Full Major Pentatonic Scale Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (00:46) Lesson Introduction In lesson 23, Dave introduced you to a new scale called the Major Pentatonic. You also learned a common fretboard pattern for this scale. This pattern spanned only one octave. In the current lesson, Dave demonstrates a major pentatonic pattern that spans two octaves. Similar to lesson 23, Dave demonstrates this pattern in the key of A major.
Chapter 2: (05:47) The Major Pentatonic Scale Review Time

Before proceeding to the new pentatonic pattern, make sure that you have perfected and memorized the one octave pattern.

Two Octave Pattern

The two octave pattern contains the one octave pattern that you learned earlier. Think of the two octave pattern as a simple extension of the one octave pattern. Pay careful attention as Dave demonstrates the upper octave at 00:28.

Practicing the Pattern

Your first logical step is to learn and memorize the entire two octave pattern. Then, begin practicing it along with a metronome. Start at a very slow tempo such as 60 beats per minute. If you feel totally comfortable at this tempo, gradually begin to speed the metronome up. Do not proceed to the next metronome setting until you can play the pattern flawlessly at the current tempo. Make sure that you play the scale in a variety of rhythms. Begin with quarter notes. Then, play the exercise in smaller divisions of the beat such as eighth notes, triplets, sixteenth notes, etc.

Note: Tablature to all musical materials presented in this lesson can be found under the "Supplemental Content" tab.

Adding Hammer-ons

In the context of a solo, a guitarist will seldom pick every note. Rather, hammer-ons and pull-offs are frequently added to create a more legato and connected sound. Also, hammer-ons and pull-offs allow you to play certain scalar lines much faster.

As an exercise, play the major pentatonic scale using hammer-ons. Within this pattern, there are two notes on each string. Pick the first note on each string, then hammer onto the next. Make sure that both notes involved in the hammer-on are perfectly equal in volume and duration.

Music Theory

Note: The following information is from JamPlay's scale library. This section should be live to all members in the coming weeks. Thank you all for your patience!

The major pentatonic scale consists of five notes. The prefix "penta" means five. "Tonic" means tone. Thus, pentatonic means five tones. The five tones that comprise the major pentatonic scale are derived from the corresponding major scale of the same name. The major pentatonic scale consists of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th scale degrees of the parent major scale. The 4th and 7th scale degrees of the parent major scale create tension when played over the tonic chord. For this reason, they are eliminated to form a pentatonic scale solely consisting of consonant tones.

Features of the Scale:

Since this particular pentatonic scale is major in quality, the third scale degree is a major third interval above the root note. The fifth scale degree is a perfect fifth from the root. Thus, the major pentatonic scale contains the tonic triad of the same name. For example, the A major pentatonic scale contains the notes that comprise an A major chord: A, C# and E.

Remaining Pentatonic Patterns

These patterns represent only two ways of playing the major pentatonic scale. The fingering possibilities for any scale on guitar are endless. However, there are five patterns or boxes that are commonly recognized by most guitarists. These patterns are most common, because they do not contain any position shifts. Tablature to these patterns can be found in Matt Brown's Phase 2 Rock series.

In order to improvise effectively, you must be able to play a particular scale anywhere on the fretboard. Watch some videos of your favorite guitarists. Does he/she stay in one position throughout an entire solo? Chances are, the soloist changes positions several times throughout the solo. Learning only one pattern severely limits your options and the range of notes available to you.

For this reason, DMAC demonstrates another two octave pattern of the major pentatonic scale. Notice how this particular pattern contains several "open" notes. Although this pattern contains the same pitches as the pattern demonstrated in the previous scene, the two patterns sound quite different due to where each pitch is played on the fretboard. For example, compare the sound of the open A string to the sound of the A note played on the sixth string / 5th fret. How would you describe this difference in sound?

Alternate Two Octave Pattern

Watch closely at about 03:40 as Dave demonstrates a new pattern or "box" of the A major pentatonic scale. This pattern also spans two octaves. Break this pattern up into its individual octaves. This will make the scale much easier to learn and memorize.

The Next Step

From this point, learn the remaining patterns of the major pentatonic scale. Make a note of where these patterns overlap. For example, which notes are contained within more than one pattern? These notes are great places to transition from one pattern to the next. Also, practice these patterns in other keys. Simply move the location of the pattern so that you are beginning and ending on the appropriate root note. Once you have learned the patterns, begin to experiment and improvise your own lead lines.

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