Description
This week’s guitar lesson is a follow-up to last week (ML142) where we’ll be playing Major Pentatonic Scale pattern 2 and Minor Pentatonic Scale pattern 1 in the same region of the fretboard and learning the sweet spot where they overlap.
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Brian, your use of dynamics and that vibrato technique is always something that really makes those licks sound so good. Hearing the difference between major and minor is something that I’m finally starting to hear more clearly in context. Thanks for the fun new set of lick expressions. Should keep us all busy for many moons.
ONE chord is mostly Major.
FOUR chord switches to minor.
FIVE chord targets the 5th note or the E chord tones.
Love this lesson but maybe I missed something . What about the major pentatonic being just three fret back towards the headstock?
Hi Robert,
Position 1 of the major pentatonic is indeed three frets down from position 1 of the minor and this is a handy trick for quick navigation on the fretboard.
Brian was tying the lesson to the E shape of the I chord (A major) and so staying in the same area of the fretboard (between frets 4 and 7). This was done to try and simplify things. (You can , of course, play both major and minor pentatonic all over the fretboard.) He could have focused in on frets 2-5 and played major pentatonic pattern 1 and minor pentatonic pattern 5.
(Another handy memory tool is: if you know the minor pentatonic pattern number then the major (in the same part of the fretboard) is 1 higher. Minor position 1 = major position 2; minor position 2 = major 3…and so on. )
Hope that helps.
There are loads of AM lessons covering this, but maybe have a look at ML132 & ML134 which cover blues based around the G shape and the E shape. Also maybe consider the series Brian did on the CAGED system (e.g. Ep557 on the E shape).
That series includes a brilliant set of downloadable reference ‘cheat’ sheets covering all of this and much more.
Yes more layering please.
Love this lesson.
Brendan
I think Robert missed the idea that we were keeping it simple to the E position the 1 position for the minor pentatonic and the 2 position for the major pentatonic. Its ok Robert. Brian I am starting to really make some major breakthroughs. Keep going with an expansion of this blending.
Since the mix of the major and minor scale is used so often it should have a name, how about the Mixolydian scale? Ooops, that’s already been taken! Any ideas?
Except the Mixolydian scale doesn’t include the flat 3
Yes, plus approaching it from the pentatonic angle allows you to control how much of a minor or major feel you want to apply.
(There is the Mixolydian Blues Hybrid scale, but that’s a blend of the Mixolydian plus the minor blues scale – a nine note scale)
These type of lessons with Pattern 1 “Easy Pattern’ keep giving to really understand this pattern in conjunction with the “Sweet Spot”. Knowing the location is one thing but to show us how to play these notes to bring it to life is the game changer. (Ep130 is a good source for a PDF on the ‘Sweet Spot). Also, Robert M’s suggestion has mileage for another lesson idea Brian. How to use this same Pattern 1 three frets up when it’s a major and it’s Sweet Spot. Would make a good comparison as well as lesson material in how to use Pattern 1 when in minor and also in major regarding the ‘sweet spots’ in the Key A.
Brian,
I would really appreciate it if you could continue this series of very informative lessons.
Thanks.
Agree! Ive found these last two weeks really helpful.
A great structured approach to both patterns brain, much appreciated my friend, happy days yet again 🙂
It’s a definite vote from me for a ML144 continuation of this mini series.
Yes, please continue in the CAGED system until we all got it under our fingers, thanks a lot
Thanks Brian ,
Love to see these lessons worked through all 5 positions with connecting riffs as well fitted in . Great series opportunity and thanks for pulling me back to one thing to focus on I needed that !!
Very detailed lesson Brian. A mini series on this would be much appreciated and it probably would have the potential to let us play better in many spots af the neck.
That 335 is gorgeous…wow
Brian’s 335 inspired me to buy 339 … the “335’s little sister”. Amazing guitar! I’m in love.
Brian,
Taking the concept of the Major/Minor pentatonic blend and creating 5 part (i.e. shape) series would be awesome!
Please stay in the Key of A and cover the remaining four shapes of the 1 chord. You have touched on this blending concept in many lessons but a deep dive, like this lesson, would be super helpful.
Great lesson. Thank you!
Yes, love these mini series where we build on it each week
Great back-to-back lessons. Simplicity is the pinnacle of artistic achievement (Walt Whitman).
I too would like you to continue this series of one theme
Perhaps you could include one ML about your licks of ML123 and ML124 adapted to this theme
And one one about using your Rh ideas of ML133 and ML134 (Blues A and E shape) in this theme
And last but not least a ML how to get to the target note on time and not get lost after some bars
And last a EP to wrap all together
With all these components together in one Lesson series I could concentrate my studies on this theme
Greetings KLaus
Great simple lesson Brian; now all we have to do is feel it and let the starts and stops flow and ring out!😎 Please keep this blues series going.. Thanks
Very tasty sounding and love the slower pace compared to the previous lesson. On my list for sure!
Thanks!
SF
Great stuff!!!
I know this maybe a dumb question.
I notice sometimes you start a 4 bar lick on beat 1. Then there are times when you start the lick pre-bar 1 and it carries over to beat 1 on the third bar. I don’t understand how and when to use it . Is that because the length of lick dictates that timing wise. Been hung up on waiting to hear the chord change then start my lick unless it a pick-up lick to start the song off.
don’t overthink it. That’s like asking, “I notice you start some sentences with ‘Excuse me…’, and some sentences with ‘Hey’, and sometimes you start a sentence by addressing someone by name… which one is correct?” There are countless ways to begin a phrase – sometimes they start right on the beat, sometimes a few pickup notes, sometimes just one pickup note… etc. You’ll have to switch off the analytical part of your brain on that one and try to feel it.
One more quest . Do you use a Looper Pedal sometimes for practice ? That’s very common again I guess and I just bought one
Hi Brian,
The lessons that build on each other — perfect! For me, it’s exactly the right amount in every respect — both in terms of the content I need to understand and in terms of what I can get under my fingers within one week. I may not be able to play the piece as fast or as confidently as you, but it’s incredibly motivating to feel like I’ve successfully and thoroughly mastered a lesson. Not to mention, your seemingly endless creativity and your rich musical and pedagogical skills are utterly fascinating.
Have a wonderful Sunday,
Georg
Hey Brian, Have you considered doing some mandolin lessons? I`ve been playing mandolin lately and it`s a really fun instrument, or maybe I`m just weird!
I have found these last 2 weeks very lightbulbish.
Please continue.
The idea of staying in one location with the chord changes has always been a goal, now it is happening 👍👏
This is exactly what I’m working on in my private lessons and really helped me drill this information into memory. I’m in a situation where I learned a bunch of stuff that I didn’t need to and didn’t understand why I was learning it and it caused the major and minor pentatonic and major scale to be confusing. Now I’m trying to forget all of that and retrain my brain. The other part of this is the intervals and learning what works for the progression as you play over the chords. Ie- major 3rd over 1, minor 3rd and straight minor pentatonic over the 4, and major 7 over the 5. Intervals are so important! Thanks for a great explanation Brian!
I think these lesson are really good for folks who are relatively new to Active Melody. But plese don’t forget those of us that have been with you for years. I have seen all of this a dozen times over the years. Don’t get me wrong, I get something new every week Brian. And I want to thank you for your continued devotion to Active Meoldy!
Paul, one of the comments I receive the most from people is that they love it when I REPEAT material, because it reinforces ideas and concepts. This lesson wasn’t meant for those new to ActiveMelody exclusively, it was meant for everyone. Even if you already know the pentatonics, there may be a new angle or something you hadn’t considered. Just remember we’re all at different points in our learning journey. If you see a lesson that you know 100% of and don’t learn anything new, then that week is just a loss – you could always go back to any of the hundreds of past lessons and jump into something.