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GMC Forum _ THEORY _ Some Pentatonic Diagrams For You

Posted by: PosterBoy Oct 31 2016, 05:26 PM

I thought I'd start plotting out some pentatonic diagrams and overlay them with other handy information. Here's the start of my first idea Pentatonics with the diatonic triads overlayed.

The pentatonic scale is the clear circles, the triad note is a black circle if it is part of the pentatonic scale and a black square if it is an additional note. I've kept the notes to only the ones 1 fret away from the scale.

You can see the CAGED system in this

The 1st diagram showing the G shape
The 2nd diagram showing the A shape (minor)
The 4th diagram showing the C shape
The 5th diagram showing the D shape
The 6th diagram showing the E shape (minor)

Let me know if these are helpful and I'll post the other pentatonic boxes

Posted by: PosterBoy Nov 1 2016, 09:29 AM

I'm starting to try to think more about triads than scales when I play, it sounds better to be hitting chord tones as you can really hear the changes rather than just seemingly running mindlessly over a scale.

Mick Taylor from the Stones said he based his playing around triads rather than pentatonics which is where I got the idea to think about making a study of this. As a bonus you can clearly see chord shapes so if you are playing rhythm you can see use a certain position on the neck to play a chord and use the corresponding pentatonic shape for lead guitar fills or to create riffs etc.

I know people say play this Am pentatonic over an Am and then a G major pentatonic over a G, I'm pretty sure if I plot it out staying on the Am shape and just adding in the B from the G major triad will have the same result. Hmm let's find out

Yep we just have a C in the shape which will give us that great suspended 4th sound over the G chord.

I'll add a set of diagrams with the other triads so you can get the dorian, harmonic minor, phrygian, lydian, mixolydian flavours too

Posted by: fzalfa Nov 1 2016, 06:43 PM

yumy !!

Cheers

Laurent

Posted by: Phil66 Nov 4 2016, 11:48 AM

That's great, thanks for taking the time to do this

Posted by: AK Rich Nov 20 2016, 06:10 PM

Great stuff, PB! Seeing the bigger picture of the Pentatonic boxes in this way is invaluable in finding new and creative ways to play over chords and chord changes and will go a long way in developing a wide vocabulary of licks and phrases and the ability to create them on the spot during improvisation.
This is a bit off topic, but here is some more Pentatonic candy from Scott Henderson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm_VSjadCiU