Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Connecting Chord Shapes to the Pentatonic Scales – Useful when playing the changes – Guitar Lesson EP344

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to visualize the chord changes when playing lead, by connecting pentatonic patterns to chord shapes. This uses the same jam track from last week (EP343)

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

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Slow Walk-Through

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Comments

  7. Jim Dog says

    Awesome lesson. I love how it ties in with last weeks. This really helps me put things together. AM is turning me into a guitar player. And having a lot of fun doing it.
    Thank you Brian!

  8. Walter D says

    What a nice treat to have this pop up on Friday afternoon, but I’m holding you responsible for ruining all my afternoon plans. This is such a rich lesson, and even though you put out a new one every week, I feel this lesson deserves a deep dive and a full month of study. So many keys to unlock so many doors. I’m having so much fun learning to play guitar and all thanks to you, Brian.

  19. kevin m says

    Thanks Brian,

    Always love getting up on a Saturday morning with a stout cup of coffee and checking

    out the new lesson!! Sometimes I won’t pick up the guitar for a bit and take in the knowledge…

    Always a lot of great tips and connections to think about..

  20. Bill B says

    This was a fantastic lesson, Brian!!!
    It is slowly but surely starting to make sense how to connect the dots. I love the follow up concept bc the prior lesson is still fresh. Thank you for all that you do for us.

  25. Jim C says

    Don’t want to be the turd in the punchbowl…not generally your direction to do other peoples stuff… that said…. suite Judy blue eyes with eeeebe tuning from somebody I learn from all the time would be cool, I understand it would be a departure from your usual edifying, and macro…master the guitar stuff. Just a thought. Jim

  27. Phil G says

    Love the way you show licks relative to chord shapes! To me, that is so much more helpful when it comes to improvising than trying to remember pentatonic patterns. In fact, I see the chord shapes before I see the pentatonic patterns. Which is why I actually get confused when you show a D chord (around 7:30 in part 2), then start showing licks out of the C shape D chord. In pattern terminology, in my mind, major pattern 4 is over the C shape chord. Pattern 3 is over the (full) D shape chord. Regardless of what chord is being played. So, when you show the D chord (first position), then say pattern 4 is up here, I see the C shape chord there. You explained it perfectly over the C shape A chord.

  28. Phil G says

    Hey Brian. Sorry to be a pest, but. In part 1 around 10:07 you talk about a”G container”, and a “D container”. Yes, those are the chords you are playing, but you are using an E shape and an A shape. So, aren’t we really playing out of an E container and an A container, which just happen to be over the G and D chords? Also, over the A shape, when you talk about minor pentatonic pattern 4, isn’t that pattern 4 of whatever key you are in? So, if I wanted to play in the key of A, and wanted to go to the E chord, I would use the A shape of that chord, and I would be playing the key of A pattern 4 over it?

    Well, darn. One more question. Suppose you went to the A shape C chord to play those licks, which is right on top of the E shape G chord. You would still be playing your licks using minor pentatonic pattern 4, right?

    • Brian says

      Phil, regarding “container” – at around 10:07 I just meant that I was playing out of the G chord area… so those licks came from a G chord… yes it’s using the E chord shape (from CAGED) – but it’s a G chord.

      The A shape (from CAGED) contains pattern 4 minor pentatonic of THAT CHORD… so if I’m playing a C chord using the A chord shape… I have pattern 4 of the minor pentonic scale for C right there, within that shape.

      Your last question, yes pattern 4 is pattern 4 – you can connect it to whatever shape you want to help you remember where it is.

      • Phil G says

        Thanks Brian!! I really like the way you use CAGED to show where licks are, and how those chord shapes relate to the pentatonic scales. I have known about CAGED for a couple of years now, but never applied that knowledge until I found your lessons. Now I actually see the scales over the chord shapes, and vice versa.

  30. Marco M says

    What I did was: I took the Pentatonic patterns 1-2-3-4-5 and drew the chords C A G E D and Cm Am Gm Em Dm in them.
    That will visualize the Minor and Major chords in the Pentatonic patterns:
    C A G E D > SHAPE is connected to
    3 4 5 1 2 > Pentatonic Minor Scale Pattern
    4 5 1 2 3 > Pentatonic Major Scale Pattern

    It is about the chord SHAPE …
    I can’t upload an image but feel free to message me and I will send you the drawing.

  32. Colin L says

    Brian,
    How do you know to use Major Pentatonic Pattern 4, after using minor pentatonic pattern 1? Is that related to what chord shape you are using in CAGED? I am confused on that, as I would have tried to use Major Pentatonic pattern 2, since my previous pattern was Minor 1. Can you clear that up, or explain your thinking of why to use Major Pentatonic Pattern 4, after starting in Minor Pentatonic Pattern 1?

    • Phil G says

      Colin, if you’re talking about the part 1 video at 10:40, he is connecting MINOR pentatonic pattern 4 to the A chord shape. So yes, it is related to the chord shape. It’s just he is using all minor pentatonic patterns. Pattern 1 over the E shape. Pattern 4 over the A shape.

  35. Giorgos G says

    Hi Brian, great lesson indeed. Very useful. Just a question for you: when you make the connection of a chord with a specific pentatonic scale, you also change the key for each chord. For example, in the beginning, you play in the G minor pentatonic but then when you switch to the D chord you play in the D minor pentatonic. Is this correct?

    • Brian says

      Good question Giorgos. Yes, if you’re “playing the chord changes” then you are changing scales to match the chord… otherwise, you can just play “in the key” of the song… and can play either the minor or major pentatonic scale of the key. So for a song like this, you could play either the G major or G minor pentatonic scale the entire time and it will work. It just won’t sound as sophisticated, for lack of a better word.

  36. David M says

    I love this Little Feat style guitar – but I’m a little lost around 20 mins into the video – has Brian left out a small piece in his demonstration? I think he’s so excited at showing us the potential he maybe forgot to show a fews notes? And I’m not great at reading tab. Maybe it’s me not paying enough attention?

          • Wheelman says

            On the positive side Brian I want to say that I have been trying to relate chord shapes to fill licks etc for a long time without satisfying results. This lesson is really helping despite my moments of wonder and confusion!

            Thank you…

          • Phil G says

            Hi Wheelman. I just reviewed it again. It is G Major pattern 4. He is only playing the top part; e10, e7, B10, B8 (root), G9. To complete the pattern, it is G7, D9, D7, A10 (Root). NOTE: That is the “standard” completion. I think Brian slides D7 down to D5 (root). Now, it IS the E MINOR pentatonic pattern 3. But the roots are G9 and A7 .

          • Phil G says

            Uh oh! I couldn’t sleep last night because I have misled you with the answer. The pentatonic scale is pattern 4 only. It is either the G major (roots on B8 and A10, or the E minor with roots on G9 and A7. A pattern 3 would have roots on B8 and D5, and would be a a G minor scale.

          • Wheelman says

            Phil G
            You have me totally confused now! the G Major pentatonic chart I’m looking at shows B8 and A10 as the root notes of pattern 3! They are the “G” notes in that pattern!

          • Phil G says

            Hey Wheelman! That’s OK. I’m confused too! I just spent an hour trying to get a G major pentatonic. And, I just found a chart online, and sure enough (even though it is for the A major scale) it shows B8 and A10 (the C shape) would be G major pattern 3. However, (Maybe Brian will chime in here) Brian teaches 5 [minor] pentatonic scales. Take any pattern and move it down 3 frets and you have the major pentatonic, same pattern number. SO, take that “C shape” Major pentatonic Brian shows, then extend A10 down to A7. Now move the pattern up 3 frets, and you will have the G minor pentatonic, “A shape”, AKA Pattern 4. Look back up to where Marco M posted the cross reference. In fact, you asked him to send you a copy. Maybe that will help?

          • Brian says

            The problem with these “patterns” are different people group them differently. I didn’t realize that until I started teaching this stuff online.. in fact, I thought I had invented the patterns! Seriously, no one ever showed them to me.. I just found these logical groupings for the 5 notes of the pentatonic scales so that I could easily play them. So it could be that someone else refers to “pattern 4” as “pattern 3” out there. That’s probably where the confusion is. You can call it whatever you want.. just group those notes… to those chord shapes 😉

          • Wheelman says

            Just read your explanation regarding the different way the patterns are defined Brian! After more research yesterday I realized as much! I was referencing my patterns from here!

            https://www.guitar-chords.org.uk/guitarscales/g-majorpentatonic.html

            I later found some sites that defined these patterns differently…How these patterns overlap can be confusing! Some also number there patterns differently which certainly adds to the confusion!

            When you explained that you had worked out your own patterns on your own it dawned on me that these patterns are somewhat subjective…

            In any case i want to thank both you and Phil G for your efforts to un-muddle my brain! I am no longer going to dwell on the small differences!

            Regards,
            swheelman

          • Phil G says

            Brian, when you say, “Just group those notes to those chord shapes”. YES!!! That is why I like your lesson so much! I had “learned” (term used lightly) the different major and minor patterns, but never connected them to anything until I started you lessons. Now, thanks to you, it is starting to make sense!!

  37. drlknstein says

    excellent lesson..great re usuable ideas,,of particular importance to me is the way to get from pattern 4 in G to the G chord (A shape) at 12 and then the Gmajor scale right there and startover down the fret board ..man I can use that for a G major solo Bigly !!

  38. Scott N says

    questions…perhaps incredibly basic, but I am in the early learning stages

    you go from the 1 chord to the 5 chord. I thought the blues progression is 1,4,5?

    Also, when you make that switch to the 5 chord…the D using the A shape…why do you use the 4th P scale for your solo?

  40. Rob W says

    Hey Brian, This and the previous lesson really demystify and make sense of what’s going on in what I’m hearing with blues guitarists. Thank you for another very helpful set of lessons.

  41. David M says

    A brilliant lesson – I’m enjoying it so much – rich with stuff to learn and I love how the ending last few notes are like the start of another solo section – like you just go straight into it and improvise – such a smart lesson. Thanks Brian.

  42. Benedikt says

    These melodic leads are my absolute favorite, alongside with the jam band style, and the slow melodic stuff, it all comes together. I know you always through in some tasty blues lick as well. Reminds me, in parts, of the Lonnie Johnson lesson, you once did.

  44. dana h says

    Hi Brian: I often have a hard time understanding (from your tabs) when to pick notes either during or just after a bend(s), e.g. , the three notes E, E, D at the start of this lesson. Would you please consider a new micro-lesson that explains your use of notations? Perhaps a reference sheet. Thanks.

  49. Jesse T says

    Thanks for this lesson, and all of them actually, I am learning so much from you. Really appreciate it!
    My question is about the guitar you use here – is it a Crossroads, Standard or Private Build? It sounds and looks amazing!

  50. Tim Z says

    The idea for this lesson is awesome and something very important to understand. But as is too often the case you almost immediately get off track by mixing in embellishments instead of staying on track with connecting the chord shapes to the scales and how to incorporate these to play the chord changes. Please keep it simple before adding the extras. People need to be solid with the basics first before adding the embellishments.

  51. Tim Z says

    Suggestion: To teach the primary point. Start by Showing the connection of each of the chords (I, IV, V) to the scales individually FIRST, then after that is solidly explained for clear understanding, THEN show how it’s applied in the piece. That would provide a solid explanation of the important connection between the chords and the scales and Then show how to apply it. This would be much clearer than mixing the two together and then having people try to sort out what is what. You need to do this better throughout your lessons.

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