Pentatonics (part 1) letostak@ix.netcom.com (Judy Letostak) http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/agnetha/59/index.html Metal Edge (619)423-4970 24/7 Guitar/Bass tab, MP3s, Appz ========================================= | Do NOT send or archive this to olga...| ========================================= You can post this on your web, ftp, bbs whatever, without permission. leave the email and name in pls. A guy emailed me about pentatonic scales. I'm not an expert (not in much actually), and I don't use them very often...but for those of you that don't know what the hell they are or how to use them, here's a start. Pentatonic scales are 5 note scales....Here are the 5 postitions of the Pentatonic scales. r=root note -------------------------------1--4------------------------- -------------------------1--4------------------------------- -------------------1--3------------------------------------- -------------1--3------------------------------------------- -------1--3------------------------------------------------- -1--4------------------------------------------------------- r --------------------------------2--4------------------------ --------------------------2--4------------------------------ --------------------1--4------------------------------------ --------------1--4------------------------------------------ --------2--4------------------------------------------------ --2--4------------------------------------------------------ r --------------------------------1--4------------------------ --------------------------2--4------------------------------ --------------------1--3------------------------------------ --------------1--3------------------------------------------ --------1r-4------------------------------------------------ --1--4------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------2--4------------------------ --------------------------2--5------------------------------ --------------------1--4------------------------------------ --------------2--4------------------------------------------ --------2--4r----------------------------------------------- -2--4------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------2--4------------------------ --------------------------2--4------------------------------ --------------------1--3------------------------------------ --------------1r-4------------------------------------------ --------1--4------------------------------------------------ --2--4------------------------------------------------------ Remember those cycle of 5ths??? You can do the same here. These are the 5 positions of the Pentatonic scales. The root note is notated with an r. This scale is used often in rock and blues (think Eric Clapton). It is most commonly used over a I IV V progression...If in E Minor E A B progression. But, you can use them in other places. They are also usefull to mix with the major and minor scales as well. (the above is minor pentatonics). Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll" is a prime example of the use of pentatonics, it's a standard blues rock song with an ass-kickin lead in it. Most 70s rock, the guitar leads are pentatonics. You can also...say you're song is in G Major, you can play E minor pentatonics along with your modes and your G Major scale to mix it up a bit. Or, with arpeggios: A Major ------------------5--3----------5--------------------------- ---------------5-------------------8--5--------------------- ----------5h6----------------------------7--5h6------------- -------7-----------------------------------------7---------- ------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------ Something like that ;) Here's another little example from Eric Johnson's "Clifs of Dover" intro...It's Em Pentatonics ---------------------------7------8/10~---8----------------- --------5---------7/8--10-----10-------------12------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -----7---------9--------------------------------------14---- 2/3---------5-------------------------------------10-------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------15~------- -13~---------------15-----------17-----------19------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ --------------17------------17-----------19----------------- -------12/14------------15-----------17--------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ Eric, what can I say, he's a genius! That's all I have for now...I'll do more on the pentatonics later. This should get u started...Practice, call my board and don't forget the vibrato~~~~!!!! Metal Edge BBS (619)423-4970 (San Diego, CA USA) Over 15,000 Guitar Tabs, Bass tabs, Drum tabs, lessons MP3s, Appz Running Iniquity v.a26r4, 4.6Gigs, 28.8 RioT Member and Distro =========================================================== h = hammeron ps = pick scrape p = pulloff % = repeat phrase ~ = vibrato letostak@ix.netcom.com b = bend + natural harmonic /\ = Slide tr = trill * = Artificial Harmonic x = ghost note t = tap note w/right hand w/bar = with bar =========================================================== http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/agnetha/59/index.html