I’ve never thought of each chord change as a change in mode. I’ve been trying to make sense of how chord progressions and melodies go together, and have been told to just play what sounds nice together. Your thought process makes much more sense!
If you add diatonic to your pentatonic scales when it is desired . At minor pentatonic position #1 . Starting at any fret 1-12 and move out of those boxes using intervals you can move up and down the board. Now it’s about chord tone targeting ! Understand the circle of fifths is is huge! Start using backing tracks and remember if it’s A major F# minor is the same key so solo in f# minor pentatonic and see how that sounds. You notice most of the rock backing tracks are listed in minor.
I have a question or maybe more of a misconception. I’ll try to explain with an example. Consider an I-V chord progression of A major- E major. I previously thought you would jam over this with an A major pentatonic then shift completely to an E major pentatonic. Scotty is saying no, instead you go from A major pentatonic to “E pentatonic mixolydian”. Is the way that I used to think about it ever used, or have I been wrong my whole life? Are both approaches common? Should I just keep following along and watching to answer my question?
Hi Corey, Actually either approach would work. I would encourage you to think beyond pentatonics altogether and embrace diatonic scales. So you would use ionian over the l chord and mixolydian over the V chord. Both these scales include both pentatonic modes and you also get 2 more notes to play with.
@@absolutelyunderstandguitar60 thanks for the response! This makes sense that both “my version” and the method explained here are subsets of the diatonic modes. I went ahead and actually did some calculations to test out this idea. Here’s what I found, in case it will help any others. This is using a I-IV-V-vi chord progression in the key of A major: Diatonic Ionian: ABC#DEF#G# Lydian: DEF#G#ABC# Mixolydian: EF#G#ABC#D Aeolian: F#G#ABC#DE Major Pentatonic (my version) Pentatonic A: ABC#_EF#_ Pentatonic D: DEF#_AB_ Pentatonic E: EF#_G#_BC# Minor Pent F#: F#_ABC#_E (Minor Pent here to fit with F# minor chord for vi) Major Pentatonic (Scottie’s way) Pentatonic Ionian: ABC#_EF#_ Pentatonic Lydian: _EF#_ABC# Pentatonic Mixolydian: EF#_ABC#_ Pentatonic Aeolian: F#_ABC#_E So both ways have all notes as subsets of the corresponding major diatonic modes. Still a little confused at why pentatonic can be thought of as both different ways, but Scottie’s mode approach makes much more sense. Additionally, after a few hours of practice, I am in agreement that pentatonic really is restricting the full sound you get from just carefully using the Major diatonic modes instead. TLDR: major diatonic for the win over pentatonic
You want to solo in f# minor as it is the same key as A major per the circle of fifths. Give it a try and you’ll see. I hope this helps you! I recommend Brian Kelly at Zombie Guitar to explain modes and chord tone targeting as it relates to what chord the song starts in. Once you add diatonic to your pentatonic scale and move up and down the fretboard with intervals it really opens up! Also understand the circle of fifths. F# Minor is A majors minor equivalent on the circle and it doesn’t lie!
You want to solo in f# minor as it is the same key as A major per the circle of fifths. Give it a try and you’ll see. I hope this helps you! I recommend Brian Kelly at Zombie Guitar to explain modes and chord tone targeting as it relates to what chord the song starts in. Once you add diatonic to your pentatonic scale and move up and down the fretboard with intervals it really opens up! Also understand the circle of fifths. F# Minor is A majors minor equivalent on the circle and it doesn’t lie!
Hi Andrew, Excellent question. I personally feel all the hype about pentatonic scales is overrated. Why restrict yourself to 5 notes when you could be using 7? And you'll find that the really clever players can use all 12 notes. That said, it is important to understand the pentatonic world as so many rock and blues riffs and solos do utilize pentatonic scales.
The guitar is just 6 pianos. Think about it. So him using the piano is just like if he taught everything on just the low E string. And if he did that it definitely would not be as easy to hear or see.
The piano is famous for being linear and easy to look at. Guitar is rather hard to visually look at which is why learning intervals and the finger positions to jump from interval to interval is so important. On piano it’s just left and right. On guitar it’s up down left and right.
I’ve never thought of each chord change as a change in mode. I’ve been trying to make sense of how chord progressions and melodies go together, and have been told to just play what sounds nice together. Your thought process makes much more sense!
If you add diatonic to your pentatonic scales when it is desired . At minor pentatonic position #1 . Starting at any fret 1-12 and move out of those boxes using intervals you can move up and down the board.
Now it’s about chord tone targeting !
Understand the circle of fifths is is huge! Start using backing tracks and remember if it’s A major F# minor is the same key so solo in f# minor pentatonic and see how that sounds.
You notice most of the rock backing tracks are listed in minor.
Did no one else make it this far?
hi
@@scottjackson4558 Hello 👋
i'm slowing down because this is definitely getting out of my scope. but i still want to finish, i just need to hammer down the scales & modes
Yes, I'm so happy I am here, I picked this up to learn to jam and this is all about that.
@@scottjackson4558 same has entered a whole new scope of understanding and I’m like whaaat 😅
I have a question or maybe more of a misconception. I’ll try to explain with an example.
Consider an I-V chord progression of A major- E major. I previously thought you would jam over this with an A major pentatonic then shift completely to an E major pentatonic. Scotty is saying no, instead you go from A major pentatonic to “E pentatonic mixolydian”.
Is the way that I used to think about it ever used, or have I been wrong my whole life? Are both approaches common? Should I just keep following along and watching to answer my question?
Hi Corey, Actually either approach would work. I would encourage you to think beyond pentatonics altogether and embrace diatonic scales. So you would use ionian over the l chord and mixolydian over the V chord. Both these scales include both pentatonic modes and you also get 2 more notes to play with.
@@absolutelyunderstandguitar60 thanks for the response!
This makes sense that both “my version” and the method explained here are subsets of the diatonic modes. I went ahead and actually did some calculations to test out this idea. Here’s what I found, in case it will help any others. This is using a I-IV-V-vi chord progression in the key of A major:
Diatonic
Ionian: ABC#DEF#G#
Lydian: DEF#G#ABC#
Mixolydian: EF#G#ABC#D
Aeolian: F#G#ABC#DE
Major Pentatonic (my version)
Pentatonic A: ABC#_EF#_
Pentatonic D: DEF#_AB_
Pentatonic E: EF#_G#_BC#
Minor Pent F#: F#_ABC#_E
(Minor Pent here to fit with F# minor chord for vi)
Major Pentatonic (Scottie’s way)
Pentatonic Ionian: ABC#_EF#_
Pentatonic Lydian: _EF#_ABC#
Pentatonic Mixolydian: EF#_ABC#_
Pentatonic Aeolian: F#_ABC#_E
So both ways have all notes as subsets of the corresponding major diatonic modes.
Still a little confused at why pentatonic can be thought of as both different ways, but Scottie’s mode approach makes much more sense. Additionally, after a few hours of practice, I am in agreement that pentatonic really is restricting the full sound you get from just carefully using the Major diatonic modes instead.
TLDR: major diatonic for the win over pentatonic
@@coreycheever6492thanks! Makes sense
You want to solo in f# minor as it is the same key as A major per the circle of fifths. Give it a try and you’ll see.
I hope this helps you!
I recommend Brian Kelly at Zombie Guitar to explain modes and chord tone targeting as it relates to what chord the song starts in.
Once you add diatonic to your pentatonic scale and move up and down the fretboard with intervals it really opens up!
Also understand the circle of fifths.
F# Minor is A majors minor equivalent on the circle and it doesn’t lie!
You want to solo in f# minor as it is the same key as A major per the circle of fifths. Give it a try and you’ll see.
I hope this helps you!
I recommend Brian Kelly at Zombie Guitar to explain modes and chord tone targeting as it relates to what chord the song starts in.
Once you add diatonic to your pentatonic scale and move up and down the fretboard with intervals it really opens up!
Also understand the circle of fifths.
F# Minor is A majors minor equivalent on the circle and it doesn’t lie!
Beggars the question, if using modes, is there any real point at learning the Pentatonics?
Hi Andrew, Excellent question. I personally feel all the hype about pentatonic scales is overrated. Why restrict yourself to 5 notes when you could be using 7? And you'll find that the really clever players can use all 12 notes. That said, it is important to understand the pentatonic world as so many rock and blues riffs and solos do utilize pentatonic scales.
It's really odd that he uses the keyboard in excess in a guitar course.
Its easier to visualize the concepts with the keyboard
Most if not all music theory courses do it this way
The guitar is just 6 pianos. Think about it. So him using the piano is just like if he taught everything on just the low E string. And if he did that it definitely would not be as easy to hear or see.
The piano is famous for being linear and easy to look at. Guitar is rather hard to visually look at which is why learning intervals and the finger positions to jump from interval to interval is so important. On piano it’s just left and right. On guitar it’s up down left and right.