Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
; TRACKS 4-9
Pgntatonic We all use it and some people even malign it, but Guthrie
,
IRA0( BEC(!Si} Mosr blues or rock playing features extensive use of pentatonh bi q ftr s r rrer at it, having adgpted
s.ais
Albert l(ng's ldeas and extondingthem - Texas tlood sh0ws his mastery. Cr.e3ms 1. &rE rci6€ fur Clapton,s
]!Ecs tr 1.t
combining0f meior and mlnor peltatonics, whileAh Via Musicom illustrates ErE ItrryI ahstjtJtion.
f 6 Guitat'Iechniques Novem ber
-f;r[
20OB
-t
oNTHECO i TRAGKS 4-9
ffi ffiffi
Em Shape Cm Shape Gm Shape
fretboard areas by looking for chord shapes
based on the open chords ofc, A, G, E and
D - or, asin tiiscase, their minor
equivalents,
You'll see from the diagram tiat there's
5t--1",1
ahandyminor chord shape lurking in each
section oftlefretboard. This is helpful in
two ways.,.
r:-] r.......:::.-] l.......-]:.-]
First, we tend to remember a chord
shape as a single entity, rather than as a
collection of notes, so from a memorisation
perspective this allows us to thinl in terms l--l l-l
ofone big idea rather than a number of
tfHol Prn
lol l*lt t tffi
smallerones.
Secondly, when improvising using this
--{6-
or any other scale, the chord tones will have
a more stable andhatmonious soundthan
r--t ffi
Dm Shape
I
An Shape
the others, so it's good to be aware ofwhere
they are. When you emphasise any chord
tone - by using it as the final note in a lick,
for example - the results generally sound DIAGRAM 2 FIVE POSITIONS OF THE A MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE
more musical. (Incidentally, youll find this
to be particularlytrue ofthe root note,
which has the most stable sound of all.)
Within the five different areas defined by Position I
xt
the CAGED system, we can see five (4) (sx-
laz I
ffi ffiffi
referring to the blues idiom - ratler than E shape C shape G shape
my'black and white keys' piano analogr.)
The b5 note works most effectively when
used as a 'passing' note betlveen the 4th
and 5th (or 5th and 4th) and when added to
the minor pentatonic t}te new slx-note scale 6t-r-4
is referred to as ttre blues scale. t..:-] r^-1 t:-]
THE MAJOR PENTATONIC
Another pentatonic scale that frequently
crops up in popular Western music, can be
described by tlre intervallic formula T - T - l-J t-l
ffiffi
Tr/2 - T - T1/2, which gives you t}re notes r
2 g S 6 from the major scale. This is known
as the majorpentatonic and, much as the
namesuggests, it's designed to be used over
major chords.
Diagram 3 shows you an A major D shape A shaps
pentatonic scale mapped out all over the
neck - along with the five corresponding
major CAGED shapes: Diagram 4 DIAGRAM 4 FIVE POSITIONS OF THE A MAJOR PENTATONIC SCALE
illustrates how all this information can be
organised as five different fitrgering
positions. See Diograms 3 and 4-
Position
(,
A.ll ofthis should make perfect sense if ar)
I
You'll see that position I here is a alotLnd the top. 'blucs strle.
composite ofpositions I and II from Th,.dd\ ant.Be ^t r lr' -, J. ..-::..'
:
Diagram z, andttre ottrershapes are tha,\ anable ]-ou to crcatr m, ':: -:.,
similarll- constructed bl' combining h!'o t-l1ect.r: three dittelr,r: r: ,::: ::: :
neighbouring shape. This naturallt arail,rbleoneach s:::::: : :'. -:
requires rrider siretches from 1-our fretting hanrmeringaldor:--::r: : :.r- . .
hand; lou should be pla;ring the lorrest and ::lr :. l n.:l .:. -::.. ' _ - ' - :: LI fCmOVe
' :...: '-.-_ j.-.'
"
highest notes on each suilg using the first -._ :---_Jar stting
_
-
:.: , :1.): .:a':.-.: -:- lr:': - :-_
:r: :il a:- ::=:..
There's plerty of fun to be - :.:- .. -. ,.-.- : : - : _-
20GuitarTeclxi(lut-{ .
PtilTAr0l{rc
@
@+ @
@
fretdoesn't even contain the root note! a6 (5) 4
It has to be said that his kind of
approach doesn't Bel much radio play;
it tends to sit more comfortably in more
o ({)
\gll
experimental playing styles, so do bear
this in mind when trying out the
I @
Position lll @ I \e/
ro
matedalbelor /.
This idea applies to all seven modes of
the major scale.Ifthe concept ofmodes
scares you, bear in mind that you already
@
G)
@
I @
ffiffi
practice to the various modes. DIAGRAM 7 PENTATONIC SUBSTITUTION OPTIONS IN THE A MAJOR SCALE
Forthe three minor modes (Dodan,
Aeolian, Phrygian) the conventionai minor
pentatonic works just fine, but you can also
move it as follous...
Dorian - minor pentatonic up 2 or 7 fiets
Aeolian - minor pentatonic up s or 7 ftets
Phrygian - minorpentatonic down z orup
s laets.
Forthe three major modes, the major
pentatonic works as expected, alongside
the following applications...
Lydian - major pentatonic up 2 or 7 ftets
ffi
Ionian - major pentatonic up 5 or 7 frets
Mixolydian - major pentatonic down 2 or
up 5 frets
Forboth major and minor modes, I have
arranged this information with the
'brightest'sounding mode at the top ofthe
list and the 'darkest' at tie bottom. The
concept ofpentatonic substitution is more pentatonic substitution within this Mode improvisation. EricJohnson is a really
likely to sound goodwhen applied to a OfDoom. Not in this feature, at any rate.) good example ofa player who uses these
bright sounding mode (trust me!), so Why bother with all of this? Well, using ideas to great effect, without sounding
Dorian and Lydian are your safest bets. a palette offive notes peroctave adds a overly weird.
(locrian, incidentally, is the mystery certain character to any lick; it provides a Now let's take a look at how all oftle
seventh mode; it doesn't work over ma jor pentatonic 'flavour', ifyou will, and in a above can be applied in real playing
or minor chords, and it sounds so dark that rather Zen way t}te notes you omit from a situations. Tum over for zo music
it's probably not worth even contemplating mode can help to define the vibe ofyour examples on next page. E ):
CDTBACX5
iliel 1l Let's startwith some straightforward minor pentatonic motif in thefr rst bat and the second bar in.orporates a variation
ideas.Ourfrrst lick is a simple illustration ofhow to use mathematical where the second and fourth groups ofthree are reversed
patterns to generate pentatonic licks. You'll spot a 'descending threes' (CD speeds:80/160 bpm)
ILiek:: This one is also based around a pattern, though it's a little
harder to spot; it's an eight-note motif, starting from beat 2...
(CD speeds: 80/160 bpm)
B
G
D
ffiKi*i:*S\.li*tni\t{\-$s:l,t$
E
B
AM VIII
lLi(k 5l This is a Hendrix-tinged affair;the more ofthese notes you can (CD speeds:701120 bpm)
pick, the more the lick will sound like All Along The Watchtower. Note
the four-fret slide at the end, which simulates a two-tone bend...
Am
B
G
D
lLi<k 7l Here we start with another Hendrixian trademark as you bend then release the bend and you're all set!
thatfirst note up on the second string, you should be able to catch the (CD speed:60 bpm)
partially bentthird string withyour bending fingertip; pick this note,
E
B
G
D
GDTRAGKT
lLi.k 9l This one's another blend of major and minor pentatonics, (CD speed: 100 bpm)
evoking shades ofBB King. On the CD, this is played with an eighth
note 'swin9'feel - you'll know itwhen you hear itl
E
B
G
D
lli(k 101 l'd say this one dwells somewhere between jazz and (CD speeds: 80/180 bpm)
rockabilly; it's based on the major pentatonic, though a couple ofb3s
are lurking lnthere,justto blues it up'a little...
E
B
G
D
lLi(k 111The next two licks are more suited to country playing. Lick you end on that A at the 1oth fret on the second string.
11climbs up the fretboard on a pair ofadjacent strings - don'tworry if iCD speeds: 701120 bpm)
you struggle with the lastcouple ofnotes;the lickworks equally wellif
BU lhold)- - BU :--
E
BD "
B
G
o
[Li.k 12]The next lick explores the'held bent note' idea a little more
thoroughly - and ends with one ofthe all-time classic country clich6s...
(CD speeds: 80/'i40 bpm)
t:.4.
BU rho dl -
E 1
B 17 '17 1
6118-18+18H15F14r1 ^ ^ .-
o 14 16
E
-_
llick 131 Here we have a simple repeating rock lick, introducing the tackle the 8th-fret notes.
concept of three-notes-per-string pentatonic fi ngerings. Keep your (CD speeds:90/220 bpm)
fourth finger based around the 1oth fret, using your third finger to
| 6 t' 6 | 6 tt
' 6 |
lLi<k l4l Our next lick shows howyou can usethree notes per string on descending groups offout and the fingering may remind you of
fingerings to play mathematical pentatonic patterns with a more PaulGilbert.
pronounced legato feel. ln this case, the pattern in question is based (CD speeds:80/160 bpm)
lLick l5l Here a six note figure is repeated on each string, using (CD speeds:701120 bpm)
position I from Diagram 5. For best results, focus on note clarity and
timing accuracy when hammering on and pulling off...
Li(k l6l Here's a more ambitious version of Ex 15;this one covers a (CD speeds:701120 bpm)
lotofground (it's based on the same principle the lastshapein
as
Diagram 5) soaim to makeeach position shiftasclean as possible...
.-<:71--);
7
/---\ BU
LICKS CD TRACK 9
ILi.k l7lThis one ilhrstrates how someone like Brett Garsed might use (CD speedsrT0/120 bpm)
some ofthe fingerings from Diagram 6. lt combines legato ideas and
hybrid picking, which can sound pleasingly fluid ifyou do it right...
,-:-;->\
6
BU
E
B
7--9 12 9
7-1 0-7-s---+1 0--'l 0-7-1
1
[Lick l8] Now we see how Frank Gambale would apply his signature uses plenty offourth intervals to create an angular, 'unbluesy' effect.
sweeping approach to the scale shapes in Diagram 6. The 6rsttwo (CD speeds:60/120 bpm)
beats as.end the scale as rapidly as possible;the remainder ofthe lick
llick 191 Let's round things off with a couple of illustrations of how overanAm chord. (This isequallyvalid in both Dorian and Aeolian
you might use pentatonic substitution. This lick is reminis.ent of contexts.)
Eric Johnson, and it demonstratesthe effectofusinq Em pentatonic (CD speeds:70l120 bpm)
8M_
ILick 201 And finally... This onehas more than a hint ofSteveVaiabout (CD speeds:701150 bpm)
it. The AmajT#11 chord suggests the A Lydian mode, and the lickslides
around between major pentatonic scales in the keys ofA, B and E.
AmaiT'.11
8u