By Robert M. Matthews

The name “pentatonic” comes from a couple of Greek words: “penta” – a prefix meaning five and “tonic” – which makes reference to a tone. Thus a pentatonic scale is a scale consisting of only five notes. This is opposed to the full diatonic scales which contain all seven tones of the musical alphabet (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G). The pentatonic minor scale is a very popular scale and is heavily used in blues, classic rock, heavy rock, jazz and other popular genres.

The minor pentatonic scale is the workhorse of blues and rock music. The minor pentatonic scale is formed by employing the scale degrees 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the natural minor scale. (Click on the link in the resource box below to download and examine your own copy of the minor pentatonic scales). The minor pentatonic gained popularity partially because it is one of the easiest scales to use. This is partially due to the fact that it only has five notes. Of course a lesser number of notes makes the scale easier to learn and remember, but there is another, more basic reason for the scales relative ease of application. With less notes involved, there are less opportunities for tonal clashes.

Let’s take an example: if you solo over a C minor chord, you will find that specific notes “work” or harmonize and others clash or are dissonant, and thus may only be useful as passing tones.

If instead, you solo over a C major chord, you will find a slightly different set of compatible notes.

Now if you simply improvise over a single C note-a C pedal tone, you will find that both sets of notes are compatible with the pedal tone. Certainly, for the solo to be pleasing you will have to be careful with the mixing of the major and minor tonalities in the phrasing. But, the fact remains that you will have more notes on your musical palette initially to work with. This is because, with less notes involved (pedal tone versus a chord) there is less opportunity for harmonic clash.
Such is the case with using a pentatonic scale versus a diatonic scale. The second and sixth scale degrees have been left out. This, once again, means that there are less total notes involved, which leaves less room for potential dissonant combinations.

In addition, chords tend to be stacks of major or minor thirds-often constructed from some form of the root, third, fifth and seventh. So the second and sixth degrees may be thought of as somewhat “less harmonic” than the other scale degrees. You can hear this in the major 6th chords (which add a sixth) and 9th chords. (The 9th chords add the ninth tone-which is an octave above the second). Both the 6th and 9^th chords have a harsher, more aggressive sound due to the addition of these two “oddball” scale degrees.

The pentatonic minor scale has occupied a prominent position in modern popular music for the past several decades. It is one of the most-used scales in blues, rock and other popular genres, partially because it is easier than many other scales to use. By leaving out the second and sixth scales degrees, the pentatonic minor scale creates a smaller chance for harmonic clash because a fewer number of notes are involved. In addition, the tones that are omitted are two scale degrees that tend not to harmonize as well as many of the other scale tones.

Robert M. Matthews (better known as Bob Matthews) is currently retired after more than 30 years of engineering and management experience.

As an avid guitar player for more than 35 years, Bob has created a website specifically for guitar players and future guitar players. The site is packed with a wealth of information and articles on guitars, music theory, guitar tips and lessons, as well as many entertaining and instructional videos.

Feel free to visit the site at http://www.Learn-Guitar-Quick.com for great guitar-related information. While there, be sure to claim your FREE PENTATONIC SCALES (and much more) available on the front page in the FREE BONUSES section in the right sidebar.

And… be sure to follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/GuitarBobb

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By Mike P Hayes

If you want to develop top-class guitar scales and improvisation skills, then the guitar scales 22 fret system is the tool that will make your dreams come true. By following these simple and precise guitar scales, you will be on your way to successful guitar music playing in no time.

A major reason why many guitarists never master guitar scales is that they try to learn too many at once. The key is to learn one scale at a time by practicing the guitar scales 22 fret system you will learn to unlock the fingerboard and be free to express yourself over the entire fingerboard.

Good knowledge of the fretboard will enable you to: improvise better, learn songs quicker, learn more chords and Scales, read music. I definitely recommend memorizing or becoming familiar with the fretboard.

Rather than aimlessly practicing guitar scales, you want to become laser focused. What guitar scales you need to learn, in order to play the style of music that you love.

If you are studying with a private teacher make certain that teacher can help you achieve your goals, there’s not much point asking a classical guitar tutor what scales you need to learn for jazz guitar.

To learn and master every possible guitar scale out there would take many lifetimes. It is more intelligent and far less frustrating to select an appropriate scale for your style of music and learn that scale as a 22 fret scale system.

Scales create patterns on the fretboard which players visualize and memorize. The important thing when learning scales is to take the time to learn the names of the notes your are playing under your fingers NOT just the fingering patterns.

The guitar scales 22 fret system can easily be adapted to any guitar no matter how many frets you have. Since most electric guitars have 22 frets the 22 fret scale system is the one I’ll concentrate on here.

The guitar scales 22 fret system an also be applied to acoustic guitar, most acoustic guitars have 12 to 15 frets available, the 22 fret scale system can be modified to suit your favorite acoustic guitar.

The guitar scale 22 fret, three note per string scale system part one:

We will be working entirely in the key of C major.

The key of C major C D E F G A B C

(a) Concept # 1 think of this C major scale as being on an endless loop (like a conveyer belt going round and round) ….. C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C etc

(b) Now imagine we where able to start at ANY point on this conveyer belt

(c) The concept of the three note per string scale system is very simple, you play three notes from your chosen scale on each string then move to the next string, play three notes and then move to the next string, play another three notes and then on to the next string etc.

Here is your project:

1. Play the following notes on the sixth string:

F note played with your first finger

G note played with either your second or third finger which ever is comfortable

A note played with your fourth finger

2. Play the following notes on the fifth string:

B note played with your first finger

C note played with your second finger

D note played with your fourth finger

3. Play the following notes on the fourth string:

E note played with your first finger

F note played with your second finger

G note played with your fourth finger

4. Play the following notes on the third string:

A note played with your first finger

B note played with your third finger

C note played with your fourth finger

5. Play the following notes on the second string:

D note played with your first finger

E note played with your third finger

F note played with your fourth finger

6. Play the following notes on the first string:

G note played with your first finger

A note played with either your second or third finger which

ever is comfortable

B note played with your fourth finger

Do you understand the concept? Play three notes from the C Major scale on the sixth string (starting from the note “F” within the C major scale)

Play the notes F. G. A on the sixth string, then move to the fifth string and play the next three notes from the C major scale B, C, D.

Don’t worry about the sound of this scale, it is intended to sound incomplete, it’s part of a giant linkage system I will explain to you.

Practicing guitar music scales is one of the key elements to learning the basics of guitar. When you learn the guitar scales 22 fret system you get the total picture. You get to see guitar scales played note for note right over the entire fretboard.

Mike Hayes is a teacher, author, speaker and consultant. Get his tips and tested strategies proven to boost your guitar playing
his membership site at http://www.guitarcoaching.com today.

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