by Dirk Hagemann
http://www.blueslessons.net

This time we’ll take a step further from the minor pentatonic and the
Blues scale you’ve learned before. It’s important that you know all
pattern the minor-pentatonic-scale and that you can play them smoothly.
With the major scale you have another tool to enhance your guitar
licks and solos.

I’ll spare the theory stuff. Important to know is, that the
major-pentatonic-scale consits of the same five patterns like the
minor-pentatonic-scale. But they are played in a different order
because the use another scheme for the keynote.

But don’t panic. Below I’ll show you an easy way to learn the major
pentatonic scale!

Example:

Pattern 1 of the minor pentatonic scale = Pattern 5 major pentatonic scale

|-x-|---|---|-x-|---|
|-x-|---|---|-x-|---|
|-x-|---|-x-|---|---|
|-x-|---|-x-|---|---|
|-x-|---|-x-|---|---|
|-x-|---|---|-x-|---|

Pattern 1 of the major-pentatonic-scale = Pattern 2 of the minor
pentatonic scale

e   |---|-x-|---|-x-|
B   |---|-x-|---|-x-|
G   |-x-|---|-x-|---|
D   |-x-|---|---|-x-|
A   |-x-|---|---|-x-|
E   |---|-x-|---|-x-|

Learn all five patterns in the new order like you learned the minor
pentatonic scale. Like the minor-pentatonic scale lessons we practice
them in the key of A!

The Major Pentatonic Scale in the key of A!

    1st Pattern
E||-------6---------8----|
B||-------6---------8----|
G||--5---------7---------|
D||--5--------------8----|
A||--5--------------8----|
E||-------6---------8----|

Play it from the high E to the low E string and back
-------------------------------6--8--|
-------------------------6--8--------|
-------------------5--7--------------|
-------------5--8--------------------|
-------5--8--------------------------|
--6--8-------------------------------|

       2nd Pattern
|-------8---------10----------|
|-------8---------------11----|
|--7--------------10----------|
|-------8---------10----------|
|-------8---------10----------|
|-------8---------10----------|

Play it from the high E to the low E string and back
------------------------------------8--10--|
-----------------------------8--11---------|
-----------------------7--10---------------|
----------------8--10----------------------|
---------8--10-----------------------------|
--8--10------------------------------------|

      3rd Pattern
|--10----------------13----|
|--------11----------13----|
|--10----------12----------|
|--10----------12----------|
|--10----------------13----|
|--10----------------13----|

Play it from the high E to the low E string and back
-----------------------------------------10--13--|
---------------------------------11--13----------|
-------------------------10--12------------------|
-----------------10--12--------------------------|
---------10--13----------------------------------|
--10--13-----------------------------------------|


     4th Pattern
|--------13---------15----|
|--------13---------15----|
|--12---------------15----|
|--12---------------15----|
|--------13---------15----|
|--------13---------15----|

Play it from the high E to the low E string and back
-----------------------------------------13--15--|
---------------------------------13--15----------|
-------------------------12--15------------------|
-----------------12--15--------------------------|
---------13--15----------------------------------|
--13--15-----------------------------------------|

      5th Pattern
|--15---------------18----|
|--15---------------18----|
|--15---------17----------|
|--15---------17----------|
|--15---------17----------|
|--15---------------18----|


Play it from the high E to the low E string                             
------------------------------------------15--18--|
----------------------------------15--18----------|
--------------------------15--17------------------|
------------------15--17--------------------------|
----------15--17----------------------------------|
--15--18------------------------------------------|

=================================================
An easy way to learn the Major Pentatonic Scale
=================================================

As you might have noticed the last pattern of the major pentatonic
scale is the same as the first of the minor pentatonic scale.

An easy way to learn the major pentatonic scale is this:

1. See where the 1st minor pattern is located (eg. in the key of E on
the 12th fret).

2. Then go 3 frets down the fingerboard (eg. key E on the 9th fret)
and play the minor scale from there instead from the 12th fret.

3. This way you might play the minor scale patterns, but you use them
3 frets down with the notes of the major scale!

I´ll explain it once more, so that you know what I mean (English is
not my mother-language and I´m not sure if I made it clear):

Example:

The minor pentatonic scale in the key of A starts from the 5th
fret.

Move it down 3 frets and play the 5 minor patterns them from
there.

But now you use the notes of the major scale!

—
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