William Leavitt major scale fingerings from Berklee A Modern Method for Guitar Volumes 1, 2 and 3. In the fingering charts below, the numbers on the fingerboard indicate the scale degree. Alternating blue and red degrees facilitate practicing arpeggios and interval patterns. The charts are presented here in second position, but of course all fingerings can be moved to any position/key.

Type 1 utilizes first finger stretches. There are five derivative fingerings (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D and 1D Optional) each adding an additional stretch except D. The keys sounded by these types move through the Cycle of Fourths. Type 1D has an optional fingering that replaces a first finger stretch with a fourth finger stretch, typically used for certain melodic patterns such as thirds.

Type 2 and 3 are in position, do not require any finger stretches and have no derivative fingerings.

Type 4 utilizes fourth finger stretches. There are four derivative fingerings (4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4D Optional) each adding an additional stretch except D. The keys sounded by these types move through the Cycle of Fifths. Type 4D is not really practical, but has an optional fingering that replaces some fourth finger stretches with first finger stretches. Type 4D Optional (also called Type 1D/4D) is a combination of Types 1 and 4 and is usually best. First finger stretches are used on strings five and four, first and fourth finger stretches are used on string 3, and fourth finger stretches are used on strings two and one.

Types 1, 1A, 2, 3 and 4 are the five most used fingerings as presented in A Modern Method For Guitar Volumes 1 and 2. The remaining positions are presented in A Modern Method For Guitar Volume 3.