alternate pentatonic licks

www.scottcookmusic.com Alternate (Not Altered) Pentatonic Licks Copyright 2012-2013, Scott Cook Music • All rights reserved • www.scottcookmusic.com • Email: [email protected] Using common scale patterns in less-common situations Most guitar players are comfortable with major and minor pentatonic scales, especially the box-shaped pattern that spans four frets (Ex.01). When learning to apply this pattern, itʼs easy to build that pattern above the root of whatever chord youʼre soloing over and leave it at that. But musicians are sometimes stumped when it comes to using pentatonic scales built on notes other than a given chordʼs root. This lesson includes a few short (2mm) licks that use “alternate” (not altered) pentatonic scales. They are alternate in that they are built on notes other than the underlying chordʼs root. However, they restrict themselves to the familiar fingerings, making them quick and easy to learn. Example 2 is in the minor mode, suggesting an altered-dominant sound that resolves to a minor tonic. Example 3 is in the major mode, suggesting a Lydian (or Maj7#11) sound. Ex.01: The familiar box-shaped pentatonic pattern: Ex.02: These lines can be used over a V7–i, in the key of D minor. The line in the first measure uses a Gmin Pentatonic scale over the A7 chord, which produces a nice altered sound. Generally speaking, when playing over V in a minor key, try playing the minor pentatonic scale whose root is a perfect-5th below the tonic of the key youʼre in (where, in this case, G is a perfect-5th below D). Ex.03: These lines can be used over the chord AMaj7#11. This chord type is used in a lot of non-diatonic, contemporary jazz writing (listen to the music of Kenny Wheeler, for instance). The lines use a BMaj Pentatonic scale over the A chord. Generally speaking, when playing over a Maj7#11, try playing the major pentatonic scale whose root is a whole-step above the root of the chord that youʼre soloing over. Note how Ex.03B could also be understood as resolving to EMaj, suggesting a IV–I progression in the key of E major. A. A7 A. AMaj7#11 B. AMaj7#11 EMaj Dmin A7 Dmin B. & T A B 4 4 œ œ œ # œ 5 7 4 7 œ # œ œ œ # 4 7 4 6 œ œ # œ œ 5 7 5 7 V T A B 4 4 œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 3 3 3 3 6 3 6 3 6 3 6 3 5 8 6 8 3 3 3 3 w 5 V T A B 4 4 œ b œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 6 3 6 3 6 3 6 8 w 5 V T A B 4 4 Œ œ # œ œ # œ # œ # œ œ # 3 Œ 6 4 4 7 4 4 6 3 w 6 V T A B 4 4 œ # œ # œ œ # œ # œ # œ œ 6 4 6 6 4 7 6 4 w 4

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www.scottcookmusic.com

Alternate (Not Altered) Pentatonic Licks

Using common scale patterns in less-common situationsMost guitar players are comfortable with major and minor pentatonic scales, especially the box-shaped

pattern that spans four frets (Ex.01). When learning to apply this pattern, itʼs easy to build that pattern abovethe root of whatever chord youʼre soloing over and leave it at that. But musicians are sometimes stumped

when it comes to using pentatonic scales built on notes other than a given chordʼs root.

This lesson includes a few short (2mm) licks that use “alternate” (not altered) pentatonic scales. They arealternate in that they are built on notes other than the underlying chordʼs root. However, they restrict

themselves to the familiar fingerings, making them quick and easy to learn. Example 2 is in the minor mode,suggesting an altered-dominant sound that resolves to a minor tonic. Example 3 is in the major mode,

suggesting a Lydian (or Maj7#11) sound.

Ex.01: The familiar box-shaped pentatonic pattern:

Ex.02: These lines can be used over a V7–i, in the key of D minor. The line in the first measure uses a Gmin Pentatonicscale over the A7 chord, which produces a nice altered sound. Generally speaking, when playing over V in a minor key,try playing the minor pentatonic scale whose root is a perfect-5th below the tonic of the key youʼre in (where, in thiscase, G is a perfect-5th below D).

Ex.03: These lines can be used over the chord AMaj7#11. This chord type is used in a lot of non-diatonic, contemporaryjazz writing (listen to the music of Kenny Wheeler, for instance). The lines use a BMaj Pentatonic scale over the A chord.Generally speaking, when playing over a Maj7#11, try playing the major pentatonic scale whose root is a whole-stepabove the root of the chord that youʼre soloing over. Note how Ex.03B could also be understood as resolving to EMaj,suggesting a IV–I progression in the key of E major.

A. A7

A. AMaj7#11 B. AMaj7#11 EMaj

Dmin A7 DminB.

TAB

44œ œ œ# œ

5 74 7

œ# œ œ œ#

4 74 6

œ œ# œ œ

5 75 7

TAB

44œb œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ