Lets Learn Guitar Scales! (Minor Scale)

Today, we'll be learning the Minor Pentatonic Scale. Its a very versatile scale, and is used commonly in jazz, rock, and blues. Many new guitar players learn this as their first scale, and I've heard of guitarists who only play the minor scale.The scale formula is 1 b3 4 5 b7 1. John Mayer is a well-known artist who has used this scale in songs like Vultures and Crossroads.

To play the minor pentatonic scale in the key of A, you can barre the fifth fret with your root note (A) being played on the sixth and first E string. Then place your forth finger on the 8th fret of the same string. Then move down a string and place your first finger on the fifth fret, and your third finger on the seventh fret. You can repeat this step for the 3rd and 4th strings. For the final two strings, place your first finger on the fifth fret and your forth finger to on the eight fret. The picture above (courtesy of justinguitar.com) diagrams the minor pentatonic scale.

I really like the sound of the minor pentatonic scale, and I'm using it to practice licks for improvisation. My favorite worship artist, Gungor, also uses this scale in a lot of his songs and I would love to replicate his riffs and licks and play them at church. My favorite song, Church Bells uses a wide mix of scales (predominantly this one) to make a beautiful worship song. The vocal melody also sounds like it is in the minor scale, which shows that you can use the minor scale on multiple instruments to make a beautiful blend of music.

Lets Learn Guitar Scales! (Major Scale)

Guitar solos; everybody loves them, they sound great; and are the only reason some pick up a guitar in the first place. Have you ever wondered how these people do it? Well this blog post will show you how.

Guitar solos are played on scales. Scales are a set of notes ordered by pitch. The first scale most guitar players should learn is the major pentatonic scale. The major pentatonic scale's pattern goes Root-2-3-5-6. It is the most versatile scale, and is often used to make chord progressions. The photo above highlights notes used on a pentatonic scale; you can change the key that your scale is in by moving up and down the fretboard. The video below demonstrates how a guitar solo can sound when using the pentatonic scale.

The pentatonic scale can be played by playing the third fret on the fifth and sixth strings, the second fret on the second, third, and fourth strings, and the third fret on the first string. The root note is played on the third fret of the sixth string, and the third fret of the first string. 

I am still learning the major pentatonic scale, but its a fun scale to play and I use it to play along to a lot of the pop songs I hear on the radio. The main challenge I face is in my speed of playing. I'd like to play it at a super fast speed (like the one heard in the video below) but I know that speed is something that comes with practice and experience. With a lot of hard work and practice, you will be able to advance in your guitar playing. Your skill is a reflection of your effort!

Song Analysis - Last Night For a Table of Two

The third song from Mayday Parade's Monsters in the Closet is Last Night For a Table of Two. The song is in the key of B-flat major. The chord progression for the majority of the song is  B♭-Cm-F-A♭-E♭. The song begins with a riff using the previously mentioned chords. This riff is also used in the choruses of the song. The progression for the verses of the song are B♭-F♯-D♭-B♭.

I like the song; the passion can be felt in Derek Sanders' and Jake Bundricks' dual-vocal performance and the other instruments blend together very well. The band reminisces about a past relationship with a bitter ending (a theme visited quite often by this band)
Mayday Parade always has a way of adding their own twist to songs and differentiating themselves from bands with similar style, this can be seen 2:06 into the song in the break and guitar solo that precedes the bridge. One thing I would do differently is raise the pitch of the key from B♭ to C. If I had to complain about one thing, I would say that the instrumentation would sound better in the key of C, but Derek Sanders' vocal range shines in the B♭ range and he is an amazing vocalist in my opinion.