Asle

If you have learnt the minor pentatonic Scale in position one you have also learnt the major pentatonic scale for position 1., it is a question of relativity. You simply transpose the pattern down three frets. Take a look at the pictures below and you will see how it works. They show the first position for the two scales in the key of ‘A’.
Hope that sorts it for you.

JohnStrat

hello, another greeat teacher, Justin Sandeercoe, in his blues lessons, claims, it is not possible to use the maj. pent. in a given key all over the progression, you have to follow the chord changes, ie, going to the 4 chord f. ex. you shift to four chord maj pent.
now, Brian in his cources say, that playing over a maj. blues progression, you can do what you feel, stay in the key, going to the the chord in question, alternating minor and major and so forth…
and why should you not be able to stay in the keyin a major progression, the four and the five chord are both within the key..
when playing myself, I finD no problems in staying in the key, but of cource as with both minor and major pent. it sounds wAY BETTER COMPLEMENTING CHORD SHIFTS WITH CHORD TONES AND EVEN GOING OUT OF THE PENTAT. FOR SOM TONES, TO SWEETEN UP..

comments pls.

Hi,

A scale is said to be minor if it uses a minor third (b3). Conversely, a scale is said to be major if uses a major third (3).
This is true for any scale.

For example:
G A B C D E F# is a major scale because the interval G – B is a major third. (This scale is the G major scale).
G A B D E is also a major scale, for the same reason; but this is the G major pentatonic scale.
G A Bb C D Eb F is a minor scale because the interval G — Bb is a minor third (this scale is the G natural minor scale)
G Bb C D E is also a minor scale for the same reason; this one is the G minor pentatonic scale.

Regarding the use of the major pentatonic of the key the song is in over the 4 chord: Brian says “you can do whatever you want — as long as it sounds good”, and he is right.
The point is: if the blues is, say, in the key A you can use the A minor pentatonic over all three chords (A7, D7 and E7), it will always work fine.
But using the A major pentatonic throughout does not always work fine; particularly not over the 4 chord (i.e. the D7 chord). The reason is that the note C# from the A major pentatonic scale clashes horribly with the D note of the D7 chord. At least, most people find this sound very unpleasant. This is why most people recommend to use the A minor pentatonic instead (or the D major pentatonic, or the D7 arpeggio, …) but not the A major pentatonic.

But it is possible to get away with it; it all depends on what you play and what notes you target.
And again: music is not a science, it’s an art. If it sounds good, it is good, even if you break a theoretical rule!

Rgds!