Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Is ONE position of the Minor Pentatonic scale enough? Use notes sparingly – Guitar Lesson – EP608

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn to play a laid-back, J.J. Cale style lead using just 1 position of the Minor Pentatonic scale (Pattern 1). Limitation can set you free!

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Comments

  7. Mike R says

    Really like you pushing us to try to do a lot with just a little. Phrasing and bending with just one scale makes me look for the other chords in the progression on just one or two notes. This piece reminds me of a college music theory exercise where we had to write a piece just using one scale but emphasizing the notes of other chords with phrasing. I would also like to see you write out the rhythm parts for each of the weekly lessons. It really helps me to play both. Nice progression also, major iv chord and major v7 really sounds cool with the minor root chord. Please try to include more rhythm parts with these great lead parts if possible.

    • KT says

      Brian I second the request. Please extend the jam.
      Two great points for me limiting myself and exploring a mixture of scales like Dorian to add color
      Thank you

  14. Harry B says

    Having played guitar since I was a teenager many years ago, I was never interested in learning much theory—that is, until I joined ActiveMelody which unlocked the door for me about the magic of the Pentatonic Scale and staying in the key of the song.

    This is a great lesson, Brian, a good follow-up to lesson 604 also about using the Pentatonic Scale for playing Chicago Blues. Thanks so much for all you do for us guitar players.

  16. Daniel H says

    Brian, at ~17.00 of Part 1, rather than thinking of the A note (e string) as a dorian note, isn’t it easier to conceptualize the note as simply touching on the major pentatonic scale? You have many lessons where you discuss blending the minor and major pentatonic scales. I always thought of the Dorian mode as minor sound rather than a “happy” sound. Is it a worthy musical pursuit to study the dorian scale and minor pentatonic together? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.
    Anyway, another great lesson … thank you!

  19. Pierre B says

    Channeling your inner JJ Cale created a nice composition and interesting lesson. Limiting ourselves to the Gm space (mostly the pentatonic position 1) forces us to work on our feeling and phrasing. Although you make it look easy, it’s a humbling experience to execute the call-and-response with fluidity. Great lesson. Gotta practice.

  21. Alan S says

    Another Great Lesson!

    What I noticed was that your Stra pickup heights was so different from the recommended pickup heights that Fender recommends. Drop my low end down to almost pickguard height and Man what a full and clean sound, especially on the chords and the bass strings. Never thought of dropping them down so far would make such a big difference.

    Thanks I learn a lot from your lessons

    • Mark H says

      That’s interesting. Did you lower all three pickups in that way?

      I’ll experiment with it anyway since the bass side tends to muddy-up the treble- & mids on my Strat unless I damp the hell out of it.

  26. Andrew A says

    Brian, thanks for the great lesson-well explained. . Your insights and personal experiences are morale building . Through your lessons I’m learning how to hear where to play and become more intuitive. Something I never thought possible. Keep them coming !

  27. Raymond P says

    Thanks for another great lesson. You reminded me of how much can be done just using position one. Although it is your fault that my hands want to go into position two automatically too. LOL.

  30. slopace says

    I love this. This is one of those where you can just keep playing as long as you want without having to put too much thought into it! I find that the less I have to think, the better I play for some reason. Thanks Brian!

  31. Randall W says

    Bryan, I thought I was bored with Position 1 of the minor pent. This lesson is awesome! Less IS More. There is so much right in this area. I”m new to your site. I’m really enjoying your material. Wish I had found it sooner.

  33. Mark H says

    This is a great lesson from my perspective. I was getting a bit stale jamming out of the pentatonic position 1. The phrasing in the lesson broke me out of my usual tendencies into a whole bunch of new (to me) licks.

    I need to give this lesson a lot of time since it is clearly foundational for jamming. I’ll be analyzing exactly why and how the various end note intervals work so well for the calls & responses.

    It does work really well fingerpicked, as you mention at the end of part 2. Pinches and snaps sound great if you get the picking thumb working on the treble side and in sync with the melodies. I learned to do that from hours of mindless repetition learning Rev. Gary Davis tunes so it comes fairly easily to me.

    Also, I love the sound of those Dorian moves. They are like biting down on an exotic ingredient in a pizza.

  34. John I says

    Great lesson, Brian. Staying in that position forces a challenge to be creative within the space. Plenty of great licks and solos have been created with just a few notes, and clever, catchy timing and bends. Thanks for bringing this concept to the lessons!

  35. Michael J says

    G’day Brian,
    I truly believe that what you said is very true. We arrive at a place where it seems that we do indeed find a particular niche/style that we are drawn to and enjoy playing to. And this applies to all genres, blues, jazz, rock’n roll, all of it. But most of all, we are making music, and for me personally, it’s such an enjoyable way to play and learn simultaneously.
    As always, my eternal gratitude for your knowledge and skill,
    Michael J., Kilmore, Oz.

  40. Tim Moran says

    Very cool sound – now I have to go chase JJ Cale and Mark Knofler! This made me realize that I’m not using bends well or enough. I was surprised when you started talking about the Dorian mode because a) I don’t know modes at all, and b) it looked like you were just borrowing a note from the major scale – and you did mention that later in the video. Anyway, I think this lesson helps me a lot because it is accessible to me as a not very technical player, and it sounds great. Thanks!

  42. John C. says

    Some of the comments are way over my head and for me, at least, seemed to miss the point you were trying to make about keeping it simple and not overthinking the exercise.

    I guess if you’re a trained musician and you’ve paid your dues in that respect then you are qualified and entitled to discuss the technical musical theory of the piece.

    Me, I just enjoyed playing the piece and was heartened to be told that I shouldn’t beat myself up about being stuck in the pentatonics.

  43. Fran M says

    Brian you’re spot on with regards to the potential to get overwhelmed with all the possibilities to make even basic music. I’m an advanced/beginner, at best, and have yet to figure out how not to sound “scaly” when I try and improvise.

    Psyched to see something like this…yet you sound so smooth. When I play the tabs I can hit the notes yet sound stiff/static…unable to get the vibe in my head to flow out my fingers.

    Hoping the simplicity of this lesson will help me figure that out. Any insights are more than welcomed!

  47. Ken says

    I am a bit confused. I thought the 4 chord of a minor key was also minor, I see here it is major. Also the a note is coming from a Dorian mode. The scale looked like part of a F major scale. In g minor I thought the Dorian mode would be A.
    Any way if someone can clear up my confusion that’d be grand.

  49. Peter A says

    Brian this is a superb lesson ! Love the JJ Cale / Mark Knopfler sound, and it is fun to play.
    This will be my focus area for the next week until I master it (hopefully)!
    Please more lessons like this, or even other “in the style of” that you had way back.

  51. Rob P says

    I’m a guy who retired and finally have time to go back to guitar. I actually quit playing in frustration for 10 years.Regretful. this lesson is great .it shows how to get the feel without haveing an expansive knowledge. I learned the pentatonic scale in only the last year or so ( should be taught asap). but to play just a few notes and sound this good is as you say a light bulb moment.

  55. James B says

    I’m 68 years old playing for three years now. I’ve been struggling to find the a-ha! moment that ties it all together. I’ve jumped around to a hundred different youtubers trying to make it all make sense. Scales that sound like scales, chord progressions that have no feeling, strumming that just doesn’t have that jive…. What a mess. Suddenly….. this lesson has brought about a new mindset. First, slow down. Learn the basics. Second slow down and understand what your doing and why. Third slow down and listen. Fourth slow down and let the soul lead you where it wants to go instead of forcing it mindlessly. Fifth….. slow down and let the vibrations reach the soul before presenting another. Close your eyes and let your ears tell your fingers where to go. Very cool. I think good blues players don’t play…. they weep.

  56. Eloy S says

    hola solo me funciona el video de guitarra gratis, los demas(miembros premium o el de desglose de partitura) no se visualizan bien ni puedo acceder o sea verlos

    hay algun problema??

    un saludo

    Eloy

  57. Ian K says

    Hi Brian it would be nice if you could also mention the timing of the notes when they quicken up please .Brilliant lesson .Yost what a need to help find the Ju calendar feel and tough.thanks

  58. Ian K says

    Hi Brian.It would be nice if you could point out when the notes quicken up so we can get the right timing.Brilliant lesson,just what I need to find the JJ style of playing.

  59. Garry V says

    I am a new subscriber to your website… after playing Bluegrass in my early days, I took a break from guitar many years ago. After searching online, I found your website and I am concentrating on learning the Blues. This lesson, with all the different audio files, tab files, I feel like I am starting to “get it”. Thanks for the lesson and the tools, I think I can learn enough to entertain myself… at 70, that is all I am trying to accomplish. This was my first lesson on your site.
    Thanks

  60. RUSSELL H says

    Brian – Great lesson! I love this solo. One nit to pick, though: the A note that led to the whole discussion of Dorian is simply the 2nd degree of the natural minor scale (in Gm). So it’s not really Dorian at all. The difference between Dorian and Aolian (natural minor) is the raised 6th, or E natural in this case. I know, sorry — just my OCD coming out… 🙂

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