Playing Modal with Pentatonic Scales Guitar Lesson
Playing Modal with Pentatonic Scales
David Wallimann demonstrates how minor pentatonic scales can be used when improvising over the minor modes.
Taught by David Wallimann in Theory and Improvisation with David Wallimann seriesLength: 22:03Difficulty: 3.0 of 5
Playing modal can be scary at first. Guitar players usually come from a blues-rock background using pentatonic scales. Using modes doesn't have to be difficult. A closer look at the commonly used modes show that they hide a pentatonic scale (minor pentatonic scale in minor modes, Major pentatonic scale in Major modes).
Let’s take a look at the three commonly used minor modes: Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian. They all hide a minor pentatonic.
DorianRoot 2nd min3rd 4th 5th Maj6th min7th
Phrygian
Root min2nd min3rd 4th 5th min6th min7th
Aeolian
Root 2nd min3rd 4th 5th min6th min7th
Minor Modes Relationship
Now that we know that we can replace any of the minor modes with a minor pentatonic scale, let’s see how each of these modes relate to each other in terms of position:
Ionian - Dorian - Phrygian - Lydian - Mixolydian - Aeolian - Locrian
ApplicationBy combining the three minor pentatonic scales corresponding to the three minor modes and their relative positions, we can phrase using three minor pentatonic scales over a modal backing track.
DorianDorian - Phrygian - Lydian - Mixolydian - Aeolian - Locrian - Ionian
Phrygian
Phrygian - Lydian - Mixolydian - Aeolian - Locrian - Ionian - Dorian
Aeolian
Aeolian - Locrian - Ionian - Dorian - Phrygian - Lydian - Mixolydian
Going Further
Working with the following three backing tracks, use the corresponding minor pentatonic scales to create a modal sounding lead.
A DorianA minor pentatonic (Dorian)
B minor pentatonic (Phrygian)
E minor pentatonic (Aeolian)
A Phrygian
A minor pentatonic (Phrygian)
D minor pentatonic (Aeolian)
G minor pentatonic (Dorian)
A Aeolian
A minor pentatonic (Aeolian)
D minor pentatonic (Dorian)
E minor pentatonic (Phrygian)
Supplemental Learning Material
Theory and Improvisation with David Wallimann
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsDavid Wallimann will cover all of the topics necessary master the art of improvisation. He will cover theory, including intervals, scales and modes as well as techniques to improve ones improvisation.
Lesson 1
Understanding Intervals
Before one can truly understand music theory the concept of intervals must be introduced. This lesson covers that topic in great depth.
Length: 27:40 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Minor Pentatonic Scale
David teaches the minor pentatonic scale. He explains its scale formula, various fretboard positions, and how it can be used.
Length: 20:03 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Major Pentatonic Scale
David Wallimann moves on to cover the the major pentatonic scale. He teaches its scale formula, all five patterns, and gives advice on how the scale can be used.
Length: 9:46 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Blues Scale
In this lesson, David covers both the minor and major blues scales. He explains the formulas and patterns for each scale. In addition, David has included a backing track for you to play along with.
Length: 9:08 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Minor Modes
David Wallimann introduces three minor modes. In this lesson he covers Dorian, Phrygian and Aeolian modes.
Length: 11:37 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Major Modes
David Wallimann covers three major modes in this lesson. He covers the Ionian, Lydian and Mixolydian modes.
Length: 8:53 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Locrian Mode
David Wallimann introduces the Locrian mode. He explains its formula in terms of scale degrees as well as its five fretboard patterns. A few fun arpeggio-based ideas are also demonstrated.
Length: 20:37 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
The Magic Formula
David Wallimann teaches a magic formula that will allow you to play each of the modes up and down the entire fretboard. He also teaches some exercises to help cement this knowledge.
Length: 11:49 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Classifying Modes
David Wallimann talks about how modes can be classified and thus used in a musical context. This is a valuable wrap-up lesson to the mini-series on modes.
Length: 13:24 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Creating Chord Progressions
David Wallimann explains how to write diatonic chord progressions. This lesson features excellent practical music theory.
Length: 12:07 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Easy Outside Tricks
David Wallimann teaches a valuable fusion guitar technique that he calls "Easy Outside Tricks."
Length: 8:31 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Playing Modal with Pentatonic Scales
David Wallimann demonstrates how minor pentatonic scales can be used when improvising over the minor modes.
Length: 22:03 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Playing Modal with Major Pentatonic Scales
David Wallimann shows how the major pentatonic scale can be used in modal playing.
Length: 11:13 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
About David Wallimann
View Full Biography
David was born in Aix-en-Provence, South France in 1977. At the age of 15, he picked up the guitar and started developing a true love for instrumental music and composition.
In 1999 he was recognized by Ibanez for his promising musical achievements and received an artist endorsement. That early recognition in David's musical career encouraged him to consecrate more time on crafting his musical art and apply to the school of modern music Artist' in Cavaillon, France. He received a full scholarship there where he graduated with honors.
In 2001, David won first place for the Tal Farlow French national jazz contest which gave him a full paid scholarship to the CMA school of modern music in Valenciennes, France. He graduated specializing in advance guitar with honors.
Following his school years, David spent the next 5 years working with several bands recording, writing and playing shows in France and Belgium. It's during that time that Wallimann was exposed to the world of progressive rock which opened new doors to his musical creativity.
Deep inside the Mind is his first release as a solo artist in which he exposes his Christian faith. The album was well received in the specialized press and was compared several times to some of Frank Zappa's approach to music adding an element of humor to deep subjects.
In 2005 he joined the internationally renown progressive band Glass Hammer based in Chattanooga, TN. He released several studio albums and live DVDs with the band.
David is today working on his next upcoming solo release and is also spending quite a bit of time teaching guitar in his studio and online at JamPlay.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Would you recommend committing this to memory or just understanding which key tone to inject into a pentatonic in order to give it the tonal quality of that mode?
Can you play a pentatonic blues scale over these tracks?
you can also play the maj penta patterns over thsese backing tracks, right? ie play the Cmaj penta scale over the A dorian backing track?
He talks about that in the next lesson, check it out :)
Thanks for great lessons!!! Love your teaching style.
The lessons before this was like opening a door for me.. into a room full of other doors. THIS lesson was like opening all those new doors at once!!
Terrific lesson as usual David. Keep up the good work!
This is a very usefull lesson! Well done!