Getting to grips with Pentatonic Scale Patterns.

[Ray]

Hi, I have been revisiting pentatonic scales and patterns again recently as I never really studied them, or practised them in any great detail.I have looked at a few online lessons etc but return to Brians lessons and his course for playing lead.

This is an attempt at a slow blues in E minor. I have usually stayed with A key so this is my first attempt in this key. My mind is working hard to visulise the patterns as I play but it is getting easier with practise allowing some relaxation and enjoyment. I just need to vary the riffs a bit so that’s the next exercise.

Makem Ray

[CT]

Very emotive playing with nice vibrato, repeating lines and especially where you give it some space. There is a musical world in the open spaces. Well done!

[url url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOEtDN4A6kT8wq1o_8HcChQ]My Youtube Channel[/url]

[Ray]

Cheers, thanks very much.
Ray

Makem Ray

[Richard G]

Nice shout Ray, you certainly got the blues groove going well and that slow tempo blues is always very appealing. Keep picturing the patterns ……

Richard

[Ray]

Thank you very much. Yes I need to learn that the spaces are just as important.
Ray
( This was meant for CT )

Makem Ray

[Ray]

Hi Richard, Thank you very much.

Ray

Makem Ray

[Sal]

For just learning the pentatonic scales, that was great Ray!! You had that Tele really grooving in a nice slow beat, with plenty of breathing space!!I would say you are a natural for the blues!!……..Sal

[Ray]

Thanks Sal, I have tried to play around in the past with lead playing and sort of tried to work out the positions myself. Some correct and some not. Learning the patterns is ongoing and helps take the guessing of where to move to next. I need some nice new licks to vary it all up a bit .

Ray

Makem Ray

[Bill H]

You look like you were feeling it Ray …..nice Bluesy feel in your playing…

[Ray]

Hi Bill, I love slow blues especially. Learning the patterns better is helping e relax more.

Ray

Makem Ray

[sunjamr]

Well done Ray! But you do realize that once you learn the pentatonic in one key, you also know it in every other key. So the next step is to just start committing some of your favorite lessons to memory, and their licks will then become absorbed into your longterm memory.

Sunjamr Steve

[Ray]

Yes mate I do realise that. Cheers

Ray

Makem Ray

[Garry]

Really nice licks and phrasing Ray, I reckon I even heard a bit of Pink Floyd in there! You really play with great feel and you’ve got your vibrato working really well. Thanks for sharing and keep at it. All the best!

[Ray]

Thanks very much. Pink Floyd eh ! I’ll have to give it another listen lol
Ray

Makem Ray

[Dieter]

Very soulful playing – great.

Dieter

[Ray]

Cheers Dieter.

Ray

Makem Ray

[Denise]

I wish I could play such great vibratos and bends like you. Very good phrasing.
I love the tone on your guitar.
Greets to Yorkshire.
Denise

More Blues!

[Ray]

Thank you Denise, I think sound is more down the old valve Vox amp I have. (remember I don’t live in Yorkshire. Sunderland in the North East. Used to be County Durham.)
Ray

Makem Ray

[Anonymous]

Excellent blues touch and feel Ray…nicely played.

[Ray]

Thank you Ivan,
Ray

Makem Ray

[Rich F]

That was brilliant, Ray! You play those E minor patterns all over the neck beautifully, and with great feeling and emotion! I love slow blues: do you fancy a collaboration some time?

[Ray]

Thank you Rich, not sure I am good enough to do a collaboration or how that would happen.

Ray

Makem Ray

[Geoff]

I couldn’t tell from your comments if you are new to the blues or simply had not formally learned the scale patterns. Either way, you played that pretty well, liked your vibratos and bends.

I have only learned the one blues pattern and just relied on my ear for the rest. You got me thinking I really need to do the same and get familiar with the others.

[Ray]

Thank you Geoff, I am not new to blues as I have loved blues for years. I have faffed around trying to play lead just for fun but had never really formally learned the pentatonic scales. Pattern one was fairly familiar but the rest I just tried to join the dots. Making lots of mistakes. I still make lots of mistakes but learning ( and still learning the scales ) makes less guessing possible.

Ray

Makem Ray

[Geoff]

I figured you couldn’t possibly be a newby to the blues. You were just like me Ray, I only know pattern one. I am more of a major/minor/dorian scale kinda a guy and, oddly enough, I am pretty famiilar quite a few patterns for those but not with the blues. Pretty sure it helps to know the patterns well.

[Billy]

That was very good Ray, I would like to add a word or two on Phrasing as sometimes we try cram in to much while playing a solo.
Lots can be said by a little, giving the piece a chance to breathe.

Where did you get the backing track from?.

..Billy..

[Ray]

Hi Billy, yes that has been said and I agree. Re the backing track I just googled it.

I started around 1.40 into the video after the example.

Ray

Makem Ray

[Billy]

Thanks Ray, I’ll make a MP3 of that.

..Billy..

[Mr.So&So]

Very Nicely Done Sir.

For learning the pentatonic patterns, what I am doing personally is sticking to one key (the key of A) for most of my playing and practice. I’ve learned all the patterns in A across the whole neck and I try to find ways to play between them whilst playing. Also a lick I might use in one pattern, I try to transpose to the other patterns. This really helps.

It’s also very important that you learn the scale degrees of each note in the scale. I start by learning the Roots, Then The 4 for the 4 chord and the 5 for the 5 chord. And really work outward from there. I still have a long way to go, but it helps greatly to be able to atleast know where all your root notes are. I know this is likely all very obvious advice, but…

Muscle memory is key also. There’s no shortcut for that. I practice my scales while watching TV. Helps to build that muscle memory.

Keep up the good work Sir

Well ….. Let’s try this again.

[Ray]

Thanks Chris , some good points made there and I will certainly take on board.
Ray

Makem Ray

[Bob Utberg]

Great use of the whole fret board Ray. And your first finger vibratos are incredible – reminds me of one of our Gitfiddle Legends B.B. King! Well done. My only suggestion is to concentrate on maybe one or two boxes at a time. Get a bunch of licks down say in box One and Two and then expand your verizons! Peace, Bob

Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

[Ray]

Thanks Bob, thats exactly what I am beginning to do. Cheers.
Ray

Makem Ray

[Rich F]

Hi Ray,

Quist’s backing tracks are the best! Especially his Minor blues ones! I love how he plays a brilliant lead over it for a couple of minutes, as an example and inspiration, then leaves you to it with his backing track. Yhanks for posting it, I am going to have fun with it soon!

Regarding the pentatonic patterns, I was stuck in pattern 1 for years, then I had a “light-bulb moment” reading a guitar magazine that emphasised to me that the best way to play the other patterns 2-5 was on the top three strings only: I remember seeing a box diagram in the magazine for pattern 2, which just had the “upside down house” shape on strings 1,2 and 3… once I decided to stick with all of the extensions on the top three strings only, I found it a lot easier to connect them to pattern 1 and solo up and down the neck.

Again, thanks for posting your playing: really nice.

[Ray]

Hi Rich, pretty sure I have seen Brian teach it in a lesson a similar way. Yes it helps. I already had a diagonal across the fretboard run I have played for many years but never knew that I was actually playing across the pentatonic patterns. It just sounded right. At least now I have an idea where that fits. I am most confident in A I think as playing in other keys ,(although I know the shapes are the same and just commence in a different place on the fretboard,) throws me a bit at the moment.

Ray

Makem Ray

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