how to

what you will learn

Minor pentatonic scales in three
positions on the fretboard
Pentatonic licks with hammer-ons
and pull-offs
How to play rock licks covering
most of the fretboard

22 20 minutes to…

Perfect Pentatonics
power up your pentatonics with these useful technical approaches to the
electric guitar’s most recognizable scale
retty much whatever the style, the key of A minor, the notes are: A C D E G), Water and Jimmy Page’s amazing solo on Led

P you can bet that you’ll hear the

guitar playing a riff, solo or fill
that uses a pentatonic scale at
some point. Even if you don’t
and players have been using combinations of
these five notes for decades to give us some of
the most iconic sounds in rock and pop. Richie
Blackmore’s riff in Deep Purple’s Smoke On The
Zeppelin’s Stairway To Heaven are two classic
examples of pentatonics in action. Try out our
technical exercises to put some pentatonic
power in your solos!
know it, you’re probably already playing licks
and riffs that use its notes.
So, what is this scale? Well, in musical EvEn if you don’t know it, you’rE probably
terms, the minor pentatonic scale consists of
five notes: a root note, b3rd, 4th, 5th and b7th (in alrEady playing pEntatonic riffs and licks
The one-shape lick TRACK 3

œ œ~~~~~~~~~ œ œ~~~~~~~~~
œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
q = 65 -110

4
&4 œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
3
1
4 4
3 3 1 1
1 1
1 3

5 8
~~~~~~~~~
5 5 8 5
~~~~~~~~~~
T 5 8 5 8 5 8 5 8
A 5 7
5 7 5 7
5 7
5 7 5 7

B
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
This features repeating hammer-ons and pull-offs that ascend through the A minor pentatonic scale (A C D E G). The scale fits neatly under the fingers in this scale shape
and our lick is best used in classic rock or modern blues-rock-style lead lines. Play very slowly at first, and focus on developing your feel and timing.

ToTal GuiTar november 2016

 20 minutes to Perfect Pentatonics

Moving beTween Two shapes TRACK 4

œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ œ œ
q = 65 -110

& 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
3

œ œ œ
1 1
1 3 3
2
3
1 3
3
1
3

8 10 8 8 10 8
T 8 10 10 8 10 10
A 5 7
5 7 5
7
9
5 7
5 7 5
7
9

B
! " ! " ! " ! " ! " ! " ! " ! "
7 7

This exercise extends the scale into the next fretboard position. This is a really useful extension, because not only can different types of licks be played, but there’s a
higher note, too. Seeing this ‘extension box’ as a ‘triangle’ kind of shape across the first, second and third strings helps to visualize it.

Moving beTween Three shapes TRACK 5

œ œ œ œ œ ˙
œ
1/4
q =70-120

& 44 ..
œ
3

œ œ ..
3

œ œ
1 1

œ
3 3 1 3
1
3

œ œ œ œ œ
3

œ
1 1 3
2
1
1 3 1 3 3
1 3 3
3 1/4

T . 8 10 8 8
.
. .
8 10 10
A 5 7
5 7 5
7
B 3 5 3

! ! " ! ! " ! ! " !

3 5 5

23

Featuring a blues-style triplet approach, this exercise adds another ‘extension box’, but this time on the fifth and sixth strings, giving you an extra low note. The exercise is
a little tricky, as you have to ‘jump’ your fretting hand to the different positions, but note how it creates a repeating phrase which carries over three octaves.

Using slides and bends TRACK 6

œ œ œ œ œ ˙
œ œ œ
1/4

œ
q =70-120

& 44 .. œ œ œ ..
3
3

œ
1
3 1

œ
1 3 3

œ œ œ
2

œ
3 1
1
1 3 3 3 3
3
1 3 1/4

. .
BU BD
8 10 (12) (10) 8 8
T
. .
8 10 10
A 5 7
5 7 9

B 3 5 7

! " " " " ! ! "

3 5

This blues-rock-style exercise is a staple pentatonic idea in the lead guitarist’s trick bag. Note how different techniques are used to create this slick sounding phrase.
Slides connect the three positions, so accurate fingering is important, and an accurately pitched full tone bend in bar 2 extends the range even further.

PracTicE PlaN
1. 2 mins slow and 2 mins fast on each tab exercise
2. 4 mins mixing up the licks, eg, bar 1 from example 1 then bar 2 from example 2

You’ve tried the exercises and they will help you hone your technical skills, but try to take some musical inspiration, too, and mix one
or two of these ideas into your next jam. It could be as simple as a few notes or a shift between two licks in different fretboard
positions. Turn our licks inside out and be as creative as you like. Next month, we’ll look at how you can improve the most personal
element of your lead playing – vibrato.

NEXT MONTH 20 minutes to improve your vibrato

november 2016 ToTal GuiTar