PENTATONIC SCALES linking exercises – USE WHOLE NECK to link scales together – 12:54 minutes

Lets start phrasing our scales together in a real liquid across the neck fashion and making smooth transitions. In this lesson we will teach you how to start connecting or linking your pentatonic scales together. You want to get out of the “boxes” and not necessarily see pentatonic scales as 5 individual boxes but rather have the vision to see the entire neck as one big scale and move across the neck laterally connecting your ideas in ways that make good musical sense. You want to envision the intervals and relationships between each of the shapes as you see the whole neck as one big scale and move around laterally. In this exercise you will link the minor pentatonic and blues Expanded 2 shape to the basic box position to the Expanded one shapes – all will be linked together across the fretboard. David also demonstrates on making stop offs while playing a scale to come up with riffs and licks and then move on after making lick statements as you move through the links. Work on these in different keys and use the jam tracks to apply what you are learning. Remember the relationships between all the shapes stay the same as you change keys – just move the whole block of shapes up or down on the neck. Practice in all keys and apply – rock on!

 When to use the MINOR PENTATONIC and BLUES scales – know the applications -12:11 minutes

As we always say knowing all the scales in the world is only half the game as you also must know how to utilize and apply the scales – you must know when to use a certain scale – over what chords and over what progressions – you have to know the scales AND how to apply them. This module will begin to teach you how to apply pentatonic scales and what to play them over. This lesson will also teach you some broad brush strokes on how to look at a scale’s intervals and determine what chords or what progressions you can utilize the scale over. This module teaches you the BIG three uses for minor pentatonic and blues mainly with what relates to all chords in a song or progression. Remember don’t just limit yourself to minor pentatonic – as you move up in levels you want to add much more to you arsenal than just minor pentatonic – but we will start with that in this module. AND ALWAYS APPLY WHAT YOU ARE LEARNING!

Intro to the BLUES SCALE – add the b5 and you will be in BLUES HEAVEN – 12:39 minutes

In this lesson we will introduce the BLUES scale in the basic box position. You will need to know the basic minor pentatonic scale in the box position from the previous lesson – so watch that module first then come back to this one if you have not already. The blues scale is not just for blues music – it can be heard in almost all music genres. You will learn how to add the b5th or blue note to the minor pentatonic scale now making it the blues scale. In this lesson we will teach you the blues scale in the basic box position and in future modules you will learn how to play it in all positions across the neck and with expanded shapes. This scale is made from the intervals Root, b3, 4th, b5th, 5th, b7. Memorize the patterns and notes you are playing and practice in all keys. 

PRINT OUT THE WRITTEN LESSON PDF FILES from the “WRITTEN LESSONS” section of the website to coincide with this lesson and to see the scales diagrammed out. It really helps to see the shapes diagrammed out on paper so be sure and print out the corresponding written lesson. That written lesson is titled ”  Minor Pentatonic BLUES SCALE-with expanded shapes-get out of the box -play across the neck PDF FILES ”

The EXPANDED I minor Pentatonic and blues scale – COMBINES BOX PATTERNS – 17:45 minutes

In this lesson you will learn the Expanded I Minor Pentatonic and Blues Scale. This expanded shape will get you playing across the neck in one liquid and fluid motion. This expanded shape will double the amount of frets you will cover – it expands the basic box shape and connects three boxes together into one expanded shape. In this module we will play the six note minor pentatonic blues scale, (1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7) – basically we add the blue note or b5th to the minor pentatonic scale. As will all scales, modes, and arpeggios just dont memorize the shape – memorize the notes and the intervals. These expanded shapes will get you playing across the neck quickly and gets you out of all those straight boxes – no more boxy playing good people! 

PRINT OUT THE PDF FILE OF THIS SCALE THAT IS LOCATED IN THE WRITTEN LESSONS SECTION OF THE WEBSITE – then you can also have it on paper and add it to your ever growing binder of reference materials.

Add some character to your MINOR PENTATONIC SCALES – b3rd to major 3rd BEND- 5:01 minutes 

In this lesson you will learn how to add some character to the Minor Pentatonic scale by bending the b3rd to the major 3rd. This bend has a lot of character and will add some zing to the scale. David teaches the proper technique to make this bend and how to insert it into your lines. Have fun and rock on!

Introduction to MINOR PENTATONIC scale – the most common scale – 22:23 minutes 

In this lesson we will introduce the MINOR PENTATONIC scale. It is one of the most commonly used scales in most types of music. This is a fantastic scale to start with as you will be utilizing it all the time. David discusses this scale in detail and exactly how the scale works and the intervals you will be playing. You will learn the basic box position to start and in future modules you will learn the scale across the whole neck. You will also learn how to play these in different keys based off the notes on the neck. David also talks about how knowing all the scales on the planet will do you no good unles you know how to use them, how to apply them, and how to take the notes of a scale and do interesting and muscial things with them on the guitar – and we will get into all of the above! David takes you through the fingerings and the notes to play this scale.

PRINT OUT THE WRITTEN LESSON PDF FILE from the “WRITTEN LESSONS” section of the website to coincide with this lesson and to see the scale diagrammed out. 

Spice up MINOR PENTATONIC scales and make it THE BLUES SCALE & more! Part 1 12:10 minutes

Pentatonic scales are some of the most commonly used scales in music. They are pretty much used throughout so many genres of music from rock to metal to pop and jazz to county to hard rock and alternative and so much more. In this part one of a three part lesson we will teach you to get out of the boxey fragmented and disjointed patterns and we will get you to start playing across the neck in a more liquid type of sound moving across the neck. We will teach you how to make the minor pentatonic scale into the blues scale by adding one note, the b5. You will also learn how to add passing tones and slurs to add color to your playing. You will soon be adding cool sounding “outside” passing notes to your playing.  David will also teach you how to add  the 9th to the scale and why it works. He will go over many licks using these techniques to demonstrate just how much you can get out of the minor pentatonic scale and add so much interest. In part two we will  teach you many of the hip bends in this scale and emphasize just how important it is to bend in pitch with a target note in mind. In this module you will also learn reverse slides, chromatic passing tones, double-stops, double-stop bends, b3rd to major 3rd bends, bend and kills, and much more. This is part one of a three-part lesson.

SEE THE SCALES ON PAPER – TO COINCIDE WITH THIS LESSON PRINT OUT THE WRITTEN LESSON ON THE MINOR PENTATONIC AND BLUES SCALES IN THE “WRITTEN LESSONS” SECTION OF THE WEBSITE – FOLLOW THE ROUTINES AS LISTED IN THE LESSON

Spice up Minor Pentatonic Scale – learn to play across the neck –  pt 2 – 12:16 minutes

In part 2 of this lesson David will teach you how to spice up the minor pentatonic scale by adding passing tones and slurs, hip bends, bend and vibrato, string rakes, and much more. You will also learn how to get out of the BOX by playing combined scales or what we call expanded scales. You will learn to play across the neck in a much more liquid type of sound and get out of that boxy sound that many players get caught in. David will teach you how to start to look at the whole neck as one big scale and not as individual boxes. You want to see the relationships between the scales and intervals and how they overlap and connect. In this module you will also learn to play laterally across the neck and not just stuck in a box! David will also teach you the proper techniques for string bending and many of the hip and cool sounding bends in this scale. This is part two of a three-part lesson.

SEE THE SCALES ON PAPER – TO COINCIDE WITH THIS LESSON PRINT OUT THE WRITTEN LESSON ON THE MINOR PENTATONIC AND BLUES SCALES IN THE “WRITTEN LESSONS” SECTION OF THE WEBSITE – FOLLOW THE ROUTINES AS LISTED IN THE LESSON

Spice up that Minor Pentatonic Scale with melodic phrasing – part 3 – 12:55 minutes

This lesson ties it all together for spicing up the minor pentatonic scale and demonstrates just how much you can get out of the scale by really working the notes and intervals. We teach you how to take the notes and do interesting musical things with them – adding color and flavor to your playing. We will teach you good vibrato technique and minor third bends and how to build rhthmically off yourself when soloing. You will learn the importance of engaging your audience and drawing them into your playing by utilizing melody and the importance of melodic phrasing in your playing. David ties all three parts of the lesson together with a jam over an Am7 to D progression – so you can hear all the principles applied in a musical context. Find the magic when you solo and then build melodically and rythmically off of it. This is part three of a three-part lesson.

 
SEE THE SCALES ON PAPER – TO COINCIDE WITH THIS LESSON PRINT OUT THE WRITTEN LESSON ON THE MINOR PENTATONIC AND BLUES SCALES IN THE “WRITTEN LESSONS” SECTION OF THE WEBSITE – FOLLOW THE ROUTINES AS LISTED IN THE LESSON