Its also one of the simplest scales to play as there are only five tones to negotiate, making the patterns very easy to memorise. You can play the major pentatonic scale over almost any major or dominant chord without clashing with the chord. The pentatonic scale chose 5 from these notes and created another scale, this is why it is called penta. The major pentatonic scale is one of the most widely used scales on the guitar. E book master guitar lessons scales theory made easy. The two most common pentatonic scales are the major pentatonic and minor pentatonic scales. So you can start using it to learn and even write songs, solo, and make lasting progress with your guitar. Various positions of the major pentatonic scale pattern 15 for guitar with the fingering on the guitar neck. You see how the major scale just simply adds a few notes to the pentatonic major scale actually its only 2 notes that are added. A little bit of theory perhaps the best way of looking at this scale is to see it as a subset of the major scale. A better way to learn the major pentatonic scale on guitar. A simple trick to memorize the major scale steve stine.
Major pentatonic guitar scale and songs guitar music theory. Major and minor pentatonic scales on the guitar online guitar. If you learn the major scale and its applications, you will be able to understand how chords are constructed its not that complicated, know why your favorite songs sound the way. Pentatonic scales are killer scales to play over blues and over iivv changes. For an in depth lesson on the theory behind the major pentatonic scale, read the post on pentatonic scales. In this lead guitar lesson, well go over the five pentatonic scale shapes. Learn the 3 simple rules for building a major scale. The c major and a minor pentatonic scales consist of the very same notes and patterns.
So even if you hit a nonchord tone at a lessthanoptimal moment these notes will be relatively forgiving. Oct 07, 2019 however, most people agree that the blues scale is a variation on the major and minor pentatonic scales, and those pentatonic scales are derived from the major scale and the natural minor scale. Once we return to the root at fret 12, the e note one octave higher than the open e, the scale would start over again, so it can be viewed as a cycle. This book provides the pentatonic scale fingerings, diagrams, lessons and licks that every guitarist needs to know. Learn the major and minor pentatonic scales, their patterns, when to use them. How to use the pentatonic scale as major and minor on the. Jun 19, 2019 from the basic pentatonic scale guitar fretboard pattern to improvising using minor pentatonic scales all over the guitar neck. The versatility and playability of the scale makes it a popular choice for use in guitar soloing and melodies. The more melodic a line is, the more likely it is to use a seventone major scale. The pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly used in all styles of music. If you take the first, second, third, fifth and sixth notes of any major scale, you have a major pentatonic scale.
In the first diagram, you see where the c note and c chord tones are located in the pattern. Every pentatonic key can have one of two possible tonalities. The major scale is actually the basis of western music as we know it. Pentatonic and blues scales covers the essential guitar theory for the minor pentatonic scale, major pentatonic scale and the blues scale and highlights the characteristics of each scale with useful licks and exercises. The first scale most guitar players learn is the minor pentatonic scale. How to play the pentatonic scale beginner guitar hq. The difference between major and minor pentatonic scales. The pentatonic scale can function as both major and minor on the guitar. If you are playing in g major, use e minor pentatonic scale also know as g major pentatonic you have probably noticed that the pentatonic scale can be either a major or minor scale. The major pentatonic scale shares the same notes as its relative minor counterpart so although the diagrams might seem familiar its important to take note of where the root notes differ for the major pentatonic positions as opposed to minor pentatonic.
For these reasons, guitar players often learn pentatonic scale patterns first. Lets take a look at what makes up this scale and how its applied to. The scale degrees refer to the notes of a major scale. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Guitar pentatonic and blues scales fundamental changes. You just need to know how the root note changes in the pattern. Plus, major pentatonic works over a number of different chord. Lets take a look at what makes up this scale and how its applied to the guitar fretboard. So with that said, lets take a look at how the major scale can be derived from the simple pentatonic shape from the diagram above. The major pentatonic scale is mostly used in country, folk country rock, blues and jazz.
A resource for learning guitar theory and applying it to the guitar fretboard. The above is meant to show you the intervals of the major scale. The major pentatonic scale is often overlooked and misunderstood by guitar players. Should a guitar beginner start with chords or scales. May 09, 2014 the major pentatonic scale is mostly used in country, folk country rock, blues and jazz. Jul 11, 2015 in the video, steves going to show you a simple trick to memorize the major scale. This next level guitar blues masters dvd course comes complete with seven dvds and. These arpeggios are very similar to the major and minor arpeggios, but with an added 7th interval. In this lesson, well be learning the major pentatonic scale, which is very versatile and used in many music genres. The better you understand the features and functions of your musical tools, the better youll develop as a guitar player.
D major pentatonic positions on the guitar online guitar. The major pentatonic is great for creating rock n roll style riffs and fills over major or 7th chords. In my attempt to explain guitar scale theory, ill use enough theory to thoroughly discuss the concept while avoiding. All blues soloing for jazz guitar tab music bookcd scales licks concepts. Another note you can add to a major pentatonic scale is a flat 3rd.
Mar 17, 2018 the major pentatonic scale is one of the most widely used scales on the guitar. Which you can find by taking the major pentatonic scale, for example the c major pentatonic scale, and playing the same notes but starting from the 5th note of the scale, in this case the a. A pentatonic scale is like any other scale notes separated by intervals, but it contains just 5 tones, hence the greek word pentatonic, which simply means five. I thougt this book 25 major pentatonic licks for blues guitar by joseph alexander is very well written in easy to understand language. Pdf e book lead guitar licks lesson pentatonic scales rock. This is just one of the many benefits to learning guitar theory and how music works. The scale were about to learn is used loads in country, blues and rock. Since the root is on the e note open low e string, this is an e major scale.
Pentatonic scale construction major and minor pentatonic analysis and modes how to study pentatonic scales. As the name suggests, a pentatonic scale is a 5note scale. So, for example, if youre trying to find the notes of the a minor pentatonic scale, apply the corresponding formula to an a major scale. They just ooze that minor bluesy vibe or sweet major vibe. Easily master pentatonic scales in minutesquickly and easily learn to play pe. In the video, steves going to show you a simple trick to memorize the major scale. Well find out how theyre constructed and how both can be used in your own guitar playing.
Major pentatonic licks for guitar fundamental changes music. You can get more diagrams in the tuning of your choice by using my interactive web app here. After receiving his first guitar at the age of 8, bob began his now 42 pdf. In this lesson were going to take a look at the major 7th, minor 7th, and dominant 7th arpeggios. You see the same pentatonic notes and pattern in these diagrams. Scales covers the essential guitar theory for the minor pentatonic scale, major pentatonic scale. This pdf contains the diagrams for all the major and minor pentatonic scales in all keys for guitar in standard tuning. Pentatonic and blues scales is a minibook a fundessential that gives. My concern is with content and quality of educational material not fancy labels and pretty pictures. If you take the first, second, third, fifth and sixth notes. The shapes of the major pentatonic scale are exactly the same as those of the minor pentatonic scale, except the root note is located else where. Because the pentatonic has fewer tones than do major scales which have seven. Jun 19, 2019 1octave c major pentatonic scale in guitar tab. Pentatonic guitar magic how to use the simple pentatonic scale to solo over chords from blues to rock tojazz.
Major and minor pentatonic scales on the guitar online. The major pentatonic scale is a wonderful, simple way to add colour to your blues playing. Apr 18, 2016 so with that said, lets take a look at how the major scale can be derived from the simple pentatonic shape from the diagram above. Music theory 1 guitar course scales lesson 8 youtube. It is one of the most commonly used scales in rock music, with a timeless bluesy sound that is favored in every genre from country to metal. Recall that most scales in western music contain 7 notes e. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Online guitar books guitar lessons by genaaron diamente. They are still used all over the world, for example traditional music, country music, blues and metal.
Pdf guitar scales major pentatonic download full pdf. Guitar pentatonic and blues scales fundamental changes music. Above you see the scale boxes for the minor pentatonic scale as they progress up the guitar neck. With its clean, folky sound, the major pentatonic scale is a common scale in folk, blues, country and pop music.
This book gives you a quick guide to playing basic riffs while teaching and explaining the pentatonic scales and more. Mastering pentatonic scale theory welcome to the learning pentatonic scales page at gmc run by yours truly, the professor. Click on the required key for scale notes and fret position diagrams in each key. With a tonic note of a the notes of a pentatonic minor scale are. If playback doesnt begin shortly, try restarting your device.
The tonalities are called relative major and relative minor. There are many different ways of playing an a major pentatonic scale on guitar. To understand how this works, look at this example. Music theory 1 is a guitar lesson course for anyone brand new to music theory. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading guitar. Well also go over a muting technique in this lesson, so you can play a clean sound with every note. No doubt about it, this fivenote scale packs a punch.
Playing the major scale legato require a better level of the technique because you most often have 3 notes on each string and so have to make two hammer ons or flick offs in a row but that is good. The right kind of music theory gives us a better understanding of the scales we play and why we play them. Pdf e book lead guitar licks lesson pentatonic scales rock blues theory tab. Although various hemitonic pentatonic scales might be called minor, the term is most commonly applied to the relative minor pentatonic derived from the major pentatonic, using scale tones 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the natural minor scale. Learn to play major and minor pentatonic scale patterns and licks all over the neck play guitar in 14 days connecting pentatonic patterns the essential guide for all guitarists book audio the guitarists scale book. We can connect all these scales with a little bit of music theory. There is both a major and a minor pentatonic scale which, as the name implies, contain. Pentatonic and blues scales covers the essential guitar theory for the minor. The following scale pattern can be used to play the major. As you can see, weve taken only the first, third, fourth, fifth and seventh notes from the a major scale. Major pentatonic licks for guitar fundamental changes. The major pentatonic scale pentatonic scale, learn. And its not that you want to know all music theory.
The major pentatonic scale pentatonic scale, learn guitar. My pentatonic lead guitar studies are 55 pages of must know musical information that really works built around the pentatonic scale. The major pentatonic scale is probably the most commonly used major key scale, not only in guitar solos, but also other instrumental and vocal melodies. The trick is to find interesting and effective exercises to make your fingers remember those scales. Scales you can use in the real world, created by a human guitarist. In pentatonic scale pattern one as i teach it in my fretboard theory guitar theory program the first note is always the relative. As the name denotes, major pentatonic is a major scale with just five tones like every scale, major pentatonic can be given a whole and half step interval formula that tells us the distance between each tone in the scale starting on a given root 1. Other notes you can add to a major pentatonic scale to blues it up. The best way to practice any guitar scale is to memorize.
Pentatonic scales including pentatonic minor scales and pentatonic major. The lessons on this page are geared towards helping you build a strong understanding of each of the various pentatonic scales, how they are built, how they are related and how they relate to chords and arpeggios when. A very easy to use lesson in basic major scale theory. On this page we take a look at the two main pentatonic scales used in guitar playing. The minor pentatonic scale is usually what people mean when they simply say the pentatonic scale as it works well over any chord. There are a few reasons that the penatonic scales are the short cut for the scales. Its designed to give you a good overview of the basic building blocks for. 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. Pentatonics are very handy scales for bass guitar players and are often the backbone of so many classic bass lines and riffs.
It is a warm contrast to the minor pentatonicblues scale and is often used right next to the minor pentatonic to suddenly lift a solo into a happier, major territory. The difference is which note is functioning as the tonic primary pitch. This is because most players learn the minor pentatonic scale first and assume that the pentatonic is always applied that way. Sep 26, 2018 the pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly used in all styles of music. Think joy to the world, which is simply a descending major scale. You can start with e minor pentatonic, but the same notes and patterns can also produce g major pentatonic. This means that they are often one of the first scales that guitarists learn and use. In this lesson, we are going to discuss the theory behind pentatonic scales and look at how to play them up and down the neck. Notice how both an e minor em chord and a g major chord fit. Major pentatonic scale pattern 15 for guitar fingering. A must know set of basic theory to get you started off on the right theoretical foot. The 5 major pentatonic scale shapes positions guitarhabits.
The 5 easy scales for beginner bass guitar players yt122. Contains guitar theory, pentatonic licks, exercises and sequences. Pentatonic scale has notes that when played generate a pleasant melody, even if it is just the. To figure out where to place the scale boxes you need to look to the. Learn to master both major and minor pentatonic scales in all 12 keys.
Welcome to video four of the lead guitar quickstart series. But, just enough to help give meaning to fretboard movement. You buy a book that has a lot of guitar scales in it and start learning them all, in all. Something that cannot be said of the two notes of the major scale that are not included in the major pentatonic scale the 4th and 7th. Mastering pentatonic scale theory guitar masterclass. There are three ways youll want to learn your major.
Rock blues licks scales and applications in pdf ebook format shipped to you on a plain nonlabeled cd for you to label any way you wish. Introducing pentatonic scales for jazz guitar explores the use of major and minor pentatonic scales. You can hear how this scale sounds by playing the tab below. Each major pentatonic scale has a relative minor pentatonic scale attached to it. Its a little strange to get used to at first, because the patterns are the same as for the minor pentatonic, but the root note is different huh. The major scale is your starting point should be the first scale you learn, because it is the basis of chords and other types of scales. Lets first learn the building blocks of major pentatonic and where it comes from. How to learn and use guitar scales learn guitar malta. Guitar theory is an area of study that explains how you can play, improvise, and compose popular music on the guitar fretboard and why certain elements of music go together the way they do.
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