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I’m trying understand how to use pentatonic scales for leads or fills with folk songs, e.g., “Leaving’ on a Jet Plane”(G), “Fields of Athenry”(D), etc. If I play G Maj Pentatonics over “Leaving'”, it doesn’t sound right. Ditto for playing D Maj Pentatonics over “Athenry”. Should I use a different chord, such as the 4 or 6m over the major key of the song?
Thanks! 🙂
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I just looked up the chords for “Jet Plane”. It’s all D G and C (I, IV, V), so the Gmaj pentatonic works well over that. Keep in mind, however, that the melody of the song uses the G major scale and hits the C note (the 4th in the key of G) a lot. It’s a unique sound and recurring in the melody. (words in CAPS here are all the C note) “All my BAGS are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m STANDING here, outside your door. I HATE to wake you UP and say goodbye”. A C note on strong beats in the melody. That C note is not in the Gmaj pentatonic scale. The major pentatonic scale leaves out the 4th and 7th degrees of the major scale. This may be why the pentatonic scale doesn’t sound quite right to your ear… maybe. I came up with a couple of fills that work to my ear, but it seem the G major scale may be better suited since it has that C (4th) in it.
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Totally. I would just stick with the Gmaj scale. The thing is, the words don’t leave many gaps for fill licks until you reach the end of the vocal phrase. Like after “wake you up and say goodbye” you’ve got 2 bars to mess around with. What little fill melody can you think up that fits nicely? I can think of several involving dyads (3rds or 6ths), for example.
Sunjamr Steve
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If you want to use the pentatonic scales to play lead on this song, why not follow the changes?
On the G chord you use the G major pentatonic, on the C chord you use the C major pentatonic and on the D chord you use the D major pentatonic – all in the same fretboard area. You can’t go wrong! -
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Try using the same pattern and just move it up the neck to the appropriate root not on the chord changes. I.e. pattern 1 would be G on the 3rd fret, C on the 8th fret, and D on the 10th fret. It’s not easy to jump around so far on the neck but it’s a way to get started by just learning 1 pattern. Then if you want, you can learn another pattern in the same manner. Then try incorporating the 2 patterns. Gradually you can keep adding patterns until you’ve learned them all. It’s the way I am doing it and I find it’s working for me anyway.
Joe
The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,
Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground.
--Graeme Edge
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