Pentatonic Spice - Adding modal sounds to your boxes - Part 1 of 3

When a student of guitar walks into a lesson, asking to learn how to solo, the pentatonic scale is most often the
first scale a teacher will present. Why? Firstly, it is simple to memorize. Secondly, it sounds pretty great!
Thirdly, it is one of the oldest scale patterns in the world and deeply engrained in us. Players such as Jimmy
Page, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Tony Iommi, David Gilmour, SRV and MANY MANY others use this scale
as option A. So if you like their music, or any music that was influenced by them or the blues (which is almost
all!), then this sucker is worth owning.
The Problem
I suspect most people reading this lesson already know all this. As a matter of a fact, I suspect most of you
know this scale very WELL. So well, in fact, that you now feel trapped by it. If this is you, then maybe some of
these ideas will help a brother out.
Let's Get to Work
Have a look at the diagram at the top of this post. Click the image to download a pdf of it (or click here). At the
top of the diagram, I have placed the most common form of the pentatonic scale. Let's imagine for a minute that
you are soloing. Typically, players use this scale as a minor scale -- meaning using its lowest note as the root. So
if you are playing over an A chord (or 5th fret power chord for you metal heads) then plant this baby on the 5th
fret and have at 'er.
Being a minor scale ... it can be seen as a partial scale ... the pentatonic being a skeletal version of the 7 note
major scale shapes. Pent - meaning "five" - gives you some insight into this. Or, it is simply a 5 note scale, with
the "handle with care" notes removed - which is why it works so well.
From Wikipedia:
"The ubiquity of pentatonic scales, specifically anhemitonic (without semitones) modes, can be attributed to the
total lack of the most dissonant intervals between any pitches; there are neither any minor seconds (and
therefore also no complementary major sevenths) nor any tritones. This means any pitches of such a scale may
be played in any order or combination without clashing."
Because of this, you have the option of re-introducing some of these removed notes to access more "modal"
type sounds. Only 2 little notes can change a LOT.

STOP! YOU USED THE "M" WORD! (modes)

The word "modes" causes more stress, arguments and confusion than any guitar topic! Before any of you theory
police dive down my throat, let me just take a minute to say making something modal is about the underlying
chordal harmony. No scale can make something modal in a true sense. I am using that word because it is very
commonly used - and well misunderstood. But let's not go there for now.
Some quick theory you need to know:
In any key, there are 3 minor chords.
They occur off of the 2nd, 3rd & 6th notes of the scale.
Some examples:
Key C - C, Dmin, Emin, F, G(7), Amin, Bdim
Key G - G, Amin, Bmin, C, D(7), Emin, F#dim
Key A - A, Bmin, C#min, D, E(7), F#min, G#dim
If you look at all those keys, you should notice that all the chord TYPES remain unchanged.

The first, fourth and fifth chords are Major.

The second, third and sixth chords are minor

The fifth, while being major, can also be dominant - This is a very critical note of the scale. Especially in
Jazz.

The 7th is a diminished chord - some opt for min7b5

So from this quick glance, you hopefully see what I mean when I say that the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th notes' chords are
minor. The "modes" or scale shape that goes with these chords are named:

Dorian (from the chord built off the second note of the scale)

Phrygian (off the 3rd note of the scale)

Aeolian - a.k.a. natural minor (off the 6th note)

In other words, these scale forms are directly associated with specifically minor chords.
What does all this mean?
What it means is that when you are playing a minor pentatonic solo and you want the listener to hear it sound as
if it is the II (two) chord of the key, you would add some Dorian notes. If you want the chord to sound as if it is
the III (three) chord, then Phrygian is your woman (or man if you are so inclined). Leaving Aeolian as the VI
(six) chord sound.
So this is the "why" behind all this. To summarize, by adding 2 notes to a shape that you already know, you now
have access to a whole new world of sounds.
The bottom line in all this is to hear it. So have a go.
On my chart you will see that I colour coded the added notes, so try out each form. Get a backing track or loop

going. Pick a chord and start with your ever-comfortable minor pentatonic and solo as you usually do. Then
start adding in notes from the Dorian. When you got that sound in your ears then move to the Phrygian, on and
on. With each shape, really listen and try to understand its nuances, its character.
I should say (although I don't really want to influence your tastes) that the Dorian is the most common sound...
followed by Aeolian. The Phrygian has somewhat of a Spanish sound (at least that is the description I have most
commonly heard). This likely comes from the addition of the b2 & b6.
Oh! At the bottom, just for laughs, I added a shape that includes all the notes combined. You truly do have
access to all these notes but in doing so, you really get into ambiguous territory harmonically. So it must be used
with great care. Ultimately, your sense of creativity and good taste will rule the day.
These simple additions to something you already know can have powerful and immediate changes to your
sound. So dig in!
Here are some examples of how they each sound. I tried to use similar phrasing and tone so that you can hear
the nuances of each scale form.
Click Here to read Part 2 of this series. Adding Blues sounds.
P.S. I added an explanation of intervals for anyone confused by the terminology.

Pentatonic Spice - Adding "Blues" sounds to your boxes - Part 2 of 3

In Part One of of this series, we covered adding "modal" sounds to the pentatonic boxes you already know. If
you didn't read that post, click here so that you're up to speed prior to this next installment.
In Part Two, let's discuss adding "Blues" spices to the pentatonic. But before we do, I first want to give a shout
out to Stevel over at the Gear Page for suggesting I make this a series. Great idea. Thanks brother.
The "Blues" Scale

One of the staples of capturing a blues sound in your solos is the use and understanding of the "blues" scale (as
it is commonly referred).
From wikipedia:
The hexatonic, or six note, blues scale consists of the minor pentatonic scale plus the 4th or 5th degree[1][2][3].
A major feature of the blues scale is the use of blue notes,[4] however, since blue notes are considered
alternative inflections, a blues scale may be considered to not fit the traditional definition of a scale.[5] At its
most basic, a single version of this "blues scale" is commonly used over all changes (or chords) in a twelve bar
blues progression.[6] Likewise, in contemporary jazz theory, its use is commonly based upon the key rather than
the individual chord.[2]
In essence, the only difference between the regular pentatonic and a blues scale is one note: the b5. But what a
difference it makes. Understand that this is not a note you can stand on for any length of time. More, a note you
pass across to add that dissonant/consonant resolution that the blues live on. The b5 and the 3rd are at the core.
To me, there are three spots where I really "hear" the blues:

the b3rd - bend or slide it up to a major 3rd-ish then resolve down to the root

the b7th - roll across it to the major 7th then resolve to the root

the b5 - 7, 5, b5, 4, 3, 1 BAM! There it is!

There are other spots as well, but these are three moves that are ALL OVER the blues. It took me quite a while
to really understand the power of such a simple-seeming genre, but having a solid grasp of the blues has
improved my soloing like no other study. I HIGHLY suggest learning this to ANYONE who wants to solo. Rant
over : )
Anyway, let's have a look at the chart prepared at the top of this entry. Click here to download it if you so
choose. What you will see, as in Part One, is the first position pentatonic at the top. Then below to the right, is
the "Blues" version of the scale with the added b5's.
Another very commonly used scale with blues spices is the Dorian mode, also covered in Part One and shown
on the left of the chart. The natural 6th and 9th are other very common blues notes. Again, they are used mostly
as pass-throughs, but they can add a powerful dimension to a solo.
At the bottom, I added a combined "hybrid" version. VERY usable scale.
The key to this is trying to figure out where your original scale lives. At first, only stop on the safe notes of the
original pentatonic minor form. As you gain confidence, you can stand on these other notes... maybe not the
b5... like, EVER! But certainly the 6th and 9th are pretty consonant. They tend to add a suspended, dreamy-type
sound to my ears. But I am sure you will have your own way of describing them.
As with all the concepts I am covering here, to take it to the next level, find these added notes in all the other
shapes of the pentatonic scale. If you master them with each shape, your pool of available sound options
becomes immense!
Below is an example of the Blues Scale in use. What a great sound! One of my faves.

P.S. I added an explanation of intervals for anyone confused by the terminology. Click here for that post