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Lesson 1
Pentatonic scale
Mastering the pentatonic scale
Lesson by Oddgeir Austad
GuitarBackingTrack.com
The pentatonic (penta) scale is the easiest scale and consists of
only 5 notes for each scale. It's easy to learn and it's uses are
many. Later one can add the blues note, and get an even cooler
scale for improvising over blues licks. Just by adding one more
note!
The Em penta:
1st position
e|------------------------------------------0---3---|
B|----------------------------------0---3---*-------|
G|----------------------*---0---2-------------------|
D|------------------0---2---------------------------|
A|--*-------0---2-----------------------------------|
E|--0---3-------------------------------------------|
2nd position
e|--------------------------------------*---3---5---|
B|----------------------------------3---5-----------|
G|------------------*-------2---4-------------------|
D|------------------2---5---------------------------|
A|----------2---5-----------------------------------|
E|--3---5-------------------------------------------|
3rd position
e|----------------------------------*-------5---7---|
B|----------------------------------5---8-----------|
G|--------------------------4---7-------------------|
D|--------------*---5---7---------------------------|
A|----------5---7-----------------------------------|
E|--5---7-------------------------------------------|
4th position
e|------------------------------------------7--10---|
B|------------------------------*---8--10-----------|
G|--------------------------7---9-------------------|
D|------------------7---9---------------------------|
A|----------7--10-----------------------------------|
E|--7--10-------------------------------------------|
5th position
e|-----------------------------------------10--12---|
B|--------------------------*------10--12-------*---|
G|--------------------------9--12-------------------|
D|------------------9--12---------------------------|
A|------*--10--12-----------------------------------|
E|-10--12-------------------------------------------|
These are the five basic positions for the Em. The * means root
note, which in this scale is the E note. This is a note that defines
the scale and sounds especially good. To get thje positions for the
rest of the neck, just add 12 to these numbers as the 12th fret is
one octave higher than an open string.
To transpose this scale to any other moll, like Am, just move these
positions so the first note in the first position equals:
E|--0--1--2--3--4--5--6--7--8--9--10--11--| for,
E F F# G G# A Bb B C C# D Eb
So for an Gm:
1st position
e|------------------------------------------3---6---|
B|----------------------------------3---6---*-------|
G|----------------------*---3---5-------------------|
D|------------------3---5---------------------------|
A|--*-------3---5-----------------------------------|
E|--3---6-------------------------------------------|
etc..
So it's smart to learn all the positions for f.ex. Em first, and then
you should have no problem using what you've learned with whatever moll
you want.
It takes some practice to remember these positions, but when you do you
can jam along with most songs! For bends you should bend the strings so
far that the note hits one of the other notes in the scale, like:
e|---------------------15b17---|
B|------------15b17------------|
G|----14b16--------------------|
D|-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|
etc.
Lastly, I'll add some cool licks and a cool solo which uses this scale.
Cool licks:
Am
e|------------5--------------8b10r8--5-----5-----------|
B|---------5-----5--8b10----------------8-----8--5~----|
G|----7b9----------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|
Em
e|----------12----------------12---------------|
B|--------------15p12-------------15p12--------| - Repeat and
G|---14b16-------------14b16-------------------| - increase speed
D|---------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------|
Try to play along to this backing track in Am:
Download this backing track as MP3
The solo for "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix follows the Em penta!
Slight bend.
e|--------12-------------------------------------------------------------
B|--15b17----15-12-------------------------------------------------------
G|--------------12-14p12----12b------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------14----------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hold.
e|-------12-12-----------------------------------------------------------
B|-15b17----15-12--------------------------------------------------------
G|----------------14-12--14p12-14b16-12~---------------------------------
D|------------------------------------------14\--------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Slight bend. Hold Bends.
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B|------------------12-------15b~---15b~---------------------------------
G|-12----12-12b-----12---------------------------------------------------
D|-12----12-----14--12---------------------------------------------------
A|-12h14-----------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Let ring.
e|-12-12-12-------12-----------------------------------------------------
B|-12-15-12-12----12-15-------12-----------------------------------------
G|----------14b16-------14b16----------14-12~----------------------------
D|-------------------------------12-14-----------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
e|----------12-15b17r15~-12----------12----------------------------------
B|-------12-----------------------15----15-------------------------------
G|--14b16-------------------14b16----------14b16r14----------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Let ring. Sligth bend.
e|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
B|-----------------------------12b---------------------------------------
G|-12b~------------12----12----12b----------13---------------------------
D|---------14\-----12----12h14------14------14---------------------------
A|-----------------12h14--------------------14---------------------------
E|---------------------------------------0-------------------------------
Well, a bit hard you might say! It is, but it shows the potential of the
scale. And also some of the cool things one can do with it. Hope you've
enjoyed this lessons!
Here's the backing track for Jimi Hendrix's Hey Joe.
Try to play along. If the solo is too hard, just improvise in Em:
Download this backing track as MP3
Notation legend: 12b15 - Hit the 12th fret and bend to 15th 12h15 - Hammer-on 15p12 - Pull-off * - Root note / \ - Slide up/down ~~~ - Vibrato
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