CLICK HERE to go to workout section!
Pentatonic Master Class Workshop
Part 3: The JAMS! It's time to PLAY!
. . . REMINDER . . .
Do Not Use a flimsy, flexible PICK!
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Part 3 will get you playing, two ways. For one, you'll be jamming
over Jam Tracks. Just having some fun! But equally as important,
we'll be spending more time on all 5 positions, and using them
over the jam tracks! Plus there are more patterns to learn!
BB King Box ~ Albert King Box ~ More Jammable Penta Phrases!
You are going to actually learn solos, AND get good at playing them!
We're going to literally create SOLOS! Remember the BIG scale
from Part 2? Well, we're going to EXTEND that into one HUGE,
LONG pattern! AND below, you're going to learn one more LONG
pattern! Then we're going to EXTEND THAT! THEN . . .
We're going to put'm into JAM TRACKS! Many different tracks!
YOU ARE GONNA BE JAMMIN' AND SOLOING!
If you have been following the plan, doing this workshop as per
the instructions, you have been working on Part 1 EVERY SESSION!
Before you worked on Part 2. And before your regular practice
sessions, and by now you can play each of the 5 positions fairly well!
Here we go!...
Before we learn more great riffs, take a few minutes and jam a bit to the
jam track. Don't "work" on the track. Just relax, and have fun with it!
See if you notice any improvements from before you started the workshop.
Track 38 ~ Am Slow Blues: Am Dm Em
Are you coming up with some new ideas you haven't used before? Are you
playing any better? Articulating better? Enjoying it more! If you DO . . .
DROP ME AN EMAIL OR PM AND LET ME KNOW!
Email me any time! ~/~
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I hope that was FUN!
More BOXES!
Tracks 41-50: 3 BOXES
Before we play to a jam track, let's take one track and WORK on it!
Then play it back down. This time play E D slide finger 1 down 2 frets. C
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Tracks 51-56: 3 BOXES
READY FOR SOME FUN!!!
I don't care what genre of music you're into, you use the Pentatonic
You're about to play the scale in the track exactly as it is in the track.
WAY TO GO! We've come a long way. And now it's starting to pull together!
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There are 2 tracks. The first on plays the lower octave riff.
We worked on "boxes" in Part 2. Let's go a bit deeper into the boxes.
We broke up the full scale into 4 boxes and played to tracks. But now
we're going to break the scale into THREE boxes, or scale shapes!
And each one has the same shape, and played the same way
Each of the 3 boxes plays GACDE. Same notes (each an octave higher)
and same shape. Here's how they sound. The 1st one is GACDE played
straight. Then again in a Swing feel.
SOUNDS LIKE
Starting the Am scale on the G before the root, and playing GACDE,
we can extend Position 1 and move to Position 2. Just using ONE 5-
note pattern, and incorporating a very cool 2-fret slide!
1st finger covers fret 3. So the finger combos are: 1 3, 1 3, slide
finger 3 up 2 frets. String 6, finger 1, G. Finger 3, A. 5th
string, finger 1, C. Finger 3, D. Slide finger 3 up 2 frets to E.
These have a swing feel. 123 123. This track holds the 1st note 2
counts, 12, the 3rd note 1 count. So the 1st 2 notes get 3 counts.
G'A. The next 3 notes are triplets. CDE. So you play it: G'ACDE % %
The pattern is played 3 times. G'ACDE G'ACDE G'ACDE E. Then
plays it again, ending on A.
G'ACDE G'ACDE G'ACDE E HOLD
G'ACDE G'ACDE G'ACDE A HOLD
41 UP 2X %
Then AG. E D slide C A G % % E HOLD. 2nd time end on HOLD A.
42 DOWN 2X %
Put them together!
43 UP DOWN
There won't be much instruction for the rest of this section. It's all
the same thing. Same pattern, up and down.
Stay in that position, 1st finger now on fret 5, and play the same exact
pattern on strings 4 and 3. Same pattern, AND same notes! G A C D E!
44 UP
45 DOWN
46 TOGETHER
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And one more time. Same position, Same notes. GACDE
47 UP
48 DOWN
49 TOGETHER
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OK, put them ALL together! Play it up, then down in 1 track.
Play it like one long scale. Count each box like this: 12 123
50 UP DOWN
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Let's EXTEND!
Two more exercize groups that literally tie it all together!
What we did above was take a simple 5-note phrase, and move
it 2 times to make 1 long phrase. Maybe the longest phrase
you ever learned! And that's cool. BUT!
We're going to take the above long scale, AND the BIG scale
from part 2, and . . . EXTEND THEM BOTH!
We'll also extend the BB King Box by adding in the
Albert King Box. AND . . . The Blues Scale!!
The scales we're going to work on now are extensions of
what we just did above, and the Big Box, and everything
else we've done so far! These are KILLER! And FUN!
SOUNDS LIKE
Remember this from part 2?
We can make that scale a LOT longer, and cooler to play! You know now
the scale is made by breaking up the single note scale by playing
212, 323, 434, etc. Well, we can even break up THAT broken scale!
We take the 1st 4 sets of 3 notes and play them once. Then we back up
one set of 3 notes, play them then the next 3 sets. So we have . . .
Think of it like climbing a stair case. Go up 4 steps, then back
down 1. Go up 4 more, and back down 1. ETC!
So . . . Play the 1st 4 sets of 3-notes, 5 times. 212 323 434 545.
Move down one set and repeat 5 times. 434 545 656 767. Drop down 1,
repeat the pattern all the way up. Each set of 4 plays 5 times.
52 UP 5X EACH
53 DOWN 5X EACH
Going up, play each set of 3 notes ONCE,
then move up to the next set.
54 UP TOGETHER
Going down, play each set of 3 notes ONCE,
then move down to the next set.
55 DOWN TOGETHER
Play the ENTIRE scale up once, then back down.
56 UP DOWN %
Back down to Tracks 81 - 83!
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Scale a ton. Right? Especially now that you have more positions and
phrases in your lick library!
But did you know that you can add just ONE note to the Pentatonic
Scale, and turn it into a super cool scale! Again, this isn't a theory
based workshop. You can read more about the How & Why in my
Tritones Tutorial. But I need to cover just a little now.
The Blues Scale is a 6-note scale. It's the Pentatonic Scale, plus
ONE NOTE! The Tritone! That's the note that's exactly in the middle
of the scale, and not played in the scale . . . USUALLY!
One cool thing about adding this note is, it's EASY to do! It falls
right between fingers 1 and 3, on the 5th string, in Position 1.
Of course, it's in all octaves, all positions. And in the same place.
Look at the chart above. 5th string, instead of playing fingers 1 3,
you play . . . 1 2 3. Just include the middle finger! In the higher
octave, change from fingers 1 3 on string 3, to fingers 1 3 4.
So 2 strings will use 3 fingers! Note: You don't use this note as a
"landing" note. As in, you don't end a phrase or hold this note.
It's a passing tone!
I'm covering the Blues Scale for 2 reasons.
1). Because of the similariy to the 5-note scale. Similar in structure,
and in useage.
2). Because it's used by every pro player I ever heard of!
Only one drill for this one because it should be a quick learn! But I'm
doing something different with this scale. First you'll play it really SLOW!
Until you get it!
SOUNDS LIKE
You'll hear a little bit of clashing in the tracks. Mainly because I just
play the scale straight, INCLUDING the b5 Tritone. So there's a shift in
how you'd usually play it. More on that in a bit. Work on it as is for now!
The graphic below shows the note names, the finger patterns, and the strings!
Blues scale over Blues track. Play it up, then back down.
60
Then . . .
Click on the Jam Track links, and play along with them yourself! No scale
played in the Jam tracks!
61
12-bar Am jAM track: Am Dm Em
62
This it the first SOLO we're going to build. So I'm going to chart out
exactly how the scale is used in the drill track. Learn it, note for note,
measure for measure. The only variation will be where one scale, going up
ties in with the scale going down.
NOTE: There's a 3-count snare 123 in between each direction change. So,
when you hear 123, the next count it the 1st note of the scale going the other way!
This is an important step! Because we'll learn other solos the same way.
The first time through the 12 bars, the scale is played exacxtly as above.
Learn this exactly! The following track plays this 1st verse version 4 times
63
Verse 2 and 3 are the same. Only slightly different from Verse 1.
The variations are only during the UP to DOWN transitions.
64
Verse 4, only varies slightly different from Verse 1.
65
There is a bit of an ending after the last verse.
Verse 2 and 3 are the same. Only slightly different from Verse 1.
66
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The Albert King Box
By now you're getting the scale down pretty solid! If you've been doing
Part 1 EVERY SESSION as directed, you have the 5 positions down!
Remember the BB King Box? Cool, right! Well, it gets cooler! How'bout we
learn the Albert King Box! It's almost the same. But he adds ONE NOTE to
BB's Box. And you should know what note that is by now. The Tritone, b5!
And here it is!
And here's where it comes from. I added the BB King box next to Albert's
so you see the comparison. That makes BB's Box pictured Bm.
BB's and Albert's boxes are an extension of Position 1. You play Pos 1, and
slide up to the box. Or you can play it out of Pos 2. More on this in a bit!
In Am, the b5 is Eb. A C D Eb E G A. Addding a 6th note to your
5-note phrases opens a lot of doors to creativity! You can use the flat 5
to extend the phrase out longer. or you can use some cool techniques, and
split the count between the flat 5 and the note before, or after it. And/or
use hammer-ons & pull-offs on the 2 notes. Like we'll be doing shortly!
We'll be expanding the whole Blues Scale thang shortly!
Here's an Am Blues Scale, Albert King box track. Just noodling here!
5 phrases over a cool Am progression.
NOTE: It's not a Blues progression!
Am Am7 ' C/G Am ' ' C6 ' Am7 ' Dm7 ' Am9 ' hold ... AmMaj7 hold
67
OK, let's do something FUN! A simple 3-note phrase you can use all over the
place on the fretboard, and it sounds cool!
You can do this with ANY 3 notes, but especially 3 notes in sequence, in a
row! Albeit, some will sound better than others! We'll start with. . .
the Tritone!
We're going to use a hammer-on technique for this one. You pick the tritone,
hammer-on the next note, then pick the 3rd note.
Eb, E G. We'll do it in 2 octaves. The first one, 5th string. PICK Eb, finger 2.
Hammer-on to E with finger 3. Then PICK G, 4th
string, played with your 1st finger.
The 2nd one, an octave higher, 3rd string, 1st finger, PICK Eb.
Hammer-On E, finger 3. Then PICK G, 1st finger. NOTE: You can either
move finger 1 to G, or better . . . just ROLL finger down to cover the G.
Rolling your finger is a much better choice! It's faster, and . . . SMOOTHER!
SOUNDS LIKE
The 2nd one plays the high riff.
Play the riff 4 times. 3 end on E. 4th ends on A (above G). Then get's
progressively faster. Work on BOTH a few times, and as always, just until
you mess up. Then start the track over and repeat.
68 LOW
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Hammer-Ons
Well, you'll either love this next exercise, or hate it! Ha! But it's a building
block! We'll use the Hammer-On technique, and add some more phrases that'll
all work into the solos we're going to be building!
The solo will sound like this. But a lot cooler when played faster!
It's a more difficult set of tracks. Nothing in it is difficult! But we're
going to add FOUR phrases, and each phrase has 4 variations. There will be
one "pattern", with a simple change at the end, in each of 4 tracks. So . . .
1 phrase, 4 endings, per track. 4 phrases. 16 total patterns. The reason . . .
You need to start thinking ahead. Start thinking in terms of longer riffs.
Yeah, a solo IS a bunch of short phrases, all played together. Kinda Sorta!
But not really! Sure, we learn a long solo a snip at a time. We work on a
small phrase until we get it. Then add another, etc. But, those bits and
pieces end up being long phrases, complete thoughts.
When we talk, we don't spell the words. We say them. We might have learned
some of the word a letter at a time. But when it come to communicating, I
want to hear you talk in intelligent sentences. THAT'S how you solo!
OK, I'll break down the 4 riffs you'll be playing. You could build a 12-bar
solo just from these phrases, played together! I want you to learn a
complete sentence this time. Not a few words!
Riff 1: Your 1st finger plays strings 1 and 2, 5th fret. You can barre it, or
ROLL your finger down when you play the A. Don't lift off your finger!
Count-In: Synth - 123 123
Riff 1
SOUNDS LIKE
70 RIFF 1 TRACK
Riff 2
SOUNDS LIKE
71 RIFF 2 TRACK
Riff 3
SOUNDS LIKE
72 RIFF 3 TRACK
Riff 4
SOUNDS LIKE
OK, let's put them together!
Riff 4
74 Together TRACK
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Now let's WORK the above "74 Together" track! 3 files. Stay on TRACK 77
until you NAIL IT! Then skip it next session and work on the TRACK 78. When
you can get through 78, work on 79. It's gonna be a while before you can
nail 79! HA!
SOUNDS LIKE
77 SLOW TRACK
78 FAST
79 BLAZING!
JAM TRACKS! Have a go! LET'S JAM! TRACKS
Just jam! Don't do the "drills". Use them, but make something up!
75 Am track. No chord changes
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Wrapping It All Up
I mentioned before that the BB Box, and Alber's Box are "extensions" of
Position 1. They are also "part of" Position 2! One of the uses of the 5
positions is to be able to move across the fretboard. Smoothly and FAST!
And one way to do this is to connect the positions.
I also mentioned before that the right half of one position is the same as
the left side of the next position. THEY ALL OVERLAP! So going from one
position to another automatically moves you up the fretboard. But not much!
2 or 3 frets at a time.
But we can also connect them by playing part of one position, and sliding
up to part of the next position! Like . . . jamming in Position 1, then
sliding up to the top half of Position 2 to grab the 2 King boxes!
Earlier, we broke Position 1 up into 4 small boxes. And that's cool! You
stay in that Money Maker Box. And it's great! But we also like to move around!
Then we broke it up into 3 boxes. Also cool! Plus . . . it helped us move across
the fretboard a bit!
We also worked on stairstep scales that carried us across the whole fretboard.
Or the whole keyboard! And those are really cool!
I'm going to show you just 2 more scales. One is ideal for guitar, but
playing the scale on keys takes you across a few octaves FAST! The other is
a really cool scale to end a solo!
Let's do the long Em run first! It looks like this . . .
We worked on the 3 Boxes already so you understand this. Pretty much! The
pattern plays 2 notes on one string. Plays 2 notes, same frets on the next
string, then slides up 2 frets and plays the note. That puts you in a position
2 frets higher than where you started.
Play the pattern again, then again! And you're way up the fretboard!
Using that idea, we'll stratch it out a bit more. You play the open E string.
Then apply the pattern. But this time, we'll START with the 2-note/slide
pattern on the E string. So, Open E, then play frets 3 and 5, fingers 1 and 3.
G & A. Slide up 2 frets, play the B. Then, just do the usual
pattern.
E: Open, G A slide to B
A: Fingers 1 & 3, D E.
D: Same. Play G A slide to B
G: Same. Play D E.
THEN . . .
Play D E again! Next string shift up because of B string
tuning and play 3 notes.G A B
SLIDE UP TO THE BB bOX! Play the box. Slide up 2 frets.
For the last note you can either slide up to E if you have
a 24 fret guitar, or BEND the D up to E!
E3 GAB DE GAB DE DE GAB BDEGAB D EE E
80 E3 GAB DE GAB DE DE GAB BDEGAB D EE E
But how will you end this killer run! Well, you could just
play in back down. Or play Position 4, down.
OR . . . I'll show you the "OR" in a bit! For now, play the scale a few Times!
ACTUALLY, PLAY IT A BUNCH OF TIMES. This is an endurance track!
You NEED to nail this run!
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Finally! The BIG ENDING!
{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}
57, 58 and 59 a crutial! You need to be able to get part way through all three
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We're on the last stretch! Make 100% absolute sure you understand tracks 51,
through 56! If for some reason you have a problem following the stairstep
patterns below, go back up the page to the Extend Tracks section again.
{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ / ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}
Click here to jump up!
BEFORE working on 81, 82 and 83. They are the total culmnination and
destination of this journey! Don't cut it short now! Work 57-59!
57 Stairstep Workout UP
59 New Stairstep Workout DOWN! - FAST
And the Grand Finale ! ! !
81 UP & DOWN Together (SLOW'ISH! Ha!)
82 - This Is IT! What you've been working for!
WAY . . . TO . . . GO!
OK, here's a jam track to use to make use of your new skill sets! See what you
can come up with now! Also, check out the Jam Tracks page! (Link below)
83 16-Bar Blues Track
So, what's next?
Go here for the shorter DRILLS page for Part 3. (Less scrolling)
Part 3 DRILLS page
THEN!
1). Go to the Jam Tracks Page and work on what you've learned over
some great jam tracks! Take a break and have some FUN!
JAM TRACKS PAGE
2). You go back to Part 2! When you get through it, do Part 3 again. Keep
alternating until you can get through ALL of the track, OR . . .
until you've succeeded as far as you'd like to!
There is no correct speed. No correct level. It's all about what YOU want!
If you'd like to be even better than you are now, KEEP WORKING!
Obviously, there's more to learn than just Am Pentatonics. If you have a
workshop idea . . . let me know!
Email me any time! ~/~
Wayne on Facebook
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When you're ready, go here to the downloads page.
ALL FILES DOWNLOAD PAGE
Contact me any time! Got a question? Ask me! Or request a workshop topic!
Email me any time! ~/~
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I hope this was a great journey for you! Wayne
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