are playing in G then they are most likely using chords from this list... (a 13th chord is commonly referred to as a 6th chord - they are identical)

Chord name --------------------- Notes used

G major ------------------------- G B D
G major 3rd -------------------- G B ..
G 5 ------------------------------- G .. D

G major 7th --------------------- G B D + F# 
G major add9 ------------------ G B D + F# + A
G sus7 -------------------------- G .. D + F# 

G major 9th -------------------- G B D + A
G sus2 -------------------------- G .. D + A  ------- (D major sus4)

G major 11th ------------------- G B D + C
G sus4 --------------------------- G .. D + C

G major 6th/13th ------------- G B D + E
G sus6 --------------------------- G .. D + E

Compare the G major 13th to the E minor 7th below

E minor -------------------------- E G B
E minor 3rd --------------------- E G
E 5 -------------------------------- E .. B

E minor 7th --------------------- E G B + D
E minor add9 ------------------- E G B + D + F#
E sus7 ---------------------------- E .. B + D

E minor 9th ---------------------- E G B + F#
E sus2 ---------------------------- E .. B + F#  ------- (B minor sus4)

E minor 11th --------------------- E G B + A
E sus4 ---------------------------- E .. B + A

E minor 6th/13th -------------- E G B + C
E sus6 ---------------------------- E .. B + C

Compare the E minor 13th to C major 7th below

C major ---------------------------- C E G
C major 3rd ---------------------- C E ..
C 5 --------------------------------- C .. G

C major 7th ---------------------- C E G + B
C major add9 -------------------- C E G + B + D
C sus7 ---------------------------- C .. G + B

C major 9th ----------------------- C E G + D
C sus2 ---------------------------- C .. G + D  ------- (G sus4)

C major 11th ---------------------- C E G + F#
C sus4 ---------------------------- C .. G + F#        ------- (Extended Tritonics)...

C major 6th/13th -------------- C E G + A
C sus6 ---------------------------- C .. G + A

Compare the C major 13th to the A minor 7th below

A minor --------------------------- A C E
A minor 3rd ---------------------- A C
A 5 -------------------------------- A .. E

A minor 7th ---------------------- A C E + G
A minor add9 -------------------- A C E + G + B
A sus7 ---------------------------- A .. E + G

A minor 9th ---------------------- A C E + B
A sus2 ---------------------------- A .. E + B  ------- (E minor sus4)

A minor 11th -------------------- A C E + D
A sus4 ---------------------------- A .. E + D

A minor 6th/13th --------------- A C E + F#
A sus7 ---------------------------- A .. E + F#

Compare the A minor 13th to the F# diminished 7th below

F# diminished ---------------------- F# A C
F# minor 3rd ----------------------- F# A ..
F# (b5) ------------------------------ F# .. C        ------- (Tritonics)...

F# diminished 7th ----------------- F# A C + E
F# diminished add9 --------------- F# A C + E + G
F# sus7 ------------------------------ F# .. C + E      ------- (Extended Tritonics)...

F# diminished 9th ----------------- F# A C + G
F# dim. sus7 ----------------------- F# .. C + G       ------- (C sus4)...

F# diminished 11th ----------------- F# A C + B
F# dim. sus4 ------------------------- F# .. C + B      ------- (Extended Tritonics)...

F# diminished 6th/13th -------- F# A C + D

Compare the F# diminished 13th to the D major 7th below

D major ------------------------------ D F# A
D major 3rd ------------------------- D F# ..
D 5 ----------------------------------- D .. A

D major 7th ------------------------- D F# A + C
D major add9 ----------------------- D F# A + C + E
D sus7 ------------------------------- D .. A + C

D major 9th ------------------------- D F# A + E
D sus2 ------------------------------- D .. A + E  ------- (A minor sus4)

D major 11th ------------------------ D F# A + G
D sus4 ------------------------------- D .. A + G

D major 6th/13th  ----------------- D F# A + B
D sus6  ------------------------------- D .. A + B

Compare the D major 13th to the B minor 7th below

B minor ------------------------------ B D F#
B minor 3rd ------------------------- B D ..
B 5 ------------------------------------ B .. F#

B minor 7th -------------------------- B D F# + A
B minor add9 ----------------------- B D F# + A + C
B sus7 -------------------------------- B .. F# + A

B minor 9th ------------------------- B D F# + C
B sus2 ------------------------------- B .. F# + C  ------- (F# dim. sus4)

B minor 11th ------------------------- B D F# + E
B sus4 -------------------------------- B ... F# + E

B minor 6th/13th ----------------- B D F# + G
B sus6 ------------------------------- B .. F# + G

Compare the B minor 13th to the G major 7th at the very top

    * The 13th chord is most often named a 6th chord (B minor 6th = B minor 13th) the chord building structure indicates that a 6th chord, contrary to what others believe, should be named 13th. If the naming of this extension as a 6th is the proper way then why isn't there a B minor 8th, B minor 10th, and B minor 12th or B minor 14th... (See our 14th chords lesson)...

   For more information on the 13th chords, check out our lesson on 6th chords and our lesson on Chord Building You are currently looking at the Key of G, the best keys to change to from here are the Key of C and the key of D).