minorpentatonic
The Major Pentatonic Scale
and Soloing In Major Keys
The major scale? Blues scales? Minor pentatonic scales? All of ’em?
There are several answers to this question…which can make it kind of confusing if you’re just starting out!
But there is one simple scale that worksgreat most of the time…the major pentatonic scale.
So if you need to kick start your major key soloing skills, aren’t sure what the major pentatonic scale is or how to play it, or if you just want to brush up your major key solos…then this episode of the ASK JAMES GUITAR SHOW is for you!
In this short lesson I’ll show you:
- How to play the major pentatonic scale (hint: if you know your minor pentatonic scale it’s easy!
- How to avoid the mistake many guitar players make in major keys (it don’t sound good!)
- How to spot a major key chord sequence so you know when to use the major pentatonic scale (this confused me for years…)
Have fun…and remember you can ASK A QUESTION on the Ask James Guitar Show page…
Not a Member of James Shipway Guitar yet? SUPERCHARGE your guitar playing with my Members Only ‘Video Powerpack’!
The major pentatonic scale is the most commonly used guitar scale when playing a guitar solo in a major key. In this short lesson you’ll learn everything you need to know to get started playing and using the major pentatonic scale in your guitar solos.
Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll learn in this guitar lesson:
- 0:20 I’ve had lots of guitar players ask about how to play a guitar solo in a major key. In this lesson I’ll show you a simple hack for using your minor pentatonics in a major key as well!
- 0:55 Major keys and minor keys – what’s the difference? In a minor key it’s common to use the minor pentatonic scale to solo. But this won’t work in a major key. For that we need the major pentatonic scale.
- 1:25 If you take a minor pentatonic shape and move it down 3 frets it becomes a major pentatonic scale. This is a super handy because you can now use all your minor pentatonic scale patterns to solo in major keys. You can also recycle lots of your favourite pentatonic licks and bends into major pentatonic licks. They won’t always work but often they will.
- 3:25 I’m going to solo over a chord sequence in the key of D major. For this I can move my D minor pentatonic shape at the 10th fret down 3 frets to the 7th fret and play D major pentatonic scale.
- 4:51 You can hear how the major pentatonic scale fits great with the chord…sounding melodic and strong. Learn how to decide whether to play in major or minor when you play a solo.
- 5:23 Can you mix up major pentatonic and minor pentatonic scales on guitar. Yes you can, but it’s good to get the hang of using them seperately first before you try mixing them together.
Questions? Leave them in the form on the ASK JAMES GUITAR SHOW page
Hope this lesson helped you out and see you next time!
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The ‘Must Know’ Blues Guitar Scale!
How to Play and Use It Over a 12 Bar Blues
There are lots of answers to this question…which can make it kind of confusing if you’re just starting out!
But there is one simple blues guitar scale that all the blues legends use most of the time.
If you’re just starting to get into playing blues guitar then this episode of the ASK JAMES GUITAR SHOW is for you!
In this short lesson I’ll show you:
- How to play the exact scale shape used by all your favourite blues legends…most of the time!
- How to use it over the 12 bar blues (it’s easier than you might think!)
- The common mistake many guitarists make with the scale (which makes it much harder to use than it really is)
- The next step you need to take to start sounding like a blues guitar player
Have fun…and remember you can ASK A QUESTION on the Ask James Guitar Show page…
SUPERCHARGE your Blues Trick Bag with my awesome ‘Blues Guitar Bundle’!
Here’s a breakdown of what’s covered in this lesson:
- 0:17 What blues guitar scale should you use to play over a blues? The major scale? The minor scale? Pentatonic scales? This is a question I hear a lot!
- 0:40 There are lots of scales you can use over a blues but the most common is the minor pentatonic scale. This is the best starting point and definitely where you should begin.
- 0:50 Here’s exactly how to play a minor pentatonic scale in the key of G.
- 1:35 Lots of guitar player think you need to move the scale around when the chords change in the 12 bar blues- but you don’t!! You can play the minor pentatonic scale over the entire blues chord sequence…there is no need to move it anywhere. It’s possible to only know this one blues guitar scale and still sound amazing!
- 2:27 Hear the sound of the scale over a 12 bar blues – it works great!
It’s simple and easy to do meaning you can focus on the important things…like playing stuff that sounds good and makes you sound like a blues guitarist! - 3:00 You need to play the scale in the right key though! See button below to watch a helpful video on changing keys
- 3:30 Knowing the scale is a great start but you also need to build up a library of great sounding blues licks you can use to make your playing sound musical. See links below for helpful videos showing you great licks to get started on
ERIC CLAPTON STYLE BLUES LICKS LESSON
EASY JIMI HENDRIX STYLE BLUES LICKS
ESSENTIAL BLUES LICKS AND TECHNIQUES
BLUES STARTING LICKS…HOW TO START YOUR SOLO!
Questions? Leave them in the form on the ASK JAMES GUITAR SHOW page
Hope this lesson helped you out and see you next time!
SUPERCHARGE your Blues Trick Bag with my awesome ‘Blues Guitar Bundleand your Members Only ‘Video Powerpack!”
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Get That Sweet Blues & Country Rock Sound
…with this major pentatonic scale pattern!
The major pentatonic scale a really useful scale to learn on guitar. It is used extensively in blues, rock and especially country and country rock guitar playing – It’s a great way for beginners to start learning how to play lead guitar solos in major keys. Many guitar players struggle when they have to play a guitar solo in a major key, simply because they don’t have this scale under their fingertips. But not you! The scale shapes I’ll show you are quick and easy to learn and you will use them all through your career as a guitar player.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:21 Why you need to learn the major pentatonic scale and how it is a commonly used scale in rock, pop and country music.
0:42 How to play the A major pentatonic scale shape. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
1:54 How and why this major pentatonic scale pattern is similar to minor pentatonic scale pattern you’ve seen. This will be covered in more detail in an upcoming guitar lesson.
2:49 How to play the major pentatonic using an alternative scale shape. I call this one the ‘sliding’ shape because it features a slide in the middle. Complete with description and fingering guidelines. This fingering is great for covering more of the guitar neck.
4:08 Notice these two scales contain the same notes and can be used together at the same time. They are totally interchangeable.
4:30 Check out my other videos to learn how to put the scale into other keys and how to use it to improvise and create licks (coming soon if not up yet)..
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Bust Out Of Blues Scale ‘Shape 1’
…with this Sliding Blues Scale pattern
Do you feel like trapped within the same notes from the pentatonic scale while playing your solos? Well, in this lesson I’m gonna show you a really awesome little trick to really extend and expand your playing. Improve and expand your solos with this sliding blues scale.
Lots of classic blues and rock licks can be found in this scale shape. Licks used by Slash, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others.
The blues scale is one of the most important scales to learn on guitar. It is used extensively in blues, rock, metal, country and jazz guitar playing – in fact it’s hard to play almost anything without it.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to extend the basic blues scale shape to the Sliding Blues Scale and cover more of the guitar fingerboard. This will help you to learn to solo using more of the guitar neck. This one simple trick can transform you blues and rock guitar soloing! Why? Because there are so many awesome guitar licks nesting in the top part of this scale. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll find.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:35 Why you should know the extended minor pentatonic scale before learning the extended blues scale pattern. Why the blues scale is an essential part of learning how to play guitar solos and licks and how to improvise.
1:04 Recap on how to play the basic blues scale shape. Demonstrated in the key of A. Complete with description and fingering guidelines. I also demo the blues scale with the added extension.
2:22 How to add the extension onto the basic blues scale shape to work your way along the guitar neck. Fingering guidelines and scale description included.
4:30 Lots of classic blues and rock licks can be found in this minor pentatonic extension. Licks used by Slash, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others. Experimentation is the key to learning to use any scale. Here I suggest some ways you can start to experiment with this blues scale pattern in your playing.
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Solo Over More Of The Guitar Neck
…with this ‘sliding’ minor pentatonic scale pattern
The minor pentatonic scale is one of the most important scales to learn on guitar. It is used extensively in blues, rock, metal, country and jazz guitar playing – in fact it’s hard to play almost anything without it.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to extend the basic minor pentatonic scale shape and cover more of the guitar fingerboard. This will help you to learn to solo using more of the guitar neck. This one simple trick can transform you blues and rock guitar soloing! Why? Because there are so many awesome guitar licks nesting in the top part of this scale. You’ll be amazed at what you’ll find.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:30 Why extending the minor pentatonic scale is an essential part t to learning how to play guitar solos and licks and how to improvise.
0:49 Recap on how to play the basic A minor pentatonic scale shape. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
1:14 How to add the extension onto the basic scale shape to work your way along the guitar neck. Fingering guidelines and scale description included.
2:40 Lots of classic blues and rock licks can be found in this minor pentatonic extension. Licks used by Slash, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and many others. Here I demo a few of these licks for you to hear.
3:25 Tips for fingering the sliding minor pentatonic pattern. By using this fingering your fingers will be in a good position to use the scale creatively when you improvise. Otherwise licks and scale runs could be more awkward to play.
4:30 Recap on the scale pattern for the sliding or extended minor pentatonic scale shape.
4:50 Tips about using this scale at the same time as the basic pattern. Because they contain the same notes they can be used at the same time. They are the same thing and are totally interchangeable.
5:50 How to learn to use the scale shape through experimentation and jamming!
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Quickly Learn This ‘Must Know’ Guitar Scale
The main tools you need to play guitar (and any instrument) solos are the scales, and today I’m gonna show you one of the more important scales: The Blues Scale. This scale shape is used extensively in blues, rock, metal, country and jazz guitar playing. I’t very easy and most of rock, blues and metal licks come from it.
Learning this scale shape is a great way for beginners to start learning how to play lead guitar solos. So, today we are going to recap how to play the A minor pentatonic scale, learn the Blues scale shape and why it’s so important.
The blues scale is one of the most important scales to learn on guitar. It is used extensively in blues, rock, metal, country and jazz guitar playing.
Learning the blues scale is a great way for beginners to start learning how to play lead guitar solos. The scale shape is quick and easy to learn especially if you already know the minor pentatonic scale on your guitar. Like the minor pentatonic, the blues scale is a scale you will use all through your career as a guitar player.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:21 Why the blues scale is so important if you want to learn how to play guitar solos, licks and how to improvise.
1:10 Recap on how to play the A minor pentatonic scale shape. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
1:41 How you can easily turn the minor pentatonic scale into the blues scale simply by adding one more note to it to create a six not scale. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
3:24 Important tips for fingering the scale when soloing and improvising.
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Learn To Play the Most Important Guitar Scale Ever!
The minor pentatonic scale is one of the most important scales to learn on guitar. It is used extensively in blues, rock, metal, country and jazz guitar playing – in fact it’s hard to play almost anything without it. It’s a great way for beginners to start learning how to play lead guitar solos. The scale shape is quick and easy to learn and it is a scale you will use all through your career as a guitar player. Millions of great guitar licks and solos have been played using this simple 5 note scale we call the minor pentatonic.
Here’s a breakdown of what you learn in this video:
0:21 Why the minor pentatonic scale is a great place to start when you want to learn how to play guitar solos and licks and how to improvise.
0:42 How to play the A minor pentatonic scale shape. Complete with description and fingering guidelines.
2:12 Check out myother videos to learn how to put the scale into other keys and how to convert it into another essential scale: the blues scale.
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