Everything in this book is presented in the key of a minor so that you can see how it all relates together and so that you can begin to string licks together into larger ideas. Jan 28, 2012 learn pentatonic guitar scales in all five forms, and learn how to fly up and down the fretboard in the style of jimmy pa. If you play through any one of the a minor pentatonic scale patterns weve just learned, youll hear what im talking about. The e minor pentatonic scale how to play blues guitar with. Various positions of the major pentatonic scale pattern 15 for guitar with the fingering on the guitar neck. Illustrated below is the expanded ii minor pentatonic scale. If you want to derive the c minor pentatonic scale from a c major scale, the numbers would be. A pentatonic scale is a musical scale with five notes per octave, in contrast to the heptatonic scale, which has seven notes per octave such as the major scale and minor scale pentatonic scales were developed independently by many ancient civilizations. To summarize, the minor blues scale has these scale degrees. Play the minor pentatonic scale, blues scale, natural minor scale, harmonic minor scale, and melodic minor scale in any key anywhere on the fretboard. After the pentatonic minor scale and major scale, the blues scale is probably the most widelyused scale in guitar improvisation. This book provides the pentatonic scale fingerings, diagrams, lessons and licks that every guitarist needs to know. If you are playing in a minor key, use that minor pentatonic.
They are still used all over the world, for example traditional music, country music, blues and metal. Rock guitar solo almost all over b minor pentatonic help info for instance, over a c major triad c, e, g in the key of c major, the note f can be perceived as dissonant as. As a teacher i find that many of the intermediate or advanced level students who come to study with me may already know the 5 pentatonic patterns or boxes, but tend to have difficulty shifting between the patterns or positions when soloing. All of the root notes are e because this is the e pentatonic blues scale.
Click this link for to grab your free beginner pdf ebook with pentatonic blues scales, charts and diagrams. Pentatonic and blues scales for guitar by rob silver, 9781502941855, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The minor pentatonic scale is a fivenote scale defined. The result is a scale that has 6 notes instead of the 5 in a regular pentatonic scale. E pentatonic blues scale free pentatonic blues scales. Lesson 9 extending the blues and pentatonic scales dvd 3 in this lesson. And thats exactly what were going to look at today. After inserting an image or importing a pdf file, often time the objects and dimensions will not show their true length being that the image is. For some reason, we are attracted to that almost from the beginning and since a command of the entire fretboard doesnt usually come quickly enough, we get frustrated. In this blues guitar lesson we are going to take a deeper look at how the blues scale is actually made. The difference between a pentatonic and a blues scale is one chromatic note. The minor pentatonic scale uses the 1a, 3c, 4d, 5e, 7g notes of the scale. Youll see and hear a lot about the pentatonic scale, especially from lead blues guitar players and blues enthusiasts. Dec, 20 a lot of guitar players use only one pentatonic position shape.
Or, in the same way, the g blues scale with the chords g7, c7 and d7. Heres a little something that ive been working with in the studio this week. Now that you are familiar with the minor pentatonic scale in the basic box position and in expanded i form, lets learn the minor pentatonic expanded ii scale. You can now play in safe mode with these notes, each note will sound more or less good, there are no wrong notes.
You dont have to go through this lesson to continue with the blues series, but if youre curious about blues music theory, then this will be a. This scale will have its root note on the 5th or a string and you can start with your 3rd finger. Aug 04, 2016 a blues scale root on the estring example 1 now heres the a blues scale. Major pentatonic scale pattern 15 for guitar fingering. Pentatonic scales play in six different keys on one harmonica. For example, the blues scale is predominantly derived from the minor pentatonic scale, a very popular scale for improvisation in the realms of blues and rock alike. Sitemap guitar scale major pentatonic pattern 15 fingering major pentatonic scale pattern 15 fingering in a major root. The minor pentatonic scale the pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly utilized scales in just about all genres of music. As you will learn, these patterns can be transferred to all keys. A blues scale root on the estring example 1 now heres the a blues scale. Once you know the five major pentatonic scale shapes, you automatically know the five minor pentatonic scale shapes. Each of the five chapters focuses on 1 of the 5 patterns of the caged system. Since our weather has been so blue up here, i thought it might be fun to work on our improv skills with minor pentatonic blues scales.
A minor pentatonic contains scale degrees 1, b3, 4, 5, and b7. For example, check out figure 2, which is the second a minor pentatonic scale pattern we learned last month. Another way to find material and exercises in a scale is to approach it from chord voicings. Youll grow to become very intimate with this blues scale, so pay attention. Use the e scale below and locate the red root notes e. This pdf contains the diagrams for all the major and minor pentatonic scales in all keys for guitar in standard tuning. Comping with pentatonic scales now there is a ocean of online, magazine, and video lessons about how to comp with pentatonic scales. On this page there are easy to follow tabs along with audio at three different speeds. The e minor pentatonic scale how to play blues guitar. Free minor pentatonic blues scale chart saras music studio. Jan 14, 2019 so, a pentatonic scale is just a scale made up of five different notes that are repeated in different octaves. To get the minor pentatonic scale, add the black notes egabd.
It had its roots in afroamerican music with the slaves and became being really used in blues, receiving the name of blues scale. A minor pentatonic scale 3rd position 9th fret comparing the major and minor pentatonic scales, the minor scale just gets first prize as the most versatile, which is why weve featured it here and suggest you learn the a minor pentatonic scale to begin with. The best way to learn them is to choose one scale that appeals to you and spend a considerable amount of time an d energy practicing and thinking of ways. In this lesson youll learn the one scale that is responsible for about 95% of all the blues licks you hear the minor pentatonic and minor blues scale. Thats great if you start out with soloing, in fact its better to stay with that for a while to explore all the possibilities and to really be able to improvise with that one shape. It is called the blue note, and its the chromatic note between degrees 4 and 5 for minor, or 2 and 3 for major pentatonic. Sep 26, 2018 before combining them, i remember first learning to solo over the standard 145 blues progression, and my teacher at the time gave me a quick trick for alternating between the minor and major pentatonic solos. At its most basic, a single version of this blues scale is commonly used over all changes or chords in a twelve bar blues progression.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The first position e shape its because its the most comfortable shape to play in. Scale pentatonic blues 1,b3,4,b5,5,b7 fullth pattern root note c guitar tuning. The last scale shape begins with your fourth finger on the 15th fret. Jun 22, 2016 a minor pentatonic scale 3rd position 9th fret comparing the major and minor pentatonic scales, the minor scale just gets first prize as the most versatile, which is why weve featured it here and suggest you learn the a minor pentatonic scale to begin with. A lot of guitar players use only one pentatonic position shape. Lets check out how to play an a major pentatonic scale in position. Piano pentatonic blues scales overview with pictures. Lesson 9 extending the blues and pentatonic scales dvd 3. The minor pentatonic scale of a key can be found and played in the same pattern 3 frets below the major scale. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video guitar alliance. A minor pentatonic it is important that if you are going to learn to improvise with this scale that you learn how it sounds. Pentatonic scale shape exercises around the fretboard. So, a pentatonic scale is just a scale made up of five different notes that are repeated in different octaves.
A blues scale once again it is important that if you are going to learn to improvise with this scale that you learn how it sounds. Here are pictures and notes of the major pentatonic blues scales. Despite its name, the blues scale is not only used in blues music. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video guitar. A nice combination are the chords am7, dm7 and e7 together with the a pentatonic blues scale. In this case, we begin each line with one of three related licks in 5th position, then use a different position of the major pentatonic sound in each line to answer. The scales are used often for composing melodies and for improvisation. It is the most important element of a song because people remember it for years and years. If you are playing in a major key, then use the relative minor pentatonic scale.
The scale itself is the same as the minor pentatonic with the addition of one extra note. The blues scale minor pentatonic and the major pentatonic scales. Melodies are the one element of a song people remember, along with the lyrics atop the melody. Cs relative minor pentatonic scale, a minor pentatonic, begins on the 6 th scale degree of the major pentatonic scale shown above. But as guitarists, we want to fly up and down the neck with ease. Lesson 8 the e minor blues scales dvd 3 in this lesson. That is to say, when you start a major pentatonic scale on its fifth note, the result is a minor pentatonic scale. In the video you can watch an example of improvisation using both, so that. Minor pentatonic scale and blues scale on the bass. Improvising with various pentatonic scales blues scale. If you want to find the c blues scale from a c major scale, the numbers would be. What is the difference between a pentatonic scale and a. Just like the pentatonic scale you can play the blues scale in every key by moving it up or down the neck.
Be sure to visit pentatonicscales to download the tablature and mp3 jam track. E d g b e a pentaton c minor scale box 1 glitarsik. There are a total of 430 finger exercises in this book. The pentatonic scale is use primarily used for soloing. Major pentatonic scales in open position closed mobile major pentatonic scales forms horizontal. A common variation when playing the minor pentatonic scale in a blues context is to add an extra note between the p4 and the p5. Pentatonics vs blues scales effective music practice. In this lesson, were going to look at theory of how the blues scale is made. The minor pentatonic scale by paul tauterouff the minor pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly scales used in rock, blues, country and jazz music. It works really well with most traditional blues tunes, since blues songs do tend to be comparatively simple in. The pentatonic scale compendia found in section one list all three hundre d thirty pentatonic scales 2 that contain the note c.
There are two pentatonic scales, major pentatonic and minor pentatonic. The heptatonic, or sevennote, conception of the blues scale is as a diatonic scale a major scale with lowered third, fifth, and seventh degrees, which is equivalent to the dorian. Well learn how to extend the blues and pentatonic scales out past the open position to cover some of the other licks in down to the station. The flatted fifth scale degree, aka the flat five, is also called the blue note, as the addition of this note to the pentatonic minor scale forms the blues scale, and radically changes or colors the sound of the scale. The last exercise is coming out of playing the minor pentatonic scale as chords. In his solo on blues on the corner, mccoy tyner uses the minor pentatonic scale over dominant chords in two specific ways. The e minor pentatonic scale the e minor blues scale.
Rule the fretboard in five notesthe major pentatonic. The blues is a form that every improviser must learn and master if they want to become a proficient player. And today were going look at 3 creative ways mccoy tyner uses the pentatonic scale on the blues. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading pentatonic and blues scales for guitar. How to use the major pentatonic scale for blues youtube. To hear each pattern check out the d pentatonic blues scale tab page coming soon.
I have quite a few students who are fans of playing the blues. It works really well with most traditional blues tunes, since blues songs do. The main reason is because pentatonic scales are easy. Heres a chart that lays out pentatonic scales in six positions click on the image to download the fullsized chart pdf a member of the modern blues harmonica forum posted these breath patterns his name is john potts. The anchor around which most of your lead playing will develop. The brilliant benefits of the blues scale guitarhabits. A major feature of the blues scale is the use of blue notes. You can think of this as playing the scale on 3 strings at the same time. The exercises in this book use the major scale, pentatonic scale, blues scale, and chromatic scale. How to properly scale an image or pdf after inserting into autocad. How to use the pentatonic scale like mccoy tyner in your. Learn pentatonic guitar scales in all five forms, and learn how to fly up and down the fretboard in the style of jimmy pa. The minor pentatonic scale is constructed from five notes from the natural minor scale, also called the. To hear each pattern check out the e pentatonic blues scale tab page.
So, if you are playing blues in c, this is the formula to find the correct scale. These are the four most common scales in pop and rock music. The pentatonic blues scale is a great tool for blues. The blues scale is very closely related to the minor pentatonic scale, and is used unsurprisingly in blues. In a previous lesson, i introduced the major pentatonic scale and gave an example of its use in creating walking bass lines over a blues chord progression. There are three ways youll want to learn your major pentatonic scale forms. Oct 12, 2017 melodies are the one element of a song people remember, along with the lyrics atop the melody. We can add the flat 5, b5, or blue note to the pentatonic scale, making it a sixnote scale called the blues scale. Diagonal pentatonic scale patterns by paul tauterouff.
What is the difference between a pentatonic scale and a blues. The minorness of this mode stems from the fact that now most of the notes lie counterclockwise from a, the new root, which makes them sound dark. That b5, or blue note, adds a lot of tension and color to the scale. Click graphic to play audio deactivate arrows on your keyboard for page navigation with alt k. Youll notice the extra blue b5 note which appears twice throughout the scale. As your soloing gets more sophisticated, the less you have to hunt for the box patterns the better off youll be. The blues scale is one the first scales that students of improvisation learn and generally it ends as being the only scale that they use besides the major and pentatonic scales.
Two notes per string the pentatonic is an ideal scale for the beginner and experienced pro alike because it only has two notes per string. The minor pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly scales used in rock, blues, country and jazz music. The pentatonic boxes really help at positional playing playing within just a few frets, usually four. So, let us deconstruct this scale and look at the intervals that make up a minor pentatonic scale.
Get better at blues guitar how to use the blues scale. Jan 31, 2014 free minor pentatonic blues scale chart. Before combining them, i remember first learning to solo over the standard 145 blues progression, and my teacher at the time gave me a quick trick for alternating between the minor and major pentatonic solos. Below is a download link for the pentatonic scale pdf. The root notes a in these examples are circled so that you can learn their locations. The pentatonic scale is a 5 note scale that is widely used in rock, blues, country, and other genres. Jun 07, 2016 however, one scale that many players dont think about on v7 chords is the minor pentatonic scale. Penta, is latin for five, much like a pentagram has five sides, pentatonic scales are constructed from five notes. I created the chart to give a more visual description of. Blues practice is derived from the conjunction of african scales and the diatonic western scales. Lets say we have a standard 12 bar blues in e with the chords e 7a7b7. These are mustknow scales especially for blues and rock so be sure to memorize them and add them to your soloing repertoire. To play the blues pentatonic scale in a certain key first locate the note on the low e string and use pattern 1 as your reference point. There is quite a bit of music theory in this lesson that will help you understand how the blues actually works.
This makes it relatively easy to remember and also is great for hammerons and pulloffs. The blues players often ad an attitional passing note to the pentatonic scale which is technically known as a flattened 5th that means an extra note in between notes 3 and 4 of the pentatonic scale. Every kind of scale is created by a defined set of rules that make that scale. Now the pentatonic scale is such a great and important scale to know for soloing and improvising for the guitar. You can approach it with blues language, bebop, or even modern and outside approaches it all comes together in the blues. The minor pentatonic scale is simply the fifth mode of the major pentatonic scale.