Once you can connect adjacent scale degrees with chromatics, the next step is to reach a little further — connecting a note to the scale degree two steps above it, a third. Because major and minor thirds are different sizes, they need different rhythmic figures to keep your scale tones on the beat, and getting those rhythms right is what makes the technique sound musical rather than mechanical.
What you’ll get out of this lesson: You’ll learn the two rhythmic figures for chromatically connecting major and minor thirds, understand why the different interval sizes require different rhythms, and have clear exercises for working this into every scale you practise.
Major thirds versus minor thirds
The next idea for practising and improvising with chromaticism is connecting thirds — linking a note chromatically to the note one scale name higher, skipping one scale degree. In all basic scales and modes, a third is either four semitones (a major third, like C to E) or three semitones (a minor third, like E to G). This matters because when you want both the starting note and the target note to land on downbeats, the number of chromatic passing notes in between determines what rhythm you have to use. Four semitones means three chromatic notes between them; three semitones means two.
The rhythmic figures
For a major third (four semitones, e.g. C to E), play straight eighth notes: one-and-two-and-three. The first note lands on beat one and the target third arrives on beat three. For a minor third (three semitones, e.g. E to G), use a quarter note for the first note followed by two eighth notes: one, two-and-three. The longer first note compensates for the shorter gap so the target still arrives on beat three. These two rhythms are the core of the technique — once they feel natural, you can apply them to any scale in any position and they’ll always sit correctly in the bar.
“When you have an interval of a major third, you’re going to play just eighth notes… When you have a minor third, you’re going to play one, two, and three. So we’re going to make the first note a quarter note and then two eighth notes.”
How to practise this across a scale
Take any scale shape — the C major position at the 7th fret is a good starting point and is tabbed out in the video. Play the first note, identify the note two scale degrees above it (its third), and count the semitones between them. Choose the correct rhythmic figure and connect them chromatically. Then move to the second note of the scale and connect it to its third. Work through every scale degree this way. Once that’s solid, try running the whole scale by chaining all the thirds together consecutively. In scales with predominantly minor thirds — such as the altered or diminished scale — you’ll mostly be using the quarter note plus two eighths figure, which gives those runs a distinctive lopsided feel.
Using thirds as lead-ins in your lines
The musical payoff is using these chromatic third connections as springboards into phrases. Play the chromatic run into a third as a lead-in, then continue with a more conventional line — or use the arrival note of the third as the start of your next idea. You can use them at the beginning of a phrase to create forward motion, at the end to land on a target note with authority, or anywhere in the middle where you want a moment of direction. Once the two rhythms are internalised, you can drop these figures into your improvising spontaneously.
Taking it further: Apply the connecting-thirds exercise to every scale you work on — not just C major, but every mode, every key you practise in. As you grow comfortable, try combining chromatic-thirds figures with the adjacent-scale-degree enclosures from the previous lesson to create longer, flowing chromatic lines. Use them as lead-ins to start licks, as endings to close phrases on a strong note, or as a springboard for further ideas.
Your homework: Take the C major scale in one position and work through every pair of thirds ascending: scale degree 1 to 3, 2 to 4, 3 to 5, and so on. For each pair, identify whether it’s a major or minor third, choose the correct rhythm, and connect them chromatically. Aim to complete the full scale ascending and descending without stopping. Then try incorporating one or two of these figures into your improvising over a simple major backing track this week.