A simple method for playing creative lead guitar

by Colin Dwyer

Dedicated to
Joy Thurmon and Jeff Copeland for explaining stuff.

how is this guitar book different ? I

wanted to write a book that I wish someone had given me when I was roughly 18 years old and hadnt played with any other musicians yet. Although I could play songs that I liked, I didnt understand what key they were in, what modes they used or how to even stay in key. So I literally had to learn every song by ear, note for note, with no knowledge to help me even take an educated guess at what chords or modes I might encounter in a song. We didnt have the internet, so knowledge was scarce and I tried to digest anything anyone gave me. Some of it was beyond me, such as the popular Chord Chemistry by Ted Greene, which is a good book but at the time outside my interest level. I really only liked popular music, so all those complex jazz chords didnt mean anything to me. My playing could best be described as an aimless and rapid regurgitation of the modes with no idea where my fingers were headed once they started moving. I tried to simplify and extract the very elixer of information a budding guitar player would need to not only have a foundation to build on, but could potentially keep him happy, writing songs and jamming with other musicians for years, regardless of what genre of popular music theyre into. This is an e-book in pdf format and it is free for your personal enjoyment. Thats right. Its designed to be printed on legal pages, thrown on the floor, written on, trampled on and reprinted. Just dont publish any of it as your own (artwork included). I borrowed heavily from the humanities, so why should I claim ownership of these ideas, especially when so much good information is being freely shared by other guitar players online? There are, however, a couple ideas introduced in this book that I havent come across in my readingthe algorithm and descriptors. Many musicians would likely say Im over-simplifying with the algorithm and over-reaching with the descriptors. Ive seen the modes arranged fifty different ways with no guidance for resolve. So I made some choices, open to criticism, but if I can help some kids evolve in their playing, then its worth it to me to put it out there. This is also a short book, 17 pages of real instruction. Even the most impatient, attention-deficit and time-challenged people can handle that.

Whats NOT in this book

Picking exercises, tablature, songs, sheet music, chords other than basic triads, an explanation on how to tune your guitar or photographs of peoples hands. There are hundreds of scales, many of which you would rarely hear in popular music. Those are also omitted. Melodic minor, harmonic minor, heptatonic and hexatonic blues scales, although common, are not covered. Im not going to show you what fingers go where (well, I sorta do). I hate diagrams of chords that instead of labeling the intervals they label which finger to use. Id be looking at a 2 for five minutes thinking, how the hell is that the second? before realizing it means your middle finger. To avoid confusion, I refer to your 2nd finger as BIRD finger and your 3rd finger as RING finger.

Chapter 1

The Algorithm

for creating diatonic scales related to the natural major and minor are easy once you got it down. I originally thought this would cover most of the basics and there wouldnt be a need to learn each mode separately, but in practice I found it still helps to understand what mode youre in and what chords it relates to. The algorithm is a good reference to determine where your fingers (can) go while you play. Basically, there is a consistent pattern to lead guitar. As you move through the modes from the nut to the bridge or vice versa, this pattern scrolls up and down the strings. The pattern you want to remember is this:
Four patterns containg a half step and a whole step.

What Your Mama Didnt Tell You About Lead Guitar Playing

the Algorithm
Four patterns containg a half step and a whole step.

Three patterns containing two whole steps

Two patterns containing a half step made with your ring nger. Call this ring.

Three patterns as two sets First think of itcontaining of patterns: whole-step and half-step. Within the halftwo whole steps step patterns, you can break it down into two patterns: One in which the half-step is played with your middle or bird finger, and the second in which the half-step is played with your ring finger. For simplicity Im going to refer to those three-step patterns as either bird or ring. Two patterns containing a half step madeTwo patterns containing a half step with your bird nger. made with Call this bird. your ring nger. Call this ring.

Three patterns containing two whole steps

I hope I can shred by the end of this book.

Two patterns containing a half step made with your bird nger. Call this bird.

Three patterns containing two whole steps

3
The two highest strings are the zone of the half-step shift

Three patterns containing two whole steps

This pattern, for the most part remains intact. As it recycles and connects to itself, there are three anomalies to take into consideration, that impact the structure of the algorithm. 1. When you transition down (next highest adjacent string) to a bird pattern from Two patterns containing pattern, you move up (towards the bridge) one fret. a whole-step a half step

Locrian Locrian Lydian Lydian Ionian Ionian Mixolydian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Dorian Phrygian

made with your ring nger. Call this ring. 2. When the algorithm moves onto the two highest strings, it again shifts up one Two patterns containing a halfThe following diagram illustrates which 3-note sequence you would start the algorithm step fret, or one half-step. I refer to it as the zone of the half-step shift. made with your bird nger. on, depending on which mode you are in. Call 3. One of the three-note sequences is NOT on the neck (note there are seven this bird. Three patterns containing six strings). sequences but only two whole steps Dorian Aeolian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian Locrian Phrygian

Aeolian Phrygian

Take a look at the algorithm applied to the neck of the guitar. This demonstrates, the steps in the Ionian (1st) mode*
The two highest strings are the zone of the half-step shift towards the bridge (indicated with pink transparency). Whenever the algorithm passes over these two strings, it shifts

Locrian Lydian Ionian Lydian Mixolydian Ionian

Mixolydian

you infer (the f 1. There is a BIR 2. There are thr 1. There is a BIR 3. The second W 2. There are thr 4. The pattern m 3. The second W 4. The pattern

While playing, y you infer (the fa While playing,

Now take a look at the same algorithm, starting in the Locrian mode.
Lydian Ionian Lydian Mixolydian Ionian

Ion

Ion Mix

Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Dorian One three-note pattern is not on the neck of the guitar. It is merely a mental place holder. Aeolian Phrygian Locrian Phrygian Locrian

Mi Dor Aeo Do

Ae Phr Loc Phr

Lyd Loc

Lyd

As w enc As

enc 1. L 2. T 1. L 3. T 2. T 4. T 3. T

* Im getting around to describing modes in greater detail

4. T

Dorian Aeolian Phrygian

No matter what mode you are in, these sequences remain in this order: The two BIRDS follow the three RING sequences sound good on the A the two BIRDS. Then While playing, you notice that the twoWHOLES. The two RINGS followand D strings. Therefore the pattern part of the diagram) . . you infer (the faded repeats. So to string. the whole sequence together in a loop, it looks like this:
1. There is a W, W, W, B, B, R, R,it, and this is locatedR, W, W, W, B, (3rd) mode BIRD sequence above W, W, W, B, B, R, in the Phrygian B, R, R, etc. 2. There are three WHOLE sequences beneathe it 3. The second WHOLE sequence shifts the pattern because it entered the zone ofalgorithm to the guitar This illustration demonstrates the thought process, applying the the half-step shift. 4. The pattern missing from the neck is the rst BIRD pattern, or the one that starts the Locrian (7th). neck over the Lydian (4th) mode. Ionian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian Locrian Lydian As we move from the lowest string to the highest string in the Lydian mode, here is what we encounter going through the algorithm. 1. Lydian (4th) begins on the last whole-step pattern Dorian 2. The bird sequence begins a half-step up, because passing from whole to bird. Aeolian 3. The second ring pattern moves up a half-step because it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 4. The patternPhrygianfrom the neck in Lydian mode is the second whole pattern. missing Locrian Lydian Ionian Mixolydian

Now lets assume you only knew two of the three-note sequences. You could most often imagine the remainder of the notes, and further what mode this is, and even further what key you are playing in (to be illustrated in the tables on the following pages).
Locrian Lydian Ionian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian While playing, you notice that the two RING sequences sound good on the A and D strings. Therefore you infer (the faded part of the diagram) . . . 1. There is a BIRD sequence above it, and this is located in the Phrygian (3rd) mode 2. There are three WHOLE sequences beneathe it 3. The second WHOLE sequence shifts the pattern because it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 4. The pattern missing from the neck is the rst BIRD pattern, or the one that starts the Locrian (7th). Ionian Its important to realize that just because youre playing two RING sequences on the A and D strings, and that fits into the Phrygian pattern, it doesnt mean youre playing Mixolydian Phrygian. You may be resolving on the first note of that sequence, which is actually Aeolian in Dorian because its the first note of the Aeolian (6th) mode. flavor, Aeolian Phrygian Locrian Lydian

Lydian Ionian Mixolydian Dorian Aeolian Phrygian Locrian

Chapter 2

What am i supposed to do with chapter 1 ?

The modes

ow that youve seen how to create a out of thin air, its important to see how they all relate to each other and to their relative key. As you move up the guitar neck, in a sequence of intervals, there are 7 notes (the 8th note is the octave which is the same as the 1st note). Yes, this is all just 7 notes (more will be added later). We shall refer to the 1st note of the Ionian mode as the 1st and it is major. The relative minor is the 6th (Aeolian) mode. The intervals between the notes, 17 are either whole steps (2 frets) or half steps (1 fret), and it goes like this:

mode

1 whole 2 whole 3 HALF 4 whole 5 whole 6 whole 7 HALF 1

Its easiest just to simply remember there is a half-step between the 3rd and the 4th and the 7th and the 1st. All else is whole steps.

Here are the intervals on the low E string in the key of G major

And not only is that just the intervals, but those numbers correspond to notes and chords within the G maj scale. Each of those intervals also has a corresponding mode, and weve seen these names before with the algorithm.

Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, Locrian

Its not terribly important you remember the names of them, and its almost more important you realize which number interval you are on.

Here are the intervals on the low E string in the key of G major, labeled with the corresponding mode of the interval

1 Ionian

2 Dorian

3 Phrygian

4 Lydian

5 Mixolydian

6 Aeolian

7 Locrian

1 (this one repeats) Ionian

In a nutshell, those are the frets where you would begin to diagram those modes, beginning on the low E string. As we saw previously on the algorithm, each mode begins at a different sequence or level within the algorithm. But how would you know where to begin without memorizing each assigned level of the algorithm? Thats one way to do it, of course. But simply knowing the intervals you can figure it out. For example, lets create the Phrygian mode.

Phrygian starts on the 3rd. The intervals are . . . 3 half 4 whole 5 whole 6 whole 7 half 1 whole 2 The first three note pattern (3 half 4 whole 5) is therefore a BIRD pattern The next three note pattern (6 whole 7 half 1) is therefore a RING pattern

If you know that much of the puzzle, just apply the algorithm to complete the mode.
7

Show me the modey

I could spoon feed all 7 modes to you, just like every other tutorial and book out there, but I promise in a million years you will never learn them. Thats way too easy. Ive shown you how to construct them yourself so what I have here are some incomplete diagrams youre going to finish. I have drawn the A major Ionic mode and some of the other six modes comprised of the same notes. Can you finish diagramming the other six modes given this limited information?

1st

Ionian

R 3 who emember Half-s les, 2 bir ds tep up from , 2 rings. Half-s whole tep up to bir on th d. eBs tring zone of the or half-s tep sh ift.

2nd Dorian 3rd Phrygian 4th Lydian

8

5th Mixolydian
You running out of frets moving towards the bridge? Go back to the nut for Aeolian

6th Aeolian 7th Locrian

Chapter 3

thats great, but it still sounds like aimless crap unless you consider this relates to. . .

chords

m going to take a leap of faith and assume you know how to make a minor and major bar chord (barre chord) with the root on either the low E string or the A string. But in case you dont, I sketched it over to the right. Im not going to try to cover the myriad of chords you can make that push and pull on the key, just these two basic chords. For this first table, just stick with the bar-E. Its easier to simply memorize the 2nd, 3rd and 6th are minor, the 7th is weird, and all else are major. If you look at the modes you created in the last section, you might notice that its the distance of the 3rd note in the MODAL scale (not to be confused with the actual 3rd interval of the key) from the root OF THE MODE that creates the major or minor flavor.* Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Mode Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian Chord Major Minor Minor Major Major Minor ignore for now

* This gets a little confusing, but try to wrap your brain around this example. G Mixolydian is in the key of C major. It is the 5th mode of the key of C. The 1st note of the mode is G, but tonally it is the 5th. Its chord is major, and the 3rd note of G Mixolydian is actually the 7th of the key of C. The 3rd note of the 5th chord is two whole steps from the modal root, and so is the Locrian (or 7th) mode, which could also be played to emphasize the 3rd of the G Mixolydian. Try to keep straight the intervals of the key vs. intervals of the mode. If its confusing, dont worry, there will be more in this book covering the difference.

1o

On this bar-E chord, it is comprised of the following modal intervals (intervals relative to the chord, not necessarily the key). And those notes are 1, 5, 1, 3, 5, 1.

Introducing the Descriptors,

Chili Peppers and Enchiladas

Within the bar-E chord is one note that seasons it either major or minor, and that is the 3rd, illustrated by the chili pepper on this drawing

Intervals on the major bar-E chord 1 5 1 5 3 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 5

But if the 3rd is the seasoning, then the 1st is the whole enchilada, illustrated in this drawing with tiny enchiladas. It is the premiere 3 tone within that chord. The 5th is also part of the triad, but for now 1 I want to downplay its role. When youre playing a melody in these modes, you need to take into strong consideration the notes the re5 3 lated chord is comprised of. Lets say this is the major chord over the 1 Mixolydian 5th, and youre playing the Mixolydian scale. You ought to start on, resolve with or emphasize the notes in that triad. You 5 dont have to, but if you dont you will be drawing attention to a different mode because these are all made up of the same 7 notes. There is no law that says you have to play one mode or the other at any given time, but if the ideain this instanceis to emphasize the 5th, you should focus on the notes in that chord. The 1st tone of Mixolydian mode will feel more resolved, but the 3rd will draw attention to whether its major or minor.

1 5

3 1 5 1 5

1 1 5 5

3 3 3 1 1 1 1 5 5 5

1 1

1 5 1 1 5 3 1 1 1 1 5 3 3 1 5 1 5 1 5

1 5 1 5 3

5 3

11

5 3 Major 1 1 5 3 1 1 5
To simplify things a little, just worry about the 1st on the D-string within 1 the bar-E chord. From a playing perspective, its just ergonomically easier 5 to land on, work around and tremolo the 1st on the D-string. So heres our first set 1 descriptors, shown in a major bar-E (above) and a minor of bar-E (below). The difference is easy to see. The distance between them on the neck of the guitar is one or two frets.

5 3 1 5 1 1 5

1 5

O.k., I lied, and its because I feel youre ready, we can jump ahead and apply our descriptors to your algorithm. Here is the Lydian (4th) mode with the descriptors applied.

Descriptors of the Lydian Mode 1 5 3 1 5 1

Minor 1 5 3 1 5 1
Wow, this may be the craziest info graphic I ever made. 1. First recall our previous sequence of 3-note patterns for the Lydian mode. 2. Dont forget our zone of the half-step shift. 3. The 5th and 1st on the far left corner, are merely included to complete the major chord and not part of our algorithm (but you can play them). 4. Try to give stronger consideration to the enchiladas and chilis, but dont neglect the 5th. 5. The top set of grey dots is o the neck, and merely a mental place holder.

Notice the 1st and 3rd repeat, and of course. Its still just 7 notes. The 1st and 3rd of the mode will always occur in relatively the same place in each mode. In context to the algorithm, the 1st will always occur on the second note on the D string and the last note of the B string. The 3rd will always occur on the first note of the G string and the second note of the high E string.

mind blown.

12

2. Dont forget our zone of the half-step shift. 3. The 5th and 1st on the far left corner, are merely included to complete the major chord and not part of our algorithm (but you can play them). 4. Try to give stronger consideration to the enchiladas and chilis, but dont neglect the 5th. 5. The top set of grey dots is o the neck, and merely a mental place holder.

The horizontal distance on the neck between the 1st and 3rd modal tone is redundant within the mode. If theyre one fret apart on the D and G strings (major), they are one fret apart on the B and E. As with the minor chord and relative mode, the 1st and 3rd have two frets between them. Here is an example of the descriptors on a minor mode, the Aeolian (6th), the natural and most minor of our modes. Notice the gap between the 1st and 3rd is broader than with the major mode and chord. Also notice that although this is a different mode and a minor one, the 1st will always occur on the second note on the D string and the last note of the B string. The 3rd will always occur on the first note of the G string and the second note of the high E string.

Descriptors of the Aeolian Mode

Adding this new knowledge to the table

Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th Mode Ionian Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian Chord Major Minor Minor Major Major Minor Ignore for now Description 2 whole, 2 bird, 2 ring End with 2 birds Ends with 3 whole-steppers Begins whole, bird Begins with 3 whole-steppers Begins with 2 rings 2 bird, 2 ring, 2 whole Fret distance between descriptors One Two Two One One Two Ignore for now

na a nick with mode them ch lize ea remember a Person elp you to h

Nickname!

me

Major

Minor Mr. Ambiguous

13

X
3 1 5 3 1 5

Chili Peppers and Enchiladas

on the
-

bar A chord

X
This is another common chord. Its the same as the bar-E only this one has the root of the chord on the A string, the bar-A. The Xs in the illustration mean you dont play those notes. Youll naturally deaden those strings by touching them incidentally and not pressing them to the fretboard.

Major bar-A with descriptors

X
3 1 1 5

3 1 5

Intervals on the major bar-A chord

1 3 1 5

Minor bar-A with descriptors 5 5 3 3 1 1 1 5 1 5

X
The intervals labeled in these are the intervals within the chord itself, and they would be the intervals of the mode, IF you start playing the mode at the 1st interval on the A string, and you could. You would simply have to apply the algorithm, starting on the 1st of the chord. Im not going to go this route, nor will I diagram the descriptors based off of modes rooted on the A-string because 3 I think it will just confuse a really simple way of looking at modes and descrip1 tors from the previous lesson. Its more important for now that you see where the bar-A chords are in relation to the bar-E chords on the guitar neck with respect 5 to key. 1

14

Imagine the columns in this table correspond with frets on the guitar. And the rows correspond with the A string (top row) and the low E string (bottom row). The mode in each cell of the table is the mode that begins on that fret and string. The red cells indicate a minor chord is played at that position on the neck (bar-A on the A string and bar-E on the E string). Green cells mean a major chord is played at that position on the neck (bar-A on the A string and bar-E on the E-string). The blank cells indicate nothing is played on the string at that fret.

Your guitar

meet

The Location on the Guitar Neck of: the 7 modes, bar-E chords (maj and min), bar-A chords (maj and min) A string E string 3 Phrygian 7 Locrian 4 Lydian 1 Ionian 5 Mixolydian 2 Dorian 6 Aeolian 3 Phrygian 4 Lydian 7 Locrian 1 Ionian 5 Mixolydian 2 Dorian 6 Aeolian 3 Phrygian 7 Locrian

77 7

Why have we Avoided Talking About the 7 th mode? Locrian

Theres a lot I cant cover in this book, and unfortunately the Locrian mode doesnt fit tidily into our schematics. Its a great mode to use, because it creates a lot of tension, in which the listener is looking for resolve. One trick is to use a diminished chord at the 7th, because of its atonality it works well there. Think of it as the mode that questions. If you look at the steps in the mode, youll see the 5th is out of whack in comparison to the other modes, so it doesnt make a very neat 1, 3, 5 chord. Dont avoid using the mode, though. Its a killer sound!

15

Chapter 5

and now we taketh away 2 notes. . .

Pentatonic

opular music wouldnt be so popular without this simple reduction from 7 to 5 notes. This may seem like were working backwards, but believe it or not, the pentatonic is a little harder to explain. Its more prevalent throughout the world than the scales weve seen and guitar players commonly use the pentatonic for blues. But dont just think of it as a scale you use when you play the blues. Rock, pop, country, jazz, indie, punk, metal, R&B, folk, bluegrass, and countless sub-genres use pentatonic scales. Its all in your approach, and how you throw it into the mix that gives it its character. First lets look at it in context to our algorithm, and Im going to start with the natural minor (6th), which I believe is the most widely used, and by widely used I mean your dad might even know how to play this if he ever played the guitar, but he probably doesnt know its a pentatonic scale on the minor 6th. He just knows its blues.

Minor Pentatonic on the 6th

Ive Xd out the two notes that have been removed, the 4th and the 7th. To avoid getting confused, Im talking about the 4th and 7th of the relevant Ionic mode, NOT the modal 4th and 7th of the 6th, which of course begins on the 6th, not the 1st. The 4th and 7th is removed from all the modes, but this really changes things up, and maybe you see where Im headed. What are you supposed to do on the 4th and 7th modes? Ill get to that later. To go back to our previous 7 modes, and remove the 4th and 7th from all of them, is just a confusing way of approaching pentatonic scales. 5 tones means 5 modes, and a new algorithm for those.

16

The Pentatonic Algorithm

is deceptive. It looks easier than the previous algorithm at first glance, but the scale has gone through such an evolutionary process, you can really bend the rules (no pun intended). More of that on the next page. First just learn the pattern. The first illustration demonstrates the juxtaposition of 3 short patterns underneath the long ones. The second illustration demonstrates theres a shift back one fret when the long patterns follow the short ones. Each level of the pattern begins with a note that corresponds with a mode from our previous chapters. Notice there is no 4th or 7th. I think its better to see it in context to the previous modes than rename the pentatonic modes.
1st 1st 5th 2nd 6th 3rd 6th 3rd 6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 1st 5th 2nd

The pentatonic algorithm

Three two-note patterns containing a whole step.

Two two-note patterns containing a 3 half-steps

1st 5th 2nd 6th 3rd

Three two-note patterns containing For each of the 5 positions, Three two-notethis pattern starting at its corresponding you can apply patterns containinga whole step. 5th 6th level in the pattern on the appropriate fret. Then take into account the zone of the a whole step. Three two-note patterns 2nd shift from before. That shift will always happen to our algorithms containing half step because 3rd a whole step. of how a guitar is tuned. If you tuned straight down the 5th fret, it wouldnt, but Two two-note patterns 6th 1st then youd have a hard time making chords. Just trust me. containing a 3 half-steps Two two-note patterns 3rd 5th containing a 3 half-steps Two two-note Here are two of the most common forms of the pentatonic as youpatternssee it on would 2nd containing on the neck. the guitar. Notice Ive added the shift, and the pattern repeats a 3 half-steps The 6th

5th 2nd 6th 3rd 1st 5th

repeat is illustrated in blue.

3rd

Minor Pentatonic on the 6th

5th 6th 3rd 6th 3rd 1st 5th 1st 5th 2nd 6th 2nd 6th 3rd 1st 5th

Major Pentatonic on the 5th 5th 5th

2nd 5th 6th 2nd 2nd 6th 3rd

1st

1.6th 6th is the second LONG pattern The 1st 2. Three SHORT patterns for the 2nd, 5th and 1st. 3rd 5th 3. The next LONG pattern is the 3rd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 4.1st 6th repeats to ll out our strings. The

1. The 5th is the secon 2. Two LONG patterns 3. The next SHORT pa 4. The 5th repeats to

1. The 5th is the second SHORT pattern 5th 2. Two LONG patterns for the 3rd and 6th. 1. The 5th is the second SHORT pattern 2nd 3. The next SHORT pattern is 2. Two LONG patterns for the 3rd and 6th. second SHORT pattern the 2nd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 1. The 5th 4. the 5th repeats to ll out our strings. is 1. The 6th is the second LONG pattern 3. The next SHORT pattern is the LONGTheit enteredthe 3rd and 6th. half-step shift. 6th 2. Two 2nd and patterns for the zone of the 2. Three SHORT patterns for the 2nd, 5th and 1st. 4. The 5th repeats to ll out The strings. our next SHORT pattern is the 2nd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. second LONG pattern 3. The next LONG pattern is patterns for The 6th 3. theand 1st. LONG pattern the 3rd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. the 2nd, 5th second 4. The 5th repeats to ll out our strings. 1. is 4. The 6th repeats to ll out our strings. G pattern 2. Three SHORT patterns thethe 2nd, the half-step shift. is the 3rd and it entered for zone of 5th and 1st. s to ll out The strings. 3. our next LONG pattern is the 3rd and it entered the zone of the half-step shift. 4. The 6th repeats to ll out our strings.

17

now it gets weird

Embellishments

are totally allowed. Not only are they allowed, due to the loose nature of pentatonics, you would add a lot more flare to your playing if you didnt play the pentatonic as strictly 5 tones, but included secondary and tertiary notes.

Minor 6th and Major 5th with Secondary and Tertiary Notes
6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 6th 5th 2nd 6th 3rd 1st 5th 6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 6th

In these illustrations are the same modes, the 6th and 5th with the addition of secondary notes (the inclusion of the 4th5th 7th in the long patterns) and chromatic and notes in all the other gaps in between. Chromatic notes 2nd are based on a 12-tone scale, includes every note, and 6th these notes are not in the key. Thats right, its totally o.k. to play notes not in the key, as long as they are tran3rd sitional only.
1st 5th

Secondary note (key related) Tertiary note (chromatic)

Secondary note (key related) Tertiary note (chromatic)

6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 6th

And now for our final manipulation of the pentatonic, we throw in our descriptors, the 1st, 3rd and 5th of the chord.

Minor 6th and Major 5th with Secondary and Tertiary Notes and Descriptors
5th 2nd 6th 3rd 1st 5th 2nd 6th 5th 2nd 6th 3rd 1st 5th

Thats a lot of information to digest, isnt it? Yes, when 6th you think about it, Ive told you its o.k. to play a note 3rd on every fret on every string. So playing the pentatonic is really a matter of which notes you emphasize. And I 1st dont mean play in a chromatic slurry and end on the 1st, 5th because that would sound silly, but if you inject those in small doses, it adds a complexity to the pentatonic that otherwise isnt there.

18

countryvs.blues
Both use pentatonic scales, both use walking chord progressions, both sing about the same stuff and both genres influenced each other. Then why do they sound so different?!!!

pentatonic case study

ountry in the most general sense composes songs in a major key and uses the major pentatonic. Even the sad, sappy songs are often in a major key. For example, this would be a popular country chord progression, 1/4/5 (and in this instance that refers to the key and the mode).

lues in a very general sense utilizes the minor pentatonic, even in situations that warrant a major. A 1/4/5 blues progression, more appropriately refers to a 6/2/3 (a 1/4/5 progression out of the 6th). Here is a common walking blues progression.

A string E string

4 Lydian 1 Ionian

5 Mixolydian

A string E string

2 Dorian 6 Aeolian

3 Phrygian

I can see youre confused. Its the 4th, right? We just got done saying there is no pentatonic mode for the 4th. So you can do one of a few tricksplay the pentatonic on the 3rd (adjacent to the 4th) and include the 4th from our secondary notes), play the Lydian mode in combination with the 3rd pentatonic, continue playing the 1st pentatonic or move to the 6th but include and emphasize the 4th, play the popular form of the 5th at the 1st which includes the 4th. In a sense, this chord progression has to break the 5-tone rule in order to work. In the introduction I said I wasnt going to discuss picking, but its worth mentioning here. Changing the picking of a pentatonic also changes its sound. A hoe down has a rapid 2/4 time signature, and a player can congest 2 to 3 notes per beat, giving it that energetic, frenzied style, especially when used with the major scales, it sounds over-the-top happy. Musicians who can do this well, will never have trouble finding places to play.

Blues players like the form at the 6th so much, theyll even use it with a major progression in one of a couple waysplaying the 6th of the major key, inappropriately playing the minor pentatonic over the major chord, and theyll even change key. The following table illustrates the modes a blues player might choose over that country progression on the left.

A string E string

Stay on the 6th form over the 1st, but bend the 3rd sharp. 6th form over the 1st

Play the 6th form at the Mixolydian 5th position.

Did you notice you could play this progression with 1 form of the pentatonic? In a sense, where country forces the major even when its missing, blues forces its bluesiness with the minor.

Both break the rules, but in different ways!

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Chapter 6

plays well with others I A conversation among friends

strongly encourage guitar players of all ages and skill levels to find other people to play with. Wood-shedding is fine and dandy, but youre missing out on half of why its enjoyable to play the guitar, and that is to collaborate. Making music is a lot like having a conversation, and theres an art to having a conversation, though you may not realize it yet. You get better at this as you get older. Being a good story-teller and listener can be a tremendously powerful skill in society. It will make you a desirable person to be around. I dont care how important, good looking, or intelligent you are, the good conversationalist has a talent that is gold, and you have to practice, just like you would with music. For example (for you kids), next time your aunt calls and asks you how school is (adults always ask that, because in a sense theyre a little inept, too), lets assume on a holiday, rather than grunt fine! and hand the phone to your dad to get rid of her, prepare some witty euphemism in advance like, its a black hole that eats dads property taxes, but the pizza squares dont suck. Youre well on your way to becoming her favorite nephew. Practicing your instrument, in the same way is preparing you to be a likeable musician, and the more you know, the broader your appeal will be to musicians and spectators. You should not only practice alone, but also with others.

Same chums trying to have a conversation in the 7th grade, and its musical equivalent
Trish likes my new shirt!

and its musical parallel

Two Random Power Chords Key Change!

Did you catch the last episode of Portland is sunny? No, but I heard Snicky is out of the house. Yes. And the smog creature is back.

Cmaj melody Accents the E

I have to fight Scott Crumb after school Sucks for you! A weenie says wuh! . . . what? . . .

Random Sabbath Riff Confused

Modulates to Emin

$#@% I gotta see this!

Accents the C

Thats what I thought. Ma papa poker face my pa poker face!

Different Song

If you have YooLoo Instant its on there.

Modulates to C

I dont know how I feel about this shirt.

Quits Band

Awesome! Tonight Im watching it.

Cmaj resolve

Fortunately the bell would ring, ending these awkward moments. 2o

slack and pull it off! A

SUPERpentaSLACKtonic
One of the best explanations Ive heard about blues music was from my friend Jeff who Im sure wont mind being quotedthe blues juxtaposes something nasty to something sweet. you can do all sorts of nasty things as long as you resolve it sweetly. That being said, heres a really fun exercise. Play a basic 12-bar blues 1, 4, 5 progression (which in context of this book is really a 6, 2, 3), and only pay attention to giving the tonic special care. Then on the 4 play completely random with no regard to key, chords or anything. It actually sounds pretty cool.

s if the concepts Im covering arent simple enough, you can do even less and still sound o.k. There are many good bands that dont understand these things, and if you do, youre ahead of the game.

The odds of being right and wrong

As long as you can stay in key, thats a big accomplishment. Youve already eliminated the option youll hit a sour note, or a wrong note. So what youre left with is weak notes and strong notes, but at least youre in key. If you play randomly within confines of a mode, the odds youll hit the 1, 3 or 5 of a triad are 3 out of 7. So 42% of the time you sound modal and the rest is still in key. Thats not bad for a jam session. But the more you play and practice these concepts, the more likely youll emphasize the notes you intend to.

Great Moments In Slacker Guitar History

ont int is, d p My po rself u eat you tuff. b ss over thi nd be e fun a Hav ont dent. D o confi d up s et woun eing g er b tight ov at your , th correct mes g beco playin g. or borin timid

Present

2012Black Sabbath tour reduced to

one show and your parents are bummed.

Sonic Youth

1991Nevermind is released, and

C.C. Deville is instantly VH-1ed.

1990Paul Leary destroys more

guitars in opening song than Richie Blackmore, Rick Neilson and Pete Townshend combined.

1988Student union with limited budget

can only afford Joan Jett for homecoming.

PentaSLACKtonic
If everyone does it wrong, is it still wrong? Thats a big ethical dilemma for me as a teacher at this juncture of the book. A good number of people will not bother learning all 5 forms of the pentatonic scale, and that would include a lot of great guitar players. Its quite alright, and in context of whether thats correct, the odds youll hit a wrong note are roughly 20%, and that 20% still isnt terrible because of the weak/ simple tonality of pentatonics. Compound that with the percentage of time someone is paying attention to you playing and its negligible. Should you choose to join the ranks of Pentaslacktarians, familiarize yourself with the form over the 6th for minor and 5th or 1st for major. If you want to slack even harder, just learn the form over the 6th and for a major pentatonic, just slide it down 3 frets from the tonic and emphasize the which in this instance would be the root.

1981Rick Neilson destroys more guitars 1977Richie Blackmoore destroys

4 stratocasters during guitar solo. than Richie Blackmore at Chicagofest

Neil Young (The Age of Neil)

1969Jimmy Hendrix plays the 1967Pete Townshend destroys

Tommy Smothers guitar on air.

Superpentaslackspangled Banner at Woodstock

Past

1936Unable to afford a guitar,

Albert King plays the side of a barn.

21

dont sabotage your playing with a bad guitar

Epilogue

heap guitars can be really hard to play. I once bought a $100 acoustic guitar, and it was so painfully difficult to play, there was zero joy in it. It literally caused pain in my fingers as I tried smashing down 1/4 action, which would then bend the notes sharp so it was always out of tune, even when it was in tune. If that was my first guitar, I dont think I would have continued playing the guitar. If this sounds like your guitar, get a different one. Spend some time playing a variety, and when it comes time to hit up dad for a real one, make it count. It doesnt have to be a Gibson 335, but think $500-ish at least. It will be cheaper in the long run than constantly buying crappy guitars. Two crappy $250 guitars do not equal one $500. Two $500 guitars do not equal one worth $1000. Also consider if you do some smart shopping, and buy a nice used instrument (lets say $1000), the money is only gone until you sell it again. A good instrument is an asset that wont lose its value if you take care of it. Keep your guitar in a case, not a gig bag. Dont leave it laying on the living room sofa at your friends house, or lean it up against your amp without a stand. Dont leave it sitting out at all. Always put it away in its case. Dont bake it in your car in the middle of summer while youre in class. Avoid travelling with your precious guitar on an airplane. If you have divorced parents, get two guitars :-), one at moms and one at dads.

Mom lets me play that loud.

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