We always use the major scale as our reference when naming notes within chords and scales. I have a dvd and download called master the major scale which goes into a detailed practical approach to learning to use that. There is a major pentatonic scale and a minor pentatonic scale. There are three ways youll want to learn your major pentatonic scale forms. That 6thstring, 5thfret a minor pentatonic scale is also a c major pentatonic scale. You can hear this in the video when i play this g major pentatonic scale and the major g chord together, it sounds great. The major pentatonic scale is the easiest and most effective scale to play over a major key and delivers an uplifting blues country sound. The blues scale minor pentatonic and the major pentatonic scales. The major scale, for example, works well over major chords.
In the 2nd position, the 2nd fret in the scale box will be the 7th fret on the guitar neck. Illustration courtesy of desi serna this new pattern 1 is identical to. No doubt about it, this fivenote scale packs a punch. The 5 pentatonic scale shapes guitar lesson youtube. 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 simplicitys sake, you will only use one scale, a minor.
My blues lead guitar series will teach you all about using the minor pentatonic, the blues scale, the major pentatonic, dorian and mixolydian modes. The 5 major pentatonic scale shapes positions guitarhabits. Although the pentatonic scale is not the only scale available for playing rock lead, it is. Pentatonic scales for guitar a pentatonic scale has just 5 notes. Jun 19, 2019 on this page youll find a complete guide to learning and using pentatonic scales on guitar. If you were playing the c minor pentatonic you would play the notes c, eb, f, g, bb.
You can start with e minor pentatonic, but the same notes and patterns can also produce g major pentatonic. This tutorial will teach all you need to know about how to play scales on the guitar. Guitar scales printable charts of the most commonly used scales. The aeolian mode natural minor is the 6th mode of the major scale. Thus, the minor pentatonic scale contains the tonic triad of the same name. Below is a download link for the pentatonic scale pdf. The pentatonic scale pentatonic scales have only five notes penta means five.
The pentatonic scale works really well over simple chord progressions, and because its one of the easiest scales to learn, its usually the first scale taught. Guitar players often ask me what makes pentatonic scale patterns major or minor. The major pentatonic scale has a folkybluesy vibe, which works effortlessly over major chords. Were going to take a look at two very useful scales.
Jguitars scale calculator will draw scale diagrams showing the fretboard with notes in the selected scale highlighted. For this chapter we will be considering minor pentatonic only. The fretboard is shown with the lowest pitch string at the bottom and the highest pitch string at the top unless youve tuned your instrument differently. 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. On this page youll find a complete guide to playing the major pentatonic scale on guitar. How to use the pentatonic scale as major and minor on the. The goal of this course is to break you out of the single pentatonic box and get you using 5 different pentatonic shapes that utilize the entire fretboard.
If the band tells you that you are in the key of g major, you must be able to solo within the key of g major up and down the neck of the guitar. A pentatonic scale is made up of five notes per octave penta five. Figure 1 illustrates the e major pentatonic scale played in first position, utilizing open strings. Free printable guitar scales 14 most commonly used scales. Ive started writing up all the notes i give to guitar students so rather than getting a photocopy of something i wrote in the back of an envelope when i was 19 and figuring all this stuff out myself i can just print off or hyperlink to resources when i need to give stuff out. Sep 05, 2018 steve stine is known as the worlds most soughtafter guitarinstructor. Notice how both an e minor em chord and a g major chord fit. If you were to play a c major pentatonic scale you would play the notes c, d, e, g, a. A brief lesson on how to extend the minor pentatonic scales to diversify your soloing technique.
If we take the notes in our major pentatonic scale, and start on the 6th scale degree of the major scale, youll be playing in the relative minor key. Pdf total guitar the ultimate scale book guilherme mauricio. Pentatonic scales pdf and instructional video guitar alliance. For example, the a major pentatonic scale contains the notes that comprise an a major chord. Pentatonic scales are a great place to start because its the first scale most guitar players learn, and its one that we use the most. The guitar major scale is happy upbeat and useful in a variety of styles of music. Various techniques are used such as bends, slides and hammerons. 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. The major pentatonic scale consists of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th scale degrees of the parent major scale. To do so, simply connect pattern 5 to another pattern 1, as shown here. This is the home position of the pentatonic scale in c major or a minor. The major pentatonic scale guitar shapes and theory. Adjust the start fret option to further highlight a finger pattern for playing the selected scale in a different position on the fretboard. The basics of the minor pentatonic scale for guitar soundfly.
Major pentatonic scale pattern 15 for guitar fingering. Play guitar solo in any key with 5 major pentatonic scale. The pattern for the major and minor scales are different. However the major g pentatonic scale pattern is the exact same pattern in the same fret position. As you become a stronger lead guitar player, youll need to learn some muting techniques. They are usually the first scales beginner guitarists learn to play. This printable pdf ebook available for free download contains 6 easy jazz guitar licks with tabsnotation, youtube video link and analysis about. Well find out how theyre constructed and how both can be used in your own guitar playing. The 14 most common and usable guitar scales printable and ready to use 1. Link to guitar pro file of tab for guitar minor pentatonic scale. Minor pentatonic scales to introduce a novice guitar player to the world of rock music requires that he learn a series of scales, which we can call the tools of the trade. Guitar scales printable charts of the most commonly used. On this page we take a look at the two main pentatonic scales used in guitar playing. A great way to play this pattern is to keep your index finger at the first fret and your remaining fingers at the second, third and fourth frets.
Whats awesome about the pentatonic scale is it always sounds good when played over the corresponding major chord. Guitar major pentatonic scale chart printable pdf subject. Pentatonic scales contain five notes, which is how it gets its name penta5, tonic tones. The minor pentatonic scale is one of the first scales you should learn as a guitar player, its simple and easy to learn. We start with a basic major pentatonic scale guitar pattern, then introduce additional fretboard patterns that will allow you to play major pentatonic scales all over the guitar neck. How to use the moveable pentatonic scale to play lead rock. Clicking here and on the image below will open a pdf file of the guitar major scale chart that prints nicely. When you feel comfortable playing through all five pentatonic scale patterns on the guitar, the next step is to connect them to cover the rest of the fretboard. The notes are the same, therefore, the pattern is the same. The natural minor is the aeolian mode of the relative major scale. Each one connects to the next and continues down and up the fretboard. The five tones that comprise the major pentatonic scale are derived from the corresponding major scale of the same name.
Dominant chords have a major third and a minor seventh b7. You can get more diagrams in the tuning of your choice by using my interactive web app here. Please visit the scale library for more music theory pertaining to the minor and major pentatonic scales. How to play the pentatonic scale on guitar dummies.
To understand how this works, look at this example. Jun 28, 2016 it produces two types of tonalities major and minor and is one of the most commonly used scales in blues, pop and rock. Level 2 break out of the box view the fretboard in its entirety. Recall that most scales in western music contain 7 notes e.
Overview of major and minor pentatonic piano scales. For your convenience, i have included a pdf of all the pentatonics. Major pentatonic scale the major pentatonic scale shares five notes with the major scale. For example, look at minor shape 1 tallest green box. The major and minor scales may be musiceducation stalwarts, but they sound a bit academic when used over chord progressions. But its not just about them being easy, theyre the alphabet that we use to create words in many languages, including blues, rock, jazz and country. Learn the major and minor pentatonic scales, their patterns, when to use them, and why theyre the scale shortcut.
The answer is that the pentatonic scale is either major or minor depending on which note is functioning as the tonic, which means primary pitch called root when dealing with a chord. This tutorial will teach you 8 exotic guitar scales that you can use to make your sound more interesting. Learn to break out of pentatonic boxes and use the entire. If the band tells you that you are in the key of a minor, you must be able to solo within the key of a minor.
Box 10 shows the blues scale, which is the the minor pentatonic with an added note. From the basic pentatonic scale guitar fretboard pattern to improvising using minor pentatonic scales all over the guitar neck. Exotic guitar scales add some spice to your guitar sound. This pdf contains the diagrams for all the major and minor pentatonic scales in all keys for guitar in standard tuning. The pentatonic scale can function as both major and minor on the guitar. This way, there will be no need for moving out of position while playing the notes of the scale. Once youve got a handle on this material dont hesitate to contact anvil guitar instruction to learn how to augment and adapt these licks with notes from the full major and minor scales and with notes from arpeggios as well. You can use both major and minor pentatonic scales, but once again, be cautious of the minor third when playing the minor pentatonic scale. The major pentatonic scale is one of the most widely used scales on the guitar.
Hes most famous for his ability to make learning guitar fun and easy. G major e minor pentatonic scale guitar scales the pentatonic scale is a favorite of many guitarists and its easy to see why. Some think of them as being the major scale with the tricky notes taken out which is not far from the truth. Plus, you can download for free a pdf ebook with 40 exotic guitar scale patterns all along the fretboard. There are three ways youll want to learn your major. The scale is widely used in pop, classic rock, blues, country and other styles of music. Language sitemap guitar scale major pentatonic pattern 15 fingering.
Soloing with the combined minormajor pentatonic scales by steve stine 26 september 2018 become a more versatile player by learning how to combine the minor and major pentatonic scales. Com the 5 patterns of the major pentatonic scale for guitar. Master the pentatonic scale for guitar with these 5 easy. Scale pentatonic minor 1,b3,4,5,b7 fullth pattern root note a guitar tuning. Free guitar scales chart10 guitar scales you must know pentatonic scales chart source. So the best way to practice is to choose a root, a string, a direction left or right, and major or minor. Show me chords that sound good with a g minor pentatonic scale. The 4th and 7th scale degrees of the parent major scale create tension when played over the tonic chord. So basically, as with major scales, the minor pentatonic scale is the relative 6th minor of the major pentatonic scale. For rock guitar, youll want to learn to play the pentatonic scale, which supplies you with better melodic fodder. Remaining pentatonic patterns these patterns represent only two ways of playing the major pentatonic scale. Mastering pentatonic scale theory guitar masterclass.
I recommend that you learn scales in a practical environment. One is a pentatonic scale, meaning it has five notes, and the other is a major scale, which has 7. Jul 06, 2016 learn to play guitar solo in any key by with these 5 major pentatonic scale patterns without learning the names of all the notes on the fretboard. A major pentatonic scale comes from a major scale by. The 4 scales that you must know fullyup and down the neck.
Most of the same qualities discussed can be applied to c major as well. The scale were about to learn is used loads in country, blues and rock. Thus, the major pentatonic scale contains the tonic triad of the same name. Lets compare the notes of the c major pentatonic and a minor pentatonic scales, respectively. However, it starts on the tonic 1st note of the scale of g. A major pentatonic scale as a starting point can be found on the 4th, 6th, 9th, 11th, and 14th fret respectively as the first fret on the different positions.
The pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly used scales used in music. Remember we are building your guitar chops and you need to have that solid foundation to build upon as you move along in your guitar journey. Both of these scales are played in position, which means that each finger plays all of the notes at a particular fret. The major pentatonic guitar scale is usually played over major chords, and is used in rock music as well as country music. You hear this sound all the time in just about every style of music rock, blues, country, jazz, you name it heres a video taking you through some major pentatonic essentials, and i develop these ideas in a. How to play the pentatonic scale beginner guitar hq. The lydian mode also works well over major chords, but has a brighter sound. Once you know the five major pentatonic scale shapes, you automatically know the five minor pentatonic scale shapes. Mastering pentatonic scale theory welcome to the learning pentatonic scales page at gmc run by yours truly, the professor. Pdf total guitar the ultimate scale book guilherme. This article and interactive web app help you learn all of the pentatonic scale diagrams.
Whatever method you have to use to find it is worth the time. Sep 26, 2018 the pentatonic scale is one of the most commonly used scales used in music. The most important of these are both major and minor pentatonic. The major pentatonic scale is similar to major diatonic scale 7 notes per octave, but without the fourth and the seventh note. As i mentioned, this explanation is deliberately over simplified. The pentatonic scale is used both for soloing, and for basing song riffs around. The versatility and playability of the scale makes it a popular choice for use in guitar soloing and melodies. For example, you can play c major pentatonic or c minor pentatonic over a c7 chord. For example, the a minor pentatonic scale contains the notes that comprise an a minor triad. May 09, 2014 the major pentatonic scale is mostly used in country, folk country rock, blues and jazz.
The pentatonic scales are a staple of modern rock, blues and pop music. Printable downloadable major pentatonic scale guitar chart. The fifth scale degree is a perfect fifth from the root. The a minor pentatonic comes from the natural minor scale. 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. A pentatonic minor guitar scales all guitar chords. Oct 05, 2018 in this video guitar lesson, learn about the master pattern the one pattern for the minor pentatonic scale that will allow you to not only play in any position but in any key, too. The difference between major and minor pentatonic scales. This added note is called the flattened fifth because it is one semitone down from the fifth note of the relative major scale. Guitarists with an interest in learning to play lead guitar must learn their pentatonic scales. This scale is perhaps less familiar to most guitarists than the minor pentatonic, but it is equally useful. By adding just one note, we transform e minor pentatonic into a funky. Click on the required key for scale notes and fret position diagrams in each key. So even if you hit a nonchord tone at a lessthanoptimal moment these notes will be relatively forgiving.
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 only difference is the root in red, the starting note. 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. Here you will find guitar scales printable charts, easy to read and use, ready to go. The major pentatonic scale uses the 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 notes of the major scale. Pentatonic scale the essential guide national guitar academy. Scale diagrams can also be labeled with either letters or scale degrees. After learning strumming chords, the most common step for beginners is to begin practicing single note melodies, and knowing your guitar scales is a huge help for this task. This is the a minor pentatonic scale in 5th position, shown in tab and a vertically oriented diagram. There are major and minor pentatonic scales that share the same notes.
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